Exploring the Lake District by foot, bus, bike and boat with Peter rabbit

The Lake District is full of options for people wishing to leave their cars behind.  You really don't need to be an athlete to explore the countryside without a car.  Buses, bikes and boats allow everyone to enjoy the view and avoid congestion on the narrow roads.
 We have explored one of these possibilities with a very famous character; Peter Rabbit.  Peter wanted to follow in the steps of the woman who created him and learn more about her life, talents and legacy as well as seeing her home and many of his friends.

Peter was staying on the Eastern side of Lake Windermere near Bowness and so he decided to set out on his journey by boat.  First decision - whether to get the passenger ferry from Bowness or the car ferry from Ferry Nab.  Owing to Beatrix Potter's connection with Cockshott Point he decided to lollop a few steps south and get the car ferry.  It runs every 20 minutes and takes cars, bikes and pedestrians (and horses).

The next step can be done on foot or by bike or bus.  Peter tried bike but couldn't quite reach the pedals!

He wanted to see where Beatrix Potter first met the Lake District so he set out on the beautiful 4 mile walk along the lake shore to Wray Castle.

Beatrix Potter discovered the Lake District almost by mistake when her parents' regular holiday home in Scotland was unavailable.  She celebrated her 16th birthday at Wray Castle and fell in love with the area ....Maybe you will too!

Peter decided to explore the Castle.  The tour told him all about the castle and the link between Beatrix and one of the founders of the National Trust.  Then he had a play with some friends, built his own castle and polished off his picnic with some hot chocolate.

Then a quick scamper round the outdoor play area   ....

....Then on to discover more about Beatrix's passion and skills in sketching, drawing and painting at the Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead - but this time on the bus from Wray Castle.

The bus only takes 10 minutes and the service also runs to and from the ferry if you don't fancy the 4 mile walk Peter did. 

From the bus stop it's only a couple of minutes walk through the village to the Gallery.  Peter couldn't resist a visit to the National Trust shop.

Back to the bus stop and another 10 minute bus ride to Beatrix Potter's house, Hill Top.

The village of Near Sawrey is where Beatrix Potter settled and took refuge from the London life.  It is where she found inspiration for many of her little books.  It was as wonderful as Peter hoped and he managed to catch up with some old friends hopping around the orchard!

Peter had intended to finish his journey by following the footpath through the fields and down to the ferry but he fancied a cup of tea at the Tower Bank Arms which he remembered from reading the story of Jemima Puddleduck  ....

..so, after some refreshment, he caught the bus back to the ferry.

Why don't you follow in the steps of Beatrix Potter like Peter did?  If you're staying in Ambleside you can get a boat directly to Wray Castle.  Maybe Peter will try that on his next visit ...

Bye for now.

Enjoy your holidays  using your feet, bikes, boats and bus to explore!

A new friend for Peter Rabbit - when Emma met William

We know that Beatrix Potter is about much more than just Peter Rabbit but sometimes we do focus on the little chap and this blog is one of those occasions. 

Some people might have been daunted by the prospect of filling Beatrix Potter's writing shoes but the very talented Emma Thompson has embraced it enthusiastically (and why not, with an Oscar for her writing in the form of her adapted screenplay for 'Sense and Sensibility' !) .

Her first foray into the world of Peter Rabbit was last year in her first Peter Rabbit book which we featured on this blog when it was released.

Her new story is a Christmas tale involving Peter Rabbit and a new friend William.

 
We could write a bit more about it here, but instead here's Emma herself to introduce it in a short video made on location at Yew Tree Farm (the stand-in farm for Hill Top in the 'Miss Potter' film)...

The book is out now, published by Penguin, and if you buy it from Hill Top shop you can help support our work. Visit in person, Hill Top shop is open seven days a week until Christmas, or buy via mail order. You can contact Hill Top Shop on 015394 36269;  or by e-mail



Now you can like us and follow us on Facebook - rabbiting on about Beatrix Potter's patch;

post by Linda
images and video Penguin books. 
(If you can't see the video playing here in this post, this is the link for it on You Tube.)

Petro Cuniculo?

They didn't do Latin at my school. I grew up in the industrial North-East and I guess there wasn't much call for it at British Steel or ICI. In any case, given the speed with which I dropped French I probably would have struggled with it. If I had been able to study Latin though, it would have come in very useful indeed in what I eventually chose as my career.

