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After yesterday's rambling amble of jumble, this evening l thought that perhaps l should make a written note of things that aren't perhaps so hunky dory in the Lake District or more accurately what it is like for those fortunate to live there.
Oh, the picture is 'The Howitzer' on Helm Crag. the person sat there is nowt t do wiv me.
Far Sawrey, for those who are not into bunny hugging & all that, was the home to Beatrix Potter, Hill Top. Although it didn't feature in the recent film, which l haven't seen, staring Renee Zilweger & Obi One Kenobi, it is proving to be a tourist hot spot with visitors travelling from all over the world in a hope of meeting R2 D2, no sorry that was cruel. Well they are coming in their hoards, a bit like lemmings l 'spose. Well, the roads into the village, no, it's more a small hamlet, are very narrow with high banks & little space for maneuver. Ok, OK, l am getting to the point now. Coaches. Yes large coaches, the ones with air con & loos are, basically, bunging up the roads to grid lock fever during the peak holiday periods. The wonderful [sic] National Trust have purchased for £1.8million, a small country house hotel [the valuation was £800K] and are now proceeding to use the car parking area of the hotel for coaches, PLUS they want to chop down a group of trees to make yet MORE parking space. What is interesting, & a point that many bureaucratic institutions fall into is that the previous owner had been applying for 17 years to chop down these very same trees because they were sick only to be informed by the NT that this was not a viable option. Needless to say that on this point & that of the traffic the local villagers are not happy bunnies, flopsy or otherwise! On the question of parking l suggested, a point that has already been raised apparently, why not use the very large car park at Hawkshead for a park & ride scheme using small sprinter buses, so you'd have a pick up from Hawkshead then drop of at Hill Top then continue on the the ferry & pick & drop more visitors. Again apparently this was not an option because the coaches are full of Japanese tourists. Why this would upset them l have no idea.
On the theme of food, on our return back through Wensleydale stopped for lunch at the very smart Wensleydale Heifer. Yeap it was rather good. I had maple salad of king prawns, scallops & squid whilst Hubby had a plate of posh fish n chips, giant fat chip cooked in the oh so trendy goose fat. Not too expensive & all very tasty although the staff were a bit dozzee.
Now, where has the 'finished spell check' thingy gone? Ah there its is.
11 comments:
May be I wont rush up to The Lakes for a while, if it's heaving with tourists, I would be one of these tourists also. My friend works for the NT and went off to Japan to promote Miss Potter, I haven't seen it either, was busy when it was at the flicks and will wait until I can find a dvd cheaper than 13.99. NT like local district councils are swines for doing something themselves they wouldn't let others do
On my trip to antique shops etc today I purchased two Beatrix Potter mice - I just had to, they could be relatives.
Its years since I went to the Lakes - 25 or more - it was peaceful and unspoilt, and it was with an old boyfriend. Hey ho!!
We got caught in the tourist hordes one summer ion the lakes, and yet go off the beaten track and they suddenly disappear, spectacular views.
Hi Muddyboots, just found you in the new cupboard! Great to see the pics. Don't talk to me about the coaches, roads here not wide enough to take them and much too hazardous - yet here they come all the same! Cannot belive they would consider chopping down trees to make parking space.
Your lunch desscription has just made me feel hungry all over again for all the wrong stuff to eat before bed, woe betide those who share the marital bed with me tonight! (hubby and dogs I hasten to add)
You are usually earlier than us then for silage, we like to get it about the 16th, just finish in time for Otley Show, but we will be early also this year, grass growing ok, could do with some more rain
The hoardes coming to pay homage to Miss Potter make me think of the masses who visit Prince Edward Island every summer to see Green Gables and other settings of the Anne of Green Gables stories. There's nothing like success to spoil a place.
Good lord next thing you'll be expecting people to get out and walk woman are yo insane!!
ps have you ever tried polish(Poliash not polish) icecream? Its apparently very good..
Windermere and Bowness are a nightmare, most people seem to go solely to buy things in Lakeland and Hawkshead clothes - haven't they heard of mail order? But we go over to Ullswater or Grange over Sands and it's not so packed.
Just catching up. I was at Sawry just last year and witnessed all the coaches and Japanese tourists. It is amazing how you can be absoultey hemmed in by heaving crowds but take a littel road up into the hills and you're on your own. I do love it up there. Great photos.
Japanese tourists are very odd - In Thirsk (home of James Herriot) they would snarl it up so badly that it would bring the Market to a halt and then the tourists would take photos of all the locals getting seriously pissed off!!! God knows what the pic captions would be!
I visited Hill Top last week. Whilst waiting for our 'timed' entry I wandered around the small garden and the little field opposite the house. I noticed a large apple tree surrounded by bleating sheep in the middle of the field. The apples looked nice and ripe and I wondered if Beatrix herself enjoyed the occasional Bramley. I skipped over the fence and helped myself to a plump windfall - it was bitter but perfectly palatable. I don't know how old the tree is, but I'd like to think that Miss Potter and I have dined on the very same fruit! Lovely blog by the way!
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