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Monday, May 7, 2012

The Victorian Genius

Another dream to come true, worshipping at the altar of Beatrix Potter. What a woman!


She bought a farm in the Lake District town of Far Sawrey. We tried to drive up from the south end of Lake Windermere, very tricky and car sickness inducing.




It is remarkable how few signs there are to lead tourists to her home.









The town of Far Sawrey





This is part of her property.


It took us so long to find Hilltop Farm we decided to hold off until the next morning.


It is a super place to visit!! She ordered the preservation and presentation of her home. In every room there are lovely, kind, helpful, enthusiastic folks ready to tell stories about her and to show the real life inspirations for some of her stories.


The boys really enjoyed it.


Hilltop is still a working farm.


Trying William's trick.






Beatrix Potter Heelis bred and raised Herdwick sheep, the indigenous fell sheep, soon after acquiring Hill Top Farm. In 1923 she bought a former deer park and vast sheep farm in the Troutbeck Valley called Troutbeck Park Farm, restoring its land, its thousands of Herdwick sheep, and establishing her as one of the major Herdwick sheep farmers in the area. She was admired by her shepherds and farm managers for her willingness to experiment with the latest biological remedies for the common diseases of sheep, and for her employment of the best shepherds, sheep breeders, and farm managers. Wikipedia






By the late 1920s Potter and her Hill Top farm manager Tom Storey had made a name for their prize-winning Herdwick flock. As a Herdwick breeder she won many prizes at the local agricultural shows and was frequently asked to serve as a judge. In 1942 she was named President-elect of The Herdwick Sheepbreeders’ Association, the first time a woman had ever been elected to that office, but died before taking office. Wikipedia



There are small guidebooks for purchase at the entrance printed in only two languages, English and Japanese.



On our way home from the Lake District, we drove past Longton...frighteningly ugly.


Michael, inspired by Miss Potter


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