All living things; animals, plants, fungi and algae all have what is called a binomial or Latin name which consists of a genus and a species eg Homo sapiens (that's you and me), Rana temporaria (the common frog), Erinaceus europaeus (the hedgehog), Digitalis purpurea (foxglove), Balaenoptera musculus (blue whale) well, you get the idea.

The purpose of this binomial is to make it easy for scientists around the world to talk to each other without getting confused over common names and different languages (it also has the added bonus of making zoologists, botanists and certainly gardeners appear more intelligent than they really are). For example, in England what we call the bluebell is Hyacinthoides non-scripta, but in Scotland they call Campanula rotundifolia the bluebell which in England we call the Harebell, and in America and Australia the bluebell is something different again. Confused yet?


Bluebells (except for viewers in Scotland).

The other great thing about Latin names is that they often tell us a bit about the plant in question and its relations. For instance from the name Primula pulverulenta I know that the plant belongs to the primula genus which includes all primroses and that its leaves are coated with a creamy-white flour (technically known as farina), because pulverulentus means dusty in Latin.

Which brings me on to my 'Plant of the Month' the Wisteria. At Hill Top we have two of them, a white one on the house and a mauve-blue one on the gardener's shed and they are both coming into flower right now. Both of them are Wisteria sinensis but the white one is Wisteria sinensis 'Alba' (alba meaning white in Latin). The Wisteria part of the name tell us that it is in the same family as the other common wisteria, Wisteria floribunda (floribunda means free-flowering in Latin), and the sinensis bit means it comes from China (sinensis meaning Chinese).

Wisteria sinensis



The wisterias at Hill Top are more or less left to their own devices apart from cutting back the long growths in August and late winter and they thrive on our sunny (?) south-facing walls.

If you haven't got a suitable wall you can have complete control of your wisteria by growing it as a free-standing little tree in a pot. it's a labour of love but the results can be impressive (check out the internet for instructions), or cheat and buy one ready trained!

If your wisteria refuses to flower, there can be a number of reasons-
- not enough sunshine
-lack of feed (use a high potash fertilizer)
-incorrect pruning
-a non-grafted plant (might take thirty years to flower)
-not enough water
-too much water

If all else fails dig it out and go to the garden centre in May and buy one you can see flowering!

Oh, and my blog title this month? Peter Rabbit in Latin of course!

Words and picture by Pete the Gardener

Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter - and the world!

The last few days have seen lots of really exciting goings on around are area of the Lakes - all inspired by Beatrix and what she did 100+ years ago.  There is always lots of interest in Beatrix and her life in the Lakes, particularly around Hill Top, the very first place she bought and the place that remained most special to her.  The 'Miss Potter' film in 2006 generated a massive increase in visitors to Hill Top and other places - and in a few days time, there will be another major new series starting...  However, I jump ahead!

Miss Potter - still very popular (and you can buy the DVD from our Hill Top Shop and support us that way!)

We were very busy on Wednesday hosting a several Japanese press visits including a TV crew shooting for a new show on the Lakes (if you are in Japan in July, keep your eyes open for 'Kosuichihou' on the screen!)  This involved filming inside Hill Top as well as in the garden, the village and other places associated with Beatrix.  We also had a visit from a team from Sony in Japan, also accompanied by a number of press who were also visiting in preparation for the new Peter Rabbit series - it's easy to forget just how 'big' Peter and Beatrix are in Japan and in many other countries around the world.

Cath welcoming the Japanese press to Hill Top - konichiwa!

Later in the week, we welcomed some of the team from Silvergate media and Penguin books who have been working on a new Peter Rabbit animation series for children.  We've been helping them for several years to develop this (it is very much based on the Lakes and the area that Beatrix loved so much) and they were here to discuss how we move it forward.  Indeed, keep your eyes open on our Wray Castle site from some exciting news in the next couple of weeks... http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wray-castle/

They were also here for Saturday, which saw the launch of the new series by the BBC and CBeebies at Zeffirellis cinema in Ambleside.  As one of the key partners with this, several of us were lucky enough to be invited to the premiere - and we then took a number of those present on a boat trip to Wray Castle, the place where, in 1882, Beatrix and her family stayed and where she started her lifelong love of the Lakes.  As well as giving those folks a short taste of what the Castle has to offer, we were also able to persuade everyone else on the boat to come and have a look round as well!

Coming in to the Jetty at Wray Castle - definitely the way to arrive!

