Peter Rabbit in Perthshire...

Backblip

We had a leisurely start to the day (for some more than others me) and I was delighted to hear Patricia had slept really well.

After being a very busy tourist for the last couple of weeks Patricia was keen to enjoy a more relaxed pace so I suggested we head to Birnam Arts Centre to see the Beatrix Potter exhibition and garden.

Beatrix Potter has a long and well known association with the Lake District but not many people know (I certainly didn't until we moved to Perthshire) that she and her family had a strong connection to the Birnam / Dunkeld area and that she spent at least 10 of her childhood summers from May to October, here in Perthshire at Dalguise.

During her summer here in 1892 she wrote a picture letter to the young son of her former governess. The letter became the basis for her first book 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'.  

Her later book The Tale of Jeremy Fisher' also started life as a picture letter with characters based on her study and exploration on the banks of the River Tay. The tale of Mrs Tiggy Winkle was published in 1905 with the main character believed to be based on Kitty MacDonald  the Potters' old washer woman at Dalguise.

We arrived in sunshine and after a very brief look at the garden, headed straight for the Arts Centre for lunch, and what a lovely lunch it was!  We will be back!

We had a wander in the shop then went round the Beatrix Potter exhibition.  It was fascinating seeing some of her watercolour sketches and her paint box, as well as learning about her (rather dysfunctional) childhood - she and her brother slept, ate, and played in their attic nursery.  She was also educated there (her brother went to school) and they rarely saw their parents.  Her parents also discouraged visits from other children because of the germs they might bring, but pets were allowed!  No wonder she loved the freedom and great outdoors of Scotland so much!

We then had a wander in the small but lovely garden that contains some of her well known characters.

We popped over the bridge to Dunkeld to let Patricia see the Atholl Memorial Fountain, built in 1866 to the memory of the 6th Duke of Atholl, who introduced a piped water to supply to Dunkeld so the residents no longer had to draw their water directly from the River Tay.

Once home Patricia and David enjoyed some wine and I had a glass of Kirkjuvagr Beyla gin (honey and raspberry) that Patricia brought me from Orkney.  It is delicious! 

A lovely day and hopefully another one to come tomorrow when we head to Perth.