Today was a sad day ... my time in Scotland came to an end. Still I managed to see some beautiful castles on my way out and the weather was just about perfect. The region I drove through is in the southeast and, judging by comments of people I talked with, it\'s the neglected region of Scotland. There was some resentment that the Scottish government didn\'t promote the area. Rather a shame too as there much to see and do from what I could tell. In the late afternoon I arrived at my destination in the Lakes Region, a town called Ambleside. Paradise! One of my first stops was to the residence of Beatrice Potter. I saw the vegetable garden and the flower garden. I saw the lane next to the garden. I saw the house. It\'s so easy to envision her stories originating from around her home, which of course they did. The place is picture perfect gentle and beautiful nature. Surrounded by these environs I can see why she idealized nature. My hostel is at the northern shore of the primary lake in this national park, Lake Windermere. From the window of my dorm room, I look out upon the docks and boats and the setting sun. Out of character, I\'ve posted some pictures of my hostel because I\'m amazed what $45/night will get you in the Hostelling International network. I would imagine it rains here a lot but today it\'s a place where I\'m sure we\'d enjoy living.
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Apparently this castle is close enough to Glasgow to be one of Scotland\'s most frequently visited. However, propinquity isn\'t reason enough to explain its popularity since there are many castles closer to Glasgow. What takes this one over the top are the extensive and gloriously manicured grounds, the swan lake, the excellent condition of the facilities, and the fact that it\'s perched on a cliff above the ocean and offers fabulous views. I was there too early to tour the interior but judging from the outside, I\'m confident the inside would have been splendid to see.
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To get back to my hostel from Beatrice Potter\'s house, I decided to take a ferry across Lake Windermere. The ride was very brief but allowed for yet another great memory. The first picture is of the ferry I took across. All the rest of the pictures are taken within a couple hundred feet of the hostel\'s grounds. Remember, I paid all of $45 for a night here and that included breakfast!
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So popular that all tours for the day had sold out. Disappointed? No, since they still allowed me to roam the grounds where all the stories I remember were based. It\'s very peaceful. It would be a good setting for a writer. However, while I wasn\'t disappointed at not getting a tour, I was surprised that this home attracted so many tourists. I thought I was the only one who enjoyed her stories of Peter Rabbit. :-)
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This collection of images is from my two days heading south. I also visited Twila and Tracy.
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