It was really exciting to see the new animation series - and keep your eyes open in the next few weeks to see when it launches on CBeebies - it is aimed at about the 3 to 6 year old, but is just as good for the older amongst us!  You'll see many characters that you'll know already - Peter, Benjamin, Nutkin and Mr Tod - as well as a new character called Lily, who is set on Beatrix herself.  We're really hoping that it will bring Peter to a new audience - and from this, to Beatrix, to the classic tales that she wrote, and then to the Lakes and the work we do looking after these special places.  And, as well as all these extra special events and goings on - we've also been very busy looking after all our visitors to give them a great time with us - and looking after the very places that have inspired so much.

A very sneak preview - welcome to Peter, Benjamin - and Lily, coming soon to a screen near you!

 Finally, this week ended with a big local event, the Brathay marathon, where runners complete a circuit of Windermere, England's largest lakes!  The course runs right past the Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead - and this year, a group of Brownies were visiting and they all had loads of fun cheering and 'high fiving' the many runners as they went past!

4 miles down - 22 to go, but lots of cheering here!

 As you can see - lots has been going on and it's great for us to be able to tell you a bit more about what goes on beyond the day to day operation of our houses - and keep your eyes open on our websites and with the BBC for the exciting new things that will be coming soon...

John

Valentines Day 1913/2013

On Valentine's Day in 1913, Beatrix was already engaged to William Heelis, though a formal announcement had not been made due to pressures from Beatrix's parents because they did not entirely approve of their daughter marrying a country solicitor.

On Valentine's Day in 2013 matters are conducted in an entirely different manner... romance was definitely in the air!

In Mr Macgregor's garden at Hill Top at noon, Jason Birch asked his girlfriend, Vicky Boyes to marry him. She said yes and all the staff did a collective sigh of relief! We all approved of Vicky marrying Jason! Particularly as Vicky is a big Beatrix Potter fan.

Jason and Vicky went to explore the house and when they came out of the front door staff had a big surprise for them.... sparkling pink bubbly and a bag of Peter Rabbit goodies.

 Jason and Vicky looking very happy outside Hill Top with their celebratory drink of pink bubbly

Vicky's gorgeous ring - diamond solitaire in a white gold band

As the sun was shining, Jason and Vicky followed in Beatrix's and William's footsteps and went for a walk round Moss Eccles Tarn before returning for an overnight stay at the Tower Bank Arms. Wouldn't it be wonderful if they set the date for 15th October - 100 years to the day when Beatrix and William married in London.

Congratulations to both Jason and Vicky - we all hope you will be very happy!

In this new year...

We hope you all had a great Xmas holiday and as it's January and a good time to look forward here's a quick snapshot of just a few of the important things on our houses team's planner for 2013...

New-look characters - in the Beatrix Potter tradition but with a modern twist

On Sat 9th February 2013Hill Top re-opens for the new season. We think a new generation of children might become fans of Beatrix Potter's characters this year as a new 3-D animated version of Peter and His Friends is brought to television by Nickelodeon, to be shown in the UK on the CBeebies channel. You might have seen the Xmas special already as it was broadcast in both the US and UK over the holiday season. If you'd like to watch the US preview for the Xmas episode (complete with American accents, the British version had British accents!) here's a link to where you can find the promotional video.

Also on Sat 9th Feb...

A soft & cuddly Pigling Bland

A brand new 2013 Exhibition opens at the Beatrix Potter Gallery helping us to celebrate two Beatrix centenaries, one personal (her marriage) and the other professional (the publication of her 'Tale of Pigling Bland').

On Sat 23rd March
Wray Castle re-opens for the season showing off improved visitor facilities and (hopefully) a less leaky roof!

In July
Beatrix Potter's birthday, on the 28th is an annual celebration for the house team.

In October

Beatrix and William

We'll be celebrating the 100th anniversary of Beatrix's marriage to William Heelis (a marriage that endured for over 30 years until her death).

On 31st October
Halloween, when Wray Castle will be at the centre of our fun again.

In December
Xmas - and the question is will Wray Castle be able to beat its Xmas tree record with an even taller tree this year?!

We look forward to telling you all about our year here on our blog, some of it planned and some of it no doubt unplanned! In the meantime best wishes for a Happy New Year.


post by Linda
photos Nickelodeon | National Trust Shop | National Trust

A brand new Peter Rabbit Tale

Our shop news this time around includes details of a new Peter Rabbit tale. Yes! a brand new story starring the naughty bunny. How can this be? Well, actress Emma Thompson has written a new tale. To find out more about this (and how Christmas has already come to Hill Top shop, yes we know it's only July!) read our latest Shop News with its guide to what's new in our Hill Top and Hawkshead National Trust shops click here  (opens in a new window).

