July saw the arrival of a group of four wonderful women, determined not just to see the lakes but to experience it whole-heartedly. Their tour highlight – and mine! – was a day’s weaving at Heron Corn Mill in the pretty village of Beetham, tutored by Slovakian artist, Erika Sojkova Grimes, using Erika’s exquisite hand-spun, non-dyed yarns, made wholly from local fleeces.
The day was buttressed by some rather more conventional Lake District treats: afternoon tea at the Old Macdonald Hotel on the day of their arrival, and a glorious hike from Cockshott Point in Bowness-on-Windermere to Beatrix Potter’s first Lake District home, Hill Top, at Near Sawrey on the second day. We took the less travelled – and sustainable – route to get to Hill Top, starting with the Windermere Ferry and the quirkily picturesque Claithe Viewing Station and meandering through mossy woodlands, rose-covered cottages and beautiful hay meadows on the way.
The walk ended with a late lunch in a great country pub made famous by Jemima Puddleduck, the Tower Bank Arms, enjoying great guest ales from Hawkshead Brewery and a fabulous fish-finger butty before a short taxi ride – where, oh where, is the Cross Lakes bus? We need you! – from Near Sawrey to Ambleside. There we picked up the open top bus (#599) for a bracing ride back to Bowness-on-Windermere and a fond and filmic farewell from Bowness Pier.