So you think you know Beatrix Potter?
Beatrix Potter was an author, illustrator, businesswoman, conservationist and farmer. She left an amazing legacy in her beloved Lake District.
Discover Beatrix
Follow in her footsteps and make your own discoveries by visiting some of the places that inspired her and you’ll begin to understand her love for the Lakes.
Start your journey of discovery
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Whitehaven
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Derwent Water
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Two great ways to explore, are by Boat and ‘Goat’. Sit back and enjoy the views she loved, on an iconic steamer, traditional launch on Windermere, or from one of the many Mountain Goat minibus tours.
www.mountain-goat.co.uk
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www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk
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Walk the lakeshore where cheeky squirrel ‘Nutkin’ threw acorns at Beatrix. Climb Cat Bells where Lucie tracked Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, and visit the island that was the home of Old Brown, the fierce owl with a taste for mischievous squirrels. Beatrix spent eleven summers sketching the landscape of Derwent Water.You can walk in her footsteps and visit Brandelhow, St Herbert’s Island and Cat Bells. They’re all free to visit, so come and be inspired.
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Hill Top Beatrix Potter Gallery Wray Castle The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction The Old Laundry Theatre Lindeth Howe Derwent Water Lingholm Belmount Hall The Armitt Museum Yew Tree Farm Mountain Goat Tours Windermere Lake Cruises Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Dalegarth for Boot Station Sawrey House Hotel
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Grangeover-Sands
Try the short boat ride from bustling Bowness to Ferry House, where you can connect up to Hill Top by Goat or a 20 minute walk. Plan your whole visit on Go Lakes.co.uk
www.golakes.co.uk
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale The National Trust is a registered charity, no.205846 © National Trust Images Squirrel Nutkin - © Frederick Warne & Co, 1903, 2002 Design by Capradesign.co.uk
Hill Top
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Hill Top was Beatrix’s most beloved place…her spiritual home and where she found inspiration for some of her most iconic tales. Full of her precious things, Hill Top encapsulates her passion that went on to dominate her life, preserving the landscape and culture of the Lakes. From traditional Lakeland furniture, to trophies for her prize-winning Herdwick sheep, Hill Top represents her legacy. The colourful garden is just as Beatrix knew it. Today, we continue in Beatrix’s footsteps, working in a changing world to conserve the Lake District for ever, for everyone.
The Armitt Library & Museum
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Beatrix Potter was a member of the Armitt almost from its founding in 1912. A major benefactor she donated her books, paintings, and personal first edition copies of the little books. On her death in 1943 she also bequeathed her portfolios of over 450 exquisite botanical drawings and watercolours. No other collection, private or public, holds anything comparable in quality or numbers. The Armitt is proud to be the custodian of her scientific legacy.
Beatrix Potter Gallery
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The Beatrix Potter Gallery is the only place you can step into the pages of your favourite Beatrix Potter tales, as you get up close to her original artwork. This year’s exhibition ‘That Corner of the Lakes’, takes a closer look, past and present, at Hill Top and the places Beatrix loved and sought to protect through her pioneering conservation work. The illustrations and photos included in the exhibition feature scenes which have changed little since Beatrix Potter arrived here on her first Lake District holiday in 1882. The Gallery is the former solicitor’s office of Beatrix’s husband, William Heelis and is a unique opportunity to see inside one of Hawkshead’s most historic and quirky buildings.
Our exhibition ‘Beatrix Potter: Image and Reality’ draws together many fascinating items from our extensive archive to explore the life and legacy of this remarkable woman. www.armitt.com www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hill-top 4
Wray Castle
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Wray Castle was the first place Beatrix Potter stayed in the Lake District, when she was just sixteen. It was here she discovered the Lakes countryside and crucially where she met Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley, her life-long mentor and friend.
The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction The World of Beatrix Potter is a vibrant family attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere.Visitors can explore the enchanting world that Beatrix Potter created in her books as all 23 of the famous stories are brought to life, recreating the beautiful Lake District countryside complete with sights, sounds and smells. This summer visitors can also see the smash hit musical, ‘Where is Peter Rabbit?’ in The Old Laundry Theatre. Inspired by the stories, this Beatrix Potter musical adventure brings to life favourite characters in a not to be missed visual spectacular. Why not book a special ticket package including breakfast or afternoon tea with Peter Rabbit himself!
