A Visit to Beatrix Potter's House

For our big day out while KJ's parents were here we drove a couple of hours to the Lake District to