If you'd like to contact our shops call 015394 36471 or e-mail shop.hilltop@nationaltrust.org.uk

post by Linda | Guide by Melanie

Say Hello to Hetty the Herdwick

Our brand new character Hetty the Herdwick bows in (or should that be 'baas in'!)

Hetty the Herdwick came about when creative company, Colour Heroes were invited to Beatrix Potter's Hill Top, to discuss how we could create a children’s activity book that would motivate sofa-bound children to explore, and learn of Beatrix Potter's farming connections to this landscape and the many unique Lakeland customs. As custodians of a quarter of the Lake District, the National Trust wanted to create something for our younger audience and their families, to promote the coolest things to do in the countryside and to show them how we care for this diverse landscape.

The new children’s activity book is filled from cover to cover with facts and activities and lovely images, following Hetty the Herdwick on her journey through the Lakes. Children can try everything from creating their own secret code, like Beatrix Potter, to being a poo detective! This lovely new activity book retails at only £5 and is packed with information and activities to keep children (and adults) entertained for hours!

Other Gift ideas including Fathers Day ...
Here's a guide to the other exciting things available in our Hill Top and Hawkshead National Trust shops, including our exclusive Limited Edition Peter Rabbit book - a 'must' for serious Beatrix Potter collectors.

Open publication - Free publishing - More hawkshead

(If you can't see the guide here click this link to go direct to it, opens in a new window.)

You can visit our shops in person; or phone Hill Top Shop on 015394 36269; Hawkshead shop on 015394 36471; or e-mail: hilltop.shop@nationaltrust.org.uk

Post & guide content by Melanie, our Retail Supervisor

The One Show comes to Hill Top



Our Visitor Experience Manager Jo talked about Beatrix's life

BBC1's 'The One Show' in the guise of comedian Arthur Smith came to Hill Top recently to present a charming  portrait of Hill Top and Beatrix Potter as creator of some of the world's favourite children's stories.

Arthur enjoyed the view from the New Room and The Tale of Peter Rabbit

Filmed a few weeks ago when there was still snow on the ground, but only shown this week, Arthur took a look at Beatrix and her writing, and filmed inside her own lovely Hill Top cottage. It came only days after Jacquelyn had joined us as House & Collections Manager to cover for Liz who had gone on maternity leave. We can only wonder what she thought when she was told one of  her first tasks was a "sleep-over" with a TV presenter! 

Before bed Arthur settled down for supper in front of the fire

Arthur stayed overnight, sleeping downstairs, and his choice of bedtime reading was 'The Tale of Samuel Whiskers'. In the morning his comment "that was not the warmest night I've ever spent" was probably an understatement! but he did have an experience very few indeed have had since the cottage came to the Trust after Beatrix's death in 1943.

If you missed it on The One Show but would still like the chance to see it, it's available on BBC i-Player until the 5th March, here's the link  (the item is about 20 minutes into the show.)

post by Linda | photos, screenshots from i-Player

Beatrix Potter Gallery - new look just a week away

With just a week to go until Hill Top house and the Beatrix Potter Gallery re-open for the new season you can imagine how busy it is.

It's always hectic after the New Year but this year, on top of the normal winter jobs in the house and gallery, Liz our House & Collections Manager and the team have been extra busy.

This winter, we've been having an exciting refresh of the Beatrix Potter Gallery and to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the publication of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' it's the theme of our 2012 exhibition entitled:
The Tale of' 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'. 

Peter Rabbit - no trademark blue jacket here!

This is a fascinating look at how Peter Rabbit came about. Did you know that Beatrix Potter published the first Peter Rabbit (with black and white drawings) herself? It was of course successful and led to everything 'Peter Rabbit' we have today.

In the new-look gallery we're giving over more space to showing items from the collection, and introducing touch screen and interactive interpretation to help bring Beatrix and her work alive for you. We're also giving children the opportunity to be creative in our activity area, or they can find a cosy corner where they can look at Beatrix Potter's books.

Hill Top will be open for the new season from 10.30 until 3.30 pm (last entry at 3.00pm) on Saturday 11th February;  click here if you want to check another Hill Top date to visit
The Beatrix Potter Gallery will be open from 11.00 until 3.30pm (last entry at 3.00pm) on Saturday 11th February; click here if you want to check another Beatrix Potter Gallery date to visit

blog post Linda
photo National Trust Beatrix Potter Collection