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

The Visit of Two Places by Dominic

  

I went to Liverpool. I was very very excited! We went to a museum and saw lots and lots of things. I remember seeing shining knight's armour, and I saw a pirate suit with a very sharp sword and a big gun that went BANG BANG BANG! Liverpool was one of the best countries that I ever went to. I like Liverpool because it is very fun. Their football team makes me very very included.

Leo the dog he was very very cute. I liked how Kyle's grandparents brushed Leo's teeth. It was very funny because he growled a lot. I liked how he growled. The toothpaste smelled like liver.

 Liver is close for Liverpool, like the city remember? I mean country!

The Visit of Beatrix Potter's House

She was very famous for writing all those books she wrote. She must have took hours and hours and days! It was very interesting. We saw a book ourselves, like one where she is writing one, not her real self, just like a ripped out page from a book.

I talked to a man and he said something about a picture that was out there and not in here and Michael got it right, my brother, and it was annoying, very annoying.

My favorite Beatrix Potter book is Ginger and Pickles. It's very funny because a stuffed police officer dips his pencil in treacle. It is very funny because he tasted it. Pickles was very scared, he thought it was a real police man so they left their shop and they closed it forever and let the shop be dominated by police man.

That bunny was following some beans, it was very funny, because it has nibbles on it from Peter Rabbit! There were seven bunnies to find. It was fun. One was in Mr. McGreggor's farm.

I think people should visit the Lake District a lot! When we were in the car we were going to the Lake District and while we were going to the Lake District we were listening to some Harry Potter!