Beatrix Potter lake set for eBay sale

The lake that inspired writer Beatrix Potter and poet William Wordsworth could be the first ever to be sold on eBay.

The 280-acre Esthwaite Water in the Lake District was put up for sale on the internet auction site in October with a guide price of £300,000.

More than 19,000 interested parties viewed the listing with several making legitimate bids.

But after weeks of meetings with prospective buyers owner Nigel Woodhouse has whittled interest down to one preferred bidder.

The deal for the beauty spot is expected to be signed and sealed in January.

Nigel, 64, said: “We are very close to the deal going through and hope to conclude in January. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.”

However, he declined to disclose how much he was letting the Lake District’s largest privately-owned lake go for.

Idyllic Esthwaite, a favourite with anglers, lies close to the villages of Near Sawrey and Hawkshead between Windermere and Coniston Water.

Along with the lake, the successful bidder will also get a 15-year lease of Graythwaite Estate, a Victorian boathouse, fisherman’s lodge, shop and caf.

Nigel put the businesses he has built up over 32 years up for sale as he wants to retire.

“I wanted to use eBay to broadcast it to the world and I felt I could do it better than an agent and do it my own way,” he said.

“The response was very good and it’s worked very well.”

But he said letting it go would be hard.

He added: “I will be sad to see it go, it has been my life.”

Esthwaite is believed to be the largest stocked fishing lake in the north west.

It is mentioned by Wordsworth in his poem, Expostulation And Reply, and is the location for Lines Left Upon A Seat In A Yew-Tree.

Author Beatrix Potter, who dreamed up Jeremy Fisher the frog on the banks of Esthwaite, once declared it her favourite lake.

The area now pays homage to the literary figures in the form of a nature trail, a studio displaying Potter images and a themed cafe.