Beatrix Potter Afternoon Half Day - includes Hill Top and Cruise
Description
The Beatrix Potter Afternoon Tour is an enchanting excursion that invites you to immerse yourself in the breathtaking scenery of the Lake District while discovering the legacy of the renowned author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter. This tour provides an excellent opportunity to gain insights into the life and artistic creations of one of the most adored figures in British children's literature. The itinerary includes a visit to Wray Castle, where Beatrix Potter spent her first summer min the Lakes. You will visit her home at Hilltop with your included entry ticket (no need to pay extra). You will also get the chance to explore Hawkshead, a charming village which Beatrix knew well, and visit other landmarks associated with Potter's life and work, making for an unforgettable and informative afternoon tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This is one of our pickup points
Your afternoon starts with a visit to Wray Castle for spectacular scenery and lake views. This is the holiday home where Beatrix first fell in love with the Lake District.
Close by Hill Top is Esthwaite Water where Beatrix walked while courting her future husband, William Heelis. This was a favourite spot for Beatrix who thought it "the most beautiful of the Lakes".
While on holiday, Beatrix visited many of the small villages in the area and Near Sawrey became her favourite. This village features in many of her "little books" illustrations. The Tower Bank Arms is immediately recognisable as the place where Kep, the collie-dog goes looking for the two fox-hound puppies to rescue Jemima Puddle-duck. You will be amazed when you see it, exactly like it is in the book! One of the reasons why Beatrix visited Near Sawrey so often was because while staying on holiday in the area, the Potter's coachman and his family were lodging at a farm there. That farm was Hill Top and is the one Beatrix later bought with the profits from publishing Peter Rabbit. She often visited her 'holiday home' Hill Top and wrote many more books here which were inspired by the people and the places around her in this beautiful part of England. We stop at Near Sawrey and Hill Top for you to see the locations which are so recognisable in the books and the place where Beatrix Potter lived. Entry to Hill Top IS included in the price of this tour. Our guide will take you on a short walk through the village, pointing out the various locations Beatrix used in her books.
This is where William Heelis had his solicitors office and known well to Beatrix Potter.
pass by the town
A 35 minute cruise on Windermere will start our afternoon
This is one of our pickup points
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The English Lake District weather can change quickly, even in the summer months. Please bring a waterproof coat with a hood in case of rain or windy weather
- As there is a little walking involved on the tour, some uphill and on uneven or wet terrain, please wear suitable, comfortable shoes
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- All passengers, including children of any age, must have a seat purchased for them
- We will collect you from the departure point linked to your chosen option. Please do not change to a different departure point without informing us in advance as we don't automatically go to every departure point. If we don't know you have changed your departure point we may not pick you up for the tour!
Reviews(77)
Tim is an outstanding tour guide, highly knowledgeable and funny as well! Our tour ended up being just our family of four which made the experience feel like a truly private experience which was very memorable! The vehicle was small enough that we were able to go places most tours can't reach, and to places we never would have thought to drive ourselves. Highly recommended!
What a lovely review — thank you! A family of four with Tim all to yourselves, in a vehicle small enough to reach the places most tours simply can't get to — that really is the best of both worlds - what fun! Really glad it felt so memorable and personal throughout. Thanks so much for the recommendation!
Tim is an outstanding tour guide, highly knowledgeable and fun as well! The tour ended up being just our family of four which made the experience even more enjoyable and had the feeling of a truly private and custom tour. Highly recommend!
James, what a brilliant review — thank you! A family of four with Tim all to yourselves is honestly one of the best ways to do it — all the knowledge, all the fun and the whole afternoon completely at your own pace. We love hearing when it feels like a truly private experience, because that's exactly what it should be! Thanks so much for the recommendation!
We had a wonderful tour with a lot of interesting information. The landscape is truly breathtaking.
Really glad the afternoon was such a wonderful one and that the information came through so well alongside that landscape. Thank you so much for taking the time to share this!
