Beatrix Potter’s tiny watercolors of naughty rabbits and washerwoman hedgehogs have defined the Lake District for more than a century. Her foresight also helped to save the legacy of the region — she used her personal fortune to purchase and then donate much of the Lake District’s farmland to the National Trust so as to preserve the character of her beloved home. Revisit her children’s tales on a two-hour tour of the gardens, fields, and lanes where she lived and worked.
Your Beatrix Potter experience begins when your driver picks you up at your hotel and drives you to Lake Windermere, where you’ll board the car ferry to cross the lake, giving you plentiful opportunities to soak up the mountain scenery.
On the far shore, you’re driven to Near Sawrey, the village where Beatrix Potter spent much of her adult life. Here, you meet your guide, Mandy, who lives in Beatrix Potter’s marital home, Castle Cottage, and is an authority on her life, as well as the surrounding area.
Mandy will spend the next couple of hours with you, beginning with a tour of Castle Cottage and Hill Top, the farmhouse where Beatrix Potter based herself to write before moving permanently to the area.
Back at Castle Cottage, Mandy will serve refreshments for you to enjoy, sitting in the private and flower-filled garden if the weather is nice, or else in the living room where Beatrix Potter did much of her writing.
Start planning your tailor-made trip by contacting one of our England specialists
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
Hardknott Roman Fort, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and Muncaster Castle
Your driver-guide can navigate Cumbria’s steep and winding roads while you admire the looming mountains and sweeping sea views. The tour also stops at Muncaster Castle, the Roman-era Hardknott Fort and the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, a Victorian steam train line.
Lake District farm experience
Experience life on a traditional Lake District fell farm where you'll get a chance to meet the hardy Herdwick sheep, learn about farm practices and local lifestyles and get to try your hand at dry stone walling.
North Lakes explorer
Your driver-guide will create a tour of the North Lakes area based around your interests. You can take your time exploring the unspoiled lakes, sheep-dotted mountains, and tiny towns at an unhurried pace, with pauses for walks in the countryside or taking photographs.
Wordsworth's Lake District
Explore the landscape that inspired one of Britain’s most renowned poets. Your guide will bring you to two of Wordsworth’s homes, Rydal Mount and Dove Cottage, to learn about his life and family. You can also explore nearby Grasmere village.
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tour below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
