Beatrix Potter Morning Tour | Peter Rabbit's Lake District
Description
This tour is a fascinating experience that takes you on a journey through the picturesque Lake District to explore the world of the famous author and illustrator, Beatrix Potter. The tour is an ideal way to learn about the life and works of one of the most beloved figures in British children's literature. The tour includes a visit to Hill Top, the former home of Beatrix Potter, where you can explore the charming cottage and beautiful gardens that inspired many of her beloved stories. You will also get the opportunity to visit other landmarks related to Potter's life and work, making for a truly memorable and informative morning tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your morning 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. There will be plenty of time for photos.
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. Your guide will take you on a guided walk through the village to show you actual places illustrated in Beatrix's books.
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".
We now stop off in Hawkshead. Your guide will take you on a walking tour around this medieval village pointing out all of the important locations.
William Heelis was a solicitor who advised Beatrix about her land purchases. His offices were in Hawkshead village. They are now the Beatrix Potter Gallery.
Beatrix bought a lot of land in the Lake District and owned the beauty spot Tarn Hows. Here you will have a photo opportunity here.
Coniston Water is the third largest lake in the Lake District and is the straightest. You will have a short stop here to admire the view and see the famous fell of Coniston Old Man towering over the village and the lake. Beatrix also owned a lot of farms in the area and as we travel down the Yewdale Valley back to Ambleside, you will see Yew Tree Farm, famous as a location in the film "Miss Potter".
This is one of our pickup points
This is one of our pickup points
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(159)
A wonderful tour with our driver and guide Tim. So much more to see, so informative , he new everything you needed to know about Beatrix Potter. Her house and grounds were full of amazing treasures. We Loved it. I recommend this tour, great memories. Thank you Tim.
Gillian, so glad Tim made the morning such a rich one — there really is so much to discover about Beatrix Potter, and Hill Top never disappoints. Really pleased you loved it and came away with such good memories. We'll pass your thanks straight on to Tim!
If you wish to learn about Beatrix Potter's life, her wonderful characters & her inspirational work preserving the farming way of life in the Lakes District, this is the tour you need! Tim was so knowledgeable & took time explaining places. Loved the Hill Top Farm visit. Wonderful experience!
Mervyn, what a brilliant review — thank you! Tim really does love taking his time at each spot, properly sharing her life, her characters and that whole conservation story rather than rushing through it. Hill Top is the heart of the morning and we're so glad it felt that way for you too. Thanks so much for this — made our day!
We experienced an informative and educational tour that was entertaining as well. Our guide was very generous with sharing their knowledge and captivated our attention. We got to see more of the Lake District and to discover what makes this area so special and so important. The tour is good value for money. We felt that the duration of the tour was just right and got back in time for lunch. The tour group size is small, just a handful of us. The group is friendly and relaxed. You can be yourself and take your time. If you love to learn more about the history of this region you will live this tour.
So glad the morning struck that balance between informative and genuinely entertaining — that is exactly what we aim for. Discovering what makes this landscape so special, at a relaxed pace with a small group where you can really be yourself, is the heart of the experience. Glad the timing worked perfectly for lunch too. Thank you for such a thoughtful review.
Tim was excellent. He has a great way of setting the context and then pointing out th essentials of each location along the tour
Really glad Tim made the Beatrix Potter morning feel so well structured — the context first, then the details that make each location click into place. That approach is what turns a drive through beautiful countryside into a story you actually take home with you. Hope to see you again soon.
Best tour guide and driver ever. Learned so much about Beatrix Potter. You must go on this tour to get a deeper knowledge of one of England’s greatest artists writers and environmentalists.
Gael, "best tour guide and driver ever" is about as good as it gets — thank you, Tim will be delighted! Beatrix Potter the artist, the writer and the environmentalist all in one morning is exactly the depth we love giving people, and we are so glad it landed that way for you. Hope to welcome you back to the Lakes again soon.
Outstanding tour. Our guide, Tim, was fantastic. We learned so much about Beatrix Potter in a morning.
Judith, there is more to the Beatrix Potter story than most people expect — and Tim loves telling all of it. We are glad the morning came alive for you. She was a remarkable woman long before and long after Peter Rabbit. Hope to see you back in the Lakes again.
Pretty comprehensive tour of Beatrix Potter area. Scheduled to gain entry to Hill Top house. Many illustrated buildings pointed out in the area. Our guide, Tim, was extremely knowledgeable about B. Potter, history, and the area. Never could have done this on my own, and would have missed a lot. Definitely book for a tour of Beatrix Potter territory.
Lois, really glad the morning felt so comprehensive — timed entry to Hill Top and all those illustrated buildings pointed out along the way in the "little books" are exactly what makes Tim's tour so different from finding your own way round, the village comes to life! So much would have been missed without him, and we are glad you didn't have to. Thank you for such a thorough recommendation.
My tour was conducted by Tim. We were a small group, which was nice. The transport was comfortable, and I was glad to be travelling with an experienced driver on some very narrow roads! Tim is very knowledgeable and has a lovely way of highlighting places that appear in Beatrix Potter's books. He allowed plenty of time for us to browse at stops and to take photos. This was a very enjoyable tour of which Hilltop was the highlight.
Thank you — a small group does make a big difference, everyone gets to have a chat and the pace is more relaxed, especially as the buses are nice and comfy. Really glad Hill Top was the highlight. Tim has a wonderful way of connecting the buildings and the landscapes to the actual pages of the books, and once you have seen it you cannot unsee it. We hope you make it back to the Lakes again — there is always more to find
We had a wonderful time on this tour. Tim was very friendly and blew us away with his knowledge of Beatrice Potter and her life in the Lakes District. His stories and knowledge as he drove us around this beautiful area was awesome. I never realised just how interesting she was and what she did for the area's conservation. The van was comfy, Tim was great, Beatrix Potter's scenery was breathtaking and we got to see where Tom Kitten and Jemmima Puddleduck lived. What a morning!
Lukas, "I never realised just how interesting she was" — that is exactly what we hope people take home from that morning. Beatrix Potter the conservationist, the scientist, the farmer, the businesswoman — Tim loves telling the whole story. And yes, Tom Kitten and Jemima Puddle-Duck's landscapes are every bit as good in real life. Really glad you had such a wonderful morning.
With commentary on Potter's life, her work and her contributions to the Lake District, we were able to efficiently go around the spots in a limited amount of time. All the Grasmere Gingerbread treats are amazing and I'm so happy to drop by. Maximum thanks to our guide Tim!
Thank you so much — really glad the morning gave you the full Beatrix Potter story alongside the scenery. And the Grasmere Gingerbread is non-negotiable — we are glad you got to stop. Tim will be delighted. Hope to welcome you back to the Lakes one day.
