Sunday we packed up and ate our breakfast at Thistle London Trafalgar Square. I saw a little mouse in the breakfast room and told the attendant, Joey. That opened into a conversation about Memphis.
A polite young man, he asked if I drove when I was home. I think he was surprised that I do drive.
Trafalgar Square at night
We headed to Euston Station for our train ride to Windemere.
Tenon Tours had purchased all our train tickets. All we had to do was print them out at the station.
We changed trains at Oxenholme Lake District and very soon we arrived in Windemere.
The town is quite hilly. Our guest house was close but I didn't think I could walk it with luggage.
A taxi brought us to the Archway Guest House
We left our luggage with our hosts, Anita and Denis.
Since it was Sunday there were not many restaurants open for a late afternoon meal.
We found an Italian restaurant open across the street from a grocery store.
The misty rain continued, so after eating we headed back to the guest house.
The view from our room.
The destination for day 7 was Hilltop Farm, Beatrix Potter's home. First we checked at the Visitor's Center for the best way to get to there. We decided to take a local bus to Hawkshead where we could take a ferry across the lake, then hop on a Mountain Goat bus to Hilltop.
Everything went as planned and soon we were touring Beatrix's home and gardens.
Beatrix illustrated her books with scenes from her home.
This fireplace was in Tom Kitten, I think.
The house was just like she left it but with short explanations added.
View from a window.
The parlor. I was tempted to play the piano. ;-)
View of the front garden.
Her wedding quilt.
I tried to get a good photo but the lighting was low.
A very complicated design.
Quilters are using the same shapes today - stars, hexagons, flowers.
The small building in the left is the visitors center.
The gardens are kept up by volunteers.
One of the outbuildings.
Even in October there were a few flowers blooming.
The front of the house.
The vegetable garden.
In my mind I can see Peter Rabbit nibbling his way around the veg.
More of the house.
It is in good shape considering the age. Fireplaces provide heat.
There are quotes from her books posted like this in the gardens.
Another scene from a book.
Fence and flowers
I love the mixed borders.
I think these are yellow mums.
Earlier there must have been glads or iris blooming.
The view across from the entrance.
The stacked stone fence was probably here when Beatrix lived here.
The road to the farm is narrow. No large tour buses are allowed.
Another look at the area.
In the distance
Can you see the bunny on the triangle sign?
We came from the lake in a small bus like this one.
More views
We took the Mountain Goat bus to the pier on the lake.
We waited from the ferry to take us across to the other side.
Once there I got an ice cream. The server asked where we were from.
He thought Memphis would be a good place to visit.
The local bus took us back to Windemere.
I had to snap this local Methodist Church.
More views from the guesthouse.
This was growing in the stone wall in front of the guesthouse.
The next morning Anita called a taxi for us. We said good-bye to the Lake District.
Next up Scotland.
