Hartsop

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hartsop is a small village in the English Lake District. It lies in the Patterdale valley, near Brothers Water, Hayeswater and Kirkstone Pass.

It consists of 17th Century grey stone cottages, like so many of its neighbours. Hartsop retains its historic image, in that, in common with a number of other small Cumbrian villages, it had houses with spinning galleries. It was also a lead mining community.

Red squirrels, badgers, birds and other wildlife like this peaceful valley setting.

Hartsop Hall, in the care of the National Trust, is located on the far side of the valley from the village. The hall dates from the 16th century. In the 17th Century, it passed into the ownership of Sir John Lowther who was the first Earl of Lonsdale. After that, it became used as an ordinary farmhouse.

A mile from the village is the small and remote lake of Hayeswater which serves a reservoir for the town of Penrith about 12 miles away.