The Town, often referred to as the village, lies west of lake Windermere a little above the head of Esthwaite Water. It has a charm, equalled perhaps only by Cartmel, that makes it one of the most popular villages in South Lakeland. Two interlinking squares lead off to a maze of little alleyways, the buildings an eclectic mix of stone, timber and whitewash, many overhanging the pavements. The town dates back to the middle ages and was big in the wool market, prosperous and happy, especially as it once boasted seven inns. Today that number has been shaved to a mere four. Overlooking the village is the 16th century church of St Michael. Placed high on its own little hill, it is well worth visiting for its design and historical records, especially those relating to the ‘burial in wool’ certificates. This was an act of parliament which ordered woollen shrouds for the dead, an attempt to stimulate more growth in the wool industry. Many of the buildings, most of which today date from the 17th century, are owned by the National Trust. There is a new museum dedicated to Beatrix Potter set up in the former solicitor’s office of her husband, William Heelis. The story tells of her life and works and you can see a display of her original drawings and watercolours. At the southern end of the village is the old Grammar School dating from 1675. Perfectly preserved, it has the additional fame of being attended by the young William Wordsworth where on one of the desks, entombed under perspex, you can see where the lad carved his name. Popularity does bring some downsides to little villages, often in the shape of gift shops at the expense of all others. Though Hawkshead has its fair share of this genre it still retains a good chemist and post office, a village co-op, deli and an excellent bookshop. On the edge of the village is the Stewardson empire, run by Lee Stewardson. These two clothes shops have been here for years, one selling good outdoor gear, the other quality classical fashion wear such as Burberry. ‘Hawkshead Clothing’ is another large outlet selling mid range affordable kit, but is by no means pro quality. The World of Peter Rabbit, well you can guess what they sell, along with other shops selling an array of china, fancy lights, jumpers, art, baskets and the neat little Tigers Eye dealing in semi precious stones omplete the picture. For dining there is Whigs cafe. A delightful cosy place run by Mark & Maria Whitehead. As well as good food they produce a fantastic range of chutney, relish, flavoured oils and much much more. The word whig is the name given to a particular bun found in the area and nothing to do with the old Barnett Fair. There are a number of other little cafes and ice cream parlours, especially good is the one next to the Sun Inn. Of the four pubs the two best are The Queens Head, a very Elizabethan looking structure serving both good food and ale and The Kings Head, in ‘ The Square’, which has friendly staff, excellent beer and robust food. The starter of Yorkshire pudding, a great slab of gorgeous golden batter soaked in gravy would set me up on its own. As a base for walking Hawkshead is very central though none of the walks really start from the town. The nearest and most suitable walks for all is to Tarn Hows, droolingly pretty and set in an idyllic position. Nearby at Barngates is the Drunken Duck Inn, a famous pub among walkers with a great atmosphere. Grisedale Forest is great for walking and mountain bikes. At the centre of this huge Forestry Commission woodland is the visitor center where you can get maps showing the trails. Throughout the forest are many sculptures and it makes a great day out to track them all down. There is a gift shop and cafe. Over the fell is Coniston Water where the whole east side is open for lane walks and picnics and swimming from the little bays. To get anywhere else from Hawkshead such as the Langdales, Ambleside or the Rusland valley is an easy drive. For Bowness a short drive to Far Sawrey brings you the the ferry where you and your car can avoid any heavy summer traffic and take a short cut across the water. Finally Esthwaite Water, a small tarn which is the home of the Hawkshead Trout Farm. Here you can hire fishing tackle, boats and bait and spend a day catching supper of rainbow trout, or dine in one of the pubs and tell your friends about the monster that got away.