The Lake District

For our first morning in the Lake District, we started off by taking a ferry across Lake Windermere to Beatrix Potter's (not to be confuse with Harry Potter) house Hill Top Farm.  Along the way we stopped to see a number of sights from her books about Peter Rabbit and others including Peter's nemesis Mr. MacGregor.

The house had a number of Beatrix Potter's books, which allowed us to compare Potter's artwork with the rooms in the house and views from the house.

After a brief drive, we ended up in Hawkshead where we explored the town and enjoyed a warm pub lunch at the Kings Arms.  

We even got to see the school attended by poet William Wordsworth

After a fair amount of driving and getting lost a few times we made the long drive up "The Struggle" over Kirkstone Pass and enjoyed some great views of Lake Windermere and the surrounding countryside.

Heading north, we enjoyed great views of picturesque Ullswater.

Not far off the Ullswater shore we parked and took a short hike to Aira Force where we were able to scramble over rocks, view the waterfall, and feel the cold, cold water downstream.

Our last stop of the day was Castlerigg Stone Circle, which was constructed around 3000 BC.  Although not as famous as Stonehenge, Castlerigg is surrounded by wandering sheep and lamb, and gorgeous rolling hills (as opposed to fences and a major motorway).