Post 10 : Hill Top

Today was excursion day. We set out in three mini-buses at 9.15. It was wet, raining and a little windy.















The driver stopped for me to take a couple of photos. I think he thought I was nuts taking photos through the window, but I like the effect.

Nonetheless, I got a couple of good ones when he stopped. I love the trees in this early Spring landscape.














At Hill Top we visited the shop and walked along the path to Beatrix Potter's house. I have been before - so tried not to take the same photos!

This grandfather clock photo is for Ed - not because it featured in The Taylor of Gloucester, but because he likes clocks. I also have a postcard of the face.

 We are less inclined I think, to buy china that commemorates heros - but maybe I've missed them.

There are several spinning wheels - although Beatrix Potter apparently did not herself much like spinning.

I rather liked the working farm - viewed through a gate as it was marked as strictly out of bounds to visitors.


From Hill Top we walked 600 yards to Sawrey House, where we had coffee, then lunch. It was lovely just sitting in their tea room looking over the landscape.

 The sun struggled out a few times and it looked pleasant from inside the tea room. It was, however, quite cold and a little windy.




It did not seem to bother the sheep.






















From there, after lunch, our buses took us to the Armitt Museum in Ambleside. Set up by three Armitt sisters, this was originally a subscription reference library. It later became a Museum to house a collection of Roman Artifacts found locally - along with a collection of Beatrix Potter's watercolours of similar finds in London. We were fortunate to have booked a talk on Beatrix Potter illustrated by items from the Museum. He talked in particular about her scientific work, the limits placed on her success by gender restrictions and her shift from studying, illustrating and writing her own scientific observations to writing and illustrating children's books. The Museum has hundreds of Beatrix Potter's exquisite illustrations of fungi - and we got to see a dozen or more at very close quarters.


Our guide also produced a box of "Langdale Lace". It had not been opened for some time and not all the contents were Langdale linen, or Ruskin lace. Some of them were, however, lovely.


















The Museum has other interesting items. I liked the collection of flints and rocks.





It was sunnier on our journey home, although there was snow on the high fells.




We got back to the Ryebeck after 3pm. Everyone seemed to agree it had been good to get out - as a break from intensive stitching, but also to immerse ourselve in Beatrix country.


There is a lot more I could write about what we learned today, but I will miss the email deadline if I take longer - and I am also falling asleep!
On our return (and after coffee and cake) I and a couple of others stitched our Herdwick sheep until dinner was served. Tomorrow we swap tutors and start a new project. I would like to finish my Herwick (just the sheep, not the surrounding flora) before I leave here. I think now this might be possible.

Another really satisfying day.