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Richard Simpson discovers the spirit of the Arts and Crafts movement on a trip through the Lake District

This drive combines splendid roads in the heart of the Lake District with a real insight into the origins and achievements of the Arts and Crafts movement — which is to art and architecture what Morgan is to the car industry. Leave the M6 at junction 36 and follow the A591 around Kendal on the bypass, then at the Plumgarths roundabout turn left, taking the B5284
through Crook. This is a lovely, undulating run. At the T-junction, turn left, following the blue signs to Blackwell, which dates from the end of the Arts and Crafts period. The house, designed by M.H. Baillie Scott for a Manchester brewer, was completed in 1900. Blackwell has only recently opened to the public, having undergone a painstaking restoration, and what’s so wonderful about it is that most of the original decoration and interior design features remain intact. Carefully selected Arts and Crafts pieces only add to the appeal, and Blackwell shows contemporary art, too. The house is closed between December 22 and February 14; telephone 01539446139 for details.

Prom Blackwell, return to the junction of the B5284, but then turn left following the signs for “Hawkshead via Perry”. At the bottom of the hill, turn right, then look out for the left turn (just a hundred yards away) that takes you down to the Windermere ferry. The crossing only takes a few minutes, and the views from the lake are worth every penny of the £2 fare (for car and passengers). On the far shore, follow the B5285 to Near Sawrey. If you’re a Beatrix Potter fan, you 11 want to visit her house preserved as she left it At busy times it’s a good idea t( phone ahead to book your ticket (Hill Top is closed in winter; telephone 01539 436269 for details) but this drive is enjoyable at any time, as the route passes Esthwaite Water and takes Ii the delightful village of Hawkshead. Potter enthusiasts will” also want to see some of her original work in the Beatrix Potter Gallery, although this is also closed in winter (telephone 01539436355 for details).
Just beyond Hawkshead, you'll need to turn left to continue on the B5285 towards Coniston, but take care because the turning is easily missed. After a couple of miles, look out for another: left turn, this time down Coniston’s eastern shore to John Ruskin’s old home at Brantwood. This is well worth a visit, because the house really gives you a sense of the great man’s many interests and, by the way of a bonus the views across the lake to the Old Man are spectacular. Ruskin was an inspiration to many of the Arts and Crafts people not least because he constantly rallied against the rise of industrialisation, especially when the air pollution began to darken the skies over his beloved Coniston. If you do this drive in the summer it’s worth making your way to the jetty below Brantwood and taking a cruise on the Steam Yacht Gondola, a recreation cum restoration of the beautiful craft that was first launched in 1859. Ruskin may not have been all that keen on some the implications of steam power, but no one could resist the charms of this elegant, near-silent craft. Back on dry land, return to the B5285 above Brantwood and turn left for the short drive to Coniston. The Black Bull, in the middle of the village, was a favourite haunt~ of Donald Campbell. There’ plenty of interesting Campbell memorabilia here as well as beer (inevitably called Bluebird) from the pub’s own micro-brewery. From the pub, turn left on to the A593, heading north towards Skelwith Bridge an on to Ambleside. On the outskirts of Ambleside, take the right turn, sign posted to Kendal, and follow the road (the A591) past Waterhead to Windermere, and back to the start of the drive at the Plumgarths roundabout.

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