Today the castle is the perfect place for family fun indoors and out. Special guided tours uncover the hidden mysteries of the landscaped grounds and the picturesque tradition the Lake District is so famous for. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/wray-castle
www.hop-skip-jump.com
Yew Tree Farm
The Old Laundry Theatre
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www.oldlaundrytheatre.co.uk
Lindeth Howe
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Lindeth Howe was built as a summer holiday home for a wealthy mill owner in 1879 in a 28 acre estate commanding fine views over Lake Windermere. The mill owner rented the house out to friends for holidays, amongst them was the Potter family. From 1902 to 1913, Beatrix Potter wrote her famous children’s stories and for two of these stories, Timmy Tiptoes and Pigling Bland, she illustrated them whilst staying at Lindeth Howe. We have copies of some correspondence from this period. We also have some original photographic plates of pictures & prints of the house taken by her father. www.lindeth-howe.co.uk
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and Dalegarth for Boot Station
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Enjoy a seven mile steam railway journey from the coast to the mountains on-board Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway. This award winning narrow gauge heritage railway traverses the coastal estuaries, through ancient woodlands to the foothills of England’s highest mountains, the Scafells (3,209ft). Keep an eye out for Herdwick sheep, an iconic Lakeland breed and a favourite of Beatrix. From the end of the line at Dalegarth for Boot station you can take a walk and discover Beatrix Potter’s only working farm in Eskdale, Penny Hill. It is still a working farm, with the main business being Herdwick Sheep – sticking to their Beatrix Potter roots!
www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk
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Yew Tree Farm is one of the most iconic farms in the Lake District and featured as ‘Hill Top’ in the movie ‘Miss Potter’. It was owned by Beatrix Potter and is still home to many of her furnishings. Today self-catering guests can stay in the farmhouse. Jon Watson and Jo McGrath farm Yew Tree using traditional methods recognisable from Beatrix’s time. Award winning Heritage Meats Herdwick Hogget and Belted Galloway Beef are available from Yew Tree’s on farm butchery, and online at heritagemeats.co.uk Jo is an animal artist, renowned for Jo McGrath her drawings and paintings of local animals and wildlife. Fine art cards and prints of Yew Tree animals are available to buy direct from the farm or online at jomcgrath.co.uk. Her work is also available from various Lake District galleries and online. www.yewtree-farm.com
Windermere Lake Cruises
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Link the many Beatrix Potter inspired attractions and venues by taking one of a number of sailings from Windermere Lake Cruises. With over 100 sailings each day from many departure points, there is something for everyone. Hop on a boat from Bowness and sail on Windermere to the western shore to climb up to Hill Top House and Gardens. Walk along the shore of Windermere to Wray Castle walking in the footsteps of Beatrix Potter. Sailing 364 days a year, with cruises ranging from 30 minutes to 3 hours, there is no better way to explore Windermere than by boat!
www.windermere-lakecruises.co.uk
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatrix-potter-gallery-andhawkshead
Belmount Hall
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Now an exclusive use events venue for private dinners and house parties, Belmount Hall and the Belmount estate were acquired by Beatrix Potter in 1938 from her friend Rebekah Owen. The hall is a fine Grade II Listed Georgian House in the Lake District with superb views south towards Esthwaite Water and over Windermere to Gummers How. It has been carefully renovated and brought up to modern standards in keeping with the original features. We are offering upmarket packages for 10 – 40 guests to include a champagne and canapé reception on arrival with a talk on Beatrix Potter’s connection with Belmount Hall, a three-course dinner and bed and breakfast accommodation. 8
www.belmounthall.com
Beatrix Potter at Lingholm
The Lingholm Kitchen serves a range of locally sourced foods and artisan breads and cakes made in our own bakery. With a gift shop and art gallery the café has a stunning 100 foot glass wall looking down on the octagonal walled garden that sits on the same spot as the old kitchen gardens which Beatrix Potter credited as her original inspiration for Mr McGregor’s garden in The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Within the walled garden is an outdoor gallery dedicated to the work of Beatrix Potter in the Derwentwater area, much of it undertaken during the ten summer holidays she spent at Lingholm. Entry to the garden is free and the café is open daily from 9am until 5pm or dusk in winter. www.thelingholmestate.co.uk
Sawrey House Sawrey House is set in the picturesque hamlet of Near Sawrey, the once home of Beatrix Potter. Sawrey House is found next door to Hill Top and is an ideal place to start your Beatrix Potter journey. Stay in comfortable and relaxing bedrooms and dine with delicious local food on our lunchtime and evening menus. Be inspired by the stunning views that Beatrix loved. www.sawreyhouse.com
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