A fab, interesting afternoon with our very friendly informative guide Tim. We travelled as a small group in great comfort and seeing and hearing everything was excellent, no crowds! Hill Top farm was a highlight and Tim showing us the exact places in the books' illustrations made the tour come alive. The boat rounded it all off in style. Thanks Tim for a wonderful afternoon.
Really glad the afternoon felt so relaxed and personal — no crowds and a small group is exactly what makes Hill Top special rather than just busy. Tim showing you the exact spots from the illustrations is one of our favourite moments on that tour, and it is something that we have been doing for the past eight years and is unique to us. We are so glad it brought the whole afternoon to life. The boat trip is always a lovely way to round it off. Thank you for such a warm review.
This was such an amazing tour and way to spend half a day in this beautiful area. Locally owned and women owned business!!!! This experience was fantastic!!!! Do not hesitate to book.
Abby, thank you so much — this made our day. We love what we do and it means everything when that comes across. Local, independent, and right here in the Lakes. We hope the afternoon gave you something lovely to take home. Come back and see us again.
Tim, the tour guide, knowledge was excellent. Tim provided a friendly environment where we could ask questions. The tour of the area and Beatrix homes are exceptional and to have the freedom to walk around Top House was fun, especially hunting for the ten mice! Highly recommend this adventure.
Alan, the ten mice catch a lot of people out — it is one of our favourite things about Hill Top. Beatrix hid things in that house the same way she hid them in her illustrations, and finding them takes the kind of unhurried time that a small group makes possible. Really glad Tim made the afternoon feel relaxed and the questions welcome. Thank you for spending it with us.
We got to tick off three iconic things from our Lake District bucket list on this tour. 1. We visited Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm and saw where she actually lived and wrote some of her great children's books. We were taken through the village and Tim, our guide showed us exactly where she must have stood when she drew the illustrations. Very exciting! 2. We saw some spectacular scenery and the countryside which inspired her to write her books. I can understand now why this place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and she saved so much of this beautiful landscape for future generations by giving it to the National Trust! 3. We got to sail on a big boat on Lake Windermere which was a fun way to end the afternoon. This is an all round really good package with the price of entry to Hill Top and the Windermere Lake Cruise all bundled into the price. We booked well in advance to make sure that we got our seats because these are very, very popular tours and can sell out. My advice is to go with this tour because you get a bit of everything, its great value for money, the people are really friendly and the pickup point at Windermere station is a perfect location if you are arriving by train or staying in Windermere itself. Really, this is the best!
Leon, you described that afternoon better than we could. Three things ticked off and all three of them the right ones — Hill Top itself, the landscape that shaped the books, and a sail on Windermere to finish. Your advice to book early is spot on too; the afternoon tour fills up fast and we would hate for anyone to miss it. Thank you for such a generous review. It will help a lot of people make a decision they will be very glad they made.
Really enjoyed our driver/narrator Tim. He made the journey worthwhile with his stories about Beatrix. He has a great sense of humor too! The boat ride was smooth and pleasant!
Sandy, really glad Tim's stories and his sense of humour made the whole afternoon so enjoyable — that combination is exactly what makes the journey as good as the destinations. Glad the boat ride rounded it off so well too. Thank you for such a nice review.
Our tour guide, Tim, gave us a wonderful experience on the Beatrix Potter tour...we've been in the Lake District before but Tim's affable manner and extensive knowledge made our trip especially enjoyable. He was great!
Marvin, coming back to the Lakes and finding something new in it — that is what Tim does best. The story gets deeper every time you look at it. Really glad it made the trip especially enjoyable. Hope to see you again.
A great day tour about Beatrix Potter, Hill Top was splendid with the cottage and gardens. Wray Castle was very nice and the scenery was spectacular.
Thank you — Hill Top, Wray Castle and the scenery all in one afternoon is a very full and satisfying few hours. Really glad it delivered. Hope to welcome you back to the Lakes one day.
