Day 152 - Beatrix Potter with a hangover

Our intention was to go kayaking on the lake after breakfast but wasn’t to be because of the cool wind.  Breakfast at the B&B was traditional cooked breakfast – good for the hangover.  Plan B – we headed to Beatrix Potter’s house called Hill Top.  There were a number of people there already, and it was really cute to see some Asian children had obviously brought their well read copies of Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddleduck.  Beatrix used the house as her work studio and it has been kept pretty much as she left it.  I didn’t realise her mother, father and brother were also talented artists.  Their pictures are hanging up on the wall of her office.  Copies of her books were strategically placed in certain rooms to show how various pieces of furniture and the view from particular windows were incorporated in her books.   Wild Peter rabbits’ were grazing in the paddock outside, eating the grass with the sheep.

From BP’s house we went to Keswick to wander around and grab a sandwich for lunch.  A market was on and we would’ve stayed for longer but once again the rain started.  Whilst driving around the area we came across a series of waterfalls, and a gorge, known as Aira Force.  It was so pretty we followed the river towards the lake, enjoying the exercise and the scenery.  It was a fairly popular place as it was a National Trust listed site.   We must’ve spent about 1.5-2 hours there and the thigh muscles got a good work out with all the stairs.

First stop after the walk was the Drunken Duck Inn – Maria had read about it, and the food was rated highly.  We tried to book in for dinner that night but it was booked out so we settled for a beer on the tables outside.  Inside the bar the roof was decorated with dried hops, animal heads, hunting pictures, and a huge open fire.  Would be brilliant on a cold winter night!! 

We headed back to the B&B for a well earned shower, then set off on foot for pub # 2 for drinks and dinner.  This time we followed the road!  This second pub didn’t have as much atmosphere as the pub we were at the previous night, but the meals were good and the beer flowed (we definitely consumed less than the previous night).

We were all tired so had a fairly early night.  Maria and I decided to race Julien back to the B&B – we went cross country and Julien along the road.  Julien won – must’ve been the fact that Maria and I were laughing our head off most of the way, especially after I slipped in the mud and landed on my well-padded butt.  No damage done.