The Lake District’s first Japanese touring guide takes to the road

Windermere-based Mountain Goat Tours has appointed the Lake District’s first Japanese touring guide. Junko Ishiwata from Sendai City in northern Japan has been drafted in to help introduce Japanese Beatrix Potter fans to Cumbria and Peter Rabbit country, on board Mountain Goat’s luxury mini-coaches.

The Miss Potter film, starring Renee Zellweger, was only released in Japan towards the end of last year, so Mountain Goat is continuing to develop the service it offers to Japanese visitors.

Junko will now become a firm fixture on the roads around Coniston, Hawkshead, Derwentwater and other locations featured on the big screen in ‘Miss Potter’.

Junko says:

“England is a very popular destination for Japanese visitors due to its traditions, beautiful buildings and spectacular scenery. The Lake District is especially popular because so many Japanese love Peter Rabbit! Visitors from Japan want to see the beautiful scenery that was included in the Beatrix Potter books.

“The people of the Lake District have made me feel very welcome - they are so friendly and have a great sense of humour.”

Mountain Goat’s ‘Beatrix Potter’s Lakeland Tour’ not only takes in places associated with Beatrix Potter, but includes a lake cruise on Coniston Water and stops throughout the day for photographs and short walks.

In 2007, Mountain Goat reported a 40 per cent increase in the number of people doing their daily tours, which the company mainly attributed to the interest in their Beatrix Potter’s Lakeland Tours.

Stephen Broughton, Director of Mountain Goat, says:

“We’re thrilled to have Junko on board and know she’ll be a big hit with our Japanese visitors and as part of the Mountain Goat team.

“Miss Potter has certainly helped to generate extra interest both in Beatrix Potter and the Lake District in the Japanese market. There has been a huge amount of media coverage both about the film and the Lakes, so hopefully we’ll see even more Japanese visitors coming to the area this year.”

Mountain Goat have over 30 years experience of taking visitors on a variety of tours around the area to seek out England’s most beautiful and spectacular lake and mountain scenery.

The Lake District tours company is also part of the same organisation that owns Windermere’s Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel. Lindeth Howe is well known for its connection with Beatrix Potter.

The author spent several of her summer holidays at Lindeth Howe before buying the house for her mother to live in. She also illustrated two of her popular stories there - The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes and The Tale of Pigling Bland.

To find out more about Mountain Goat’s ‘Beatrix Potter’s Lakeland Tours’ and the Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel visit Mountain-goat.com and Lindeth-howe.com.