Proud new BP members

When one comes on a Whitecroft Tour one never knows what surprises are just around the corner….and judging by the number of return visitors those surprises are always well received! On our first evening Helen handed out 'mystery' envelopes to everyone and the contents revealed that everyone had been signed up as a Beatrix Potter Society Member! Thankyou so very much Helen for your generosity once again. 

So today I witnessed how important this ongoing membership is in more ways than one. It is quite late tonight and with over 250 photos taken just today I will share more in a later post. But for now I do need to share the long awaited (and very exciting!), visit to Hill Top. First we stopped in Hawkeshead to visit the Beatrix Potter Gallery. To see so many of Beatrix's exquisite drawings and water-colours will stay with me forever. After the visit we had a little amble and mandatory coffee but we did restrain ourselves from a piece of the biggest Victoria sponge we have ever seen…each cake uses a whopping 24 eggs!

And then we arrived to one of the most peaceful and beautiful parts of Britain……...

 As I strolled up the path towards Hill Top I imagined how many times Beatrix walked it too……...

 It was a great thrill to show my new book to the House and Collections Manager Liz and especially so she could see my interpretation of the historic wedding quilt that was made for the occasion of Beatrix Potter's parents wedding in 1863……...

 It was so surreal to finally see the quilt in the flesh for the very first time. It is entirely hand stitched using silks and velvets and sadly the makers are unknown. It is thought that perhaps Beatrix's mother and aunts may have stitched it……….  

It has been a great honour to have been allowed this privilege and once again it was Helen who made it all happen………...

 I couldn't really take in the rest of the house as I was so overwhelmed so I am hoping to return next week……….

 We then walked some more of Beatrix's steps across the fields to Castle Cottage, the home she shared with her husband William Heelis. We were so lucky to have the rare privilege of seeing inside and all thanks to Helen's contacts…….. 

So I am sorry this is brief but the bath is beckoning and Larry is already snoring! More soon x