It was a bit overcast, but not rainy and the last weather forecast we'd seen said it might rain in the evening...
As we were driving up the A65 there was a sign for a falconry centre with a tea rooms. The lady who runs it was very friendly, and we had an interesting scone, with jam and cream. We decided to go and visit the birds, but couldn't stay for the flight display. The birds were beautiful, and quite close. The birds used in the show are housed in little tunnel things during the day and I took a picture of a few of the birds...
We continued on our way and went past some interesting place names including Giggleswick and Wiggleswick!
The trip to the Lake District is quite lovely, and travels along outskirts of the western Yorkshire Dales National Park for some of the time.
Lake Windermere is quite lovely in places, and very touristy. We were on a hunt for the real Beatrix Potter, and there is the Beatrix Potter Attraction! Which we did not visit at Bowness-on-Windermere! But travelled on through, towards the village of Hawkshead where there is the National Trust's Beatrix Potter Gallery. It is in the building her husband, William Heelis, had his legal practice. At the moment they are celebrating the centenary of their marriage in October 1913. It was lovely to see the original illustrations.
I forgot though, we had lunch first! And what an experience that was!!!! There were quite a few places to choose from. We chose the Sun Cottage Cafe, partly because of the menu, but also because of the amazing huge cakes in the window! I wish I could say we had a piece, but after what I had, I couldn't fit it in!!!
When we got in there it is only a small cafe, with a few tables for two, and a few for four. There is a place for the woman in control to make drinks, the cakes on the front counter and what turns out to be a dumb waiter to transport food from the kitchen above. I'm getting ahead of myself though!!! The woman gives us a choice of the two person tables, and we choose one of them. The atmosphere was a little odd... a couple sitting near us were eating soup and another couple were over the way. I half expected the food might be the problem... We chose our food and drinks, and then waited... I don't mean for long, it was just that we realised the woman in control was not to be messed with!!!! A number of people came in attracted by the cakes as we were! Each coupIe was told they could sit at the tables for two, but not four as these were being saved in case they were needed because a coach might arrive and a group need the larger tables. Some of the couples decided not to stay, especially as some thought they might sit at a table for four and were told they couldn't!
Anyway, I ordered the roast beef sandwich with horseradish. It came on brown bread and had gravy with it and was delicious, there was a little bowl of salad next to the sandwich and the mayonnaise on this was delicious and reminded me of my mother's!
It was quite an experience!!!
After lunch and visiting the Gallery, we travelled on to Beatrix Potter's house called Hill Top. It was lovely to visit the house and the trip there was along a narrow windy road. The house has been left as Beatrix Potter wished, and is quite interesting. The bedroom has a tester bed in it. Apparently Beatrix had an operation when she was in her early 70s and while she was recovering in hospital she embroidered a hanging for the bed! The house at Hill Top was the one she bought first before she married William, and she decided it was too small to live there with him. Instead she and William lived in a house about 100 metres up the road and she would visit the house each day when William went to work at Hawkshead. She used the garden as inspiration for her illustrations.
We had afternoon tea next door to the carpark at Sawrey where there was a very picturesquely placed Hotel. It would be a nice place to stay. At the hotel they were advertising tickets for the car ferry. So rather than driving back around Lake Windermere, we decided to take the ferry. As we got closer there were signs advising how long you would have to wait to get the ferry, as it is obviously a lot busier at times. When we got there, there were four vehicles in front of us. We only had to wait a little while and the ferry was on its way back to our side. We ended up at the front of the middle lane of traffic on the ferry which was nice! A little while later we were back at Bowness and then driving home.
We stopped at the Dog and Gun pub close to where we are staying. I had a very nice mushroom, leek and pumpkin in cheese sauce pie. Then home...
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