You could easily miss this pretty little tarn on your way to Coniston from Ambleside. It nestles beside the road, to the west and is invariable quiet and still. There are many great footpaths in the area: up to Tarn Hows to the east for those of us wanting less exertion or over to the Coniston fells for experienced fell walkers.
If you carry on down to the village of Coniston, you'll find a bustling little place at the north of Coniston Lake. The village caters mostly for tourists these days. There are numerous cafes, pubs and walking shops as well as a few small hotels. It is not yet as commercial as Bowness and remains relatively unspoiled.
The lake is popular with sailors and canoeists. This is the place where Donald Campbell's water speed record ended in tragedy in 1965. These days you can go for trips on the lake on a steam powered Gondola. It is a gorgeous, elegant vessel which can also be hired for a private party; very luxurious!
Beatrix Potter and the Lake District
Did you know that Yew Tree Tarn is just up the lane from Yew Tree Farm , recently made famous by the Beatrix Potter movie?
Renee Zellweger spent two days here filming Miss Potter here and can be seen in some of the stills from the movie, standing in the front garden. Apparently, Beatrix Potter created a tearoom at Yew Tree Farm in the 1930s, but it was closed during the war and not reopened until very recently. It is currently being refurbished and should be open in April 2007. By then there should be a four poster bedroom, an en suite and a double bedroom with its own bathroom all tastefully decorated in the style of the era. The farmhouse is a fantastic, picturesque, old building with an amazing gallery barn adjacent and still operates as a working farm.
Beatrix Potter first visited the Lake District along with her family on their annual holidays. They rented a number of different houses during the summer months around Windermere and Derwentwater.
The success of her books enabled Beatrix Potter to buy land in the Lake District. One of the first was Hill Top, which has since become a famous literary shrine.
This small Lakeland Farm House and the hamlet of Near Sawrey form the the setting for a number of her stories.
The Tale of Tom Kitten and The Tale of Samuel Whiskers are based in and around Hill Top.
Hill Top is open from 3 April to 31 October, daily except Thursday and Friday, from 10.30 with last admission at 4.00pm.
Beatrix Potter married a local solicitor, William Heelis, from Hawkshead, just a few miles down the road from Hill Top. William's former offices are now home to the National Trust's Beatrix Potter Gallery.
The Gallery contains may of Beatrix Potter's original sketches, watercolours and manuscripts. The Beatrix Potter Gallery is open from 3 April to 31 October, daily except Thursday and Friday, from 10.30 with last admission at 4.00pm.
Hawkshead is one of the Lake District's more attractive villages. Howkshead is the setting for another of Beatrix Potter's books, The Tale of Johnny Town Mouse.
It was in Hawkshead that another Lakeland literary figure, William Wordsworth, spent his school days.
A couple of miles from Hawkshead is Tarn Hows, part of the 4,000+ acres of property that Beatrix Potter bequeathed to the National Trust. Tarm Hows is definitely one of the Lake District's most famous beauty spots.
A walk around the tarn takes about an hour, the path is also suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
A shuttle service connects Hawkshead, Hill Top and Bowness-on-Windermere.
At Bowness on Windermere you will find The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, where the Lakeland tales are brought to life in an indoor recreation of the countryside.
You will see Peter Rabbit tucking into a carrot from Mister MacGregor's Garden and Jemima Puddleduck in a woodland glade. The Attraction is open all year except Christmas Day and from 12-31 January.
You can take a trip on a boat from Bowness on Windermere to Ambleside at the top of England's longest lake.
Produced using an Agnos MRotator Panoramic VR head, Canon Digital SLT Camera fitted with the Sigma 8mm Fish-Eye Lens, Kaidan QPXL-1 levelling unit & stitched with RealVIZ Stitcher Unlimited.
VR Photography produced with hardware and software supplied by Red Door VR Limited.
Panoramic view photography completed: 30/10/06 18:27:44 File Size: 999.1 KB
Last Minute Hotels in The Lake District, Windermere with Late Room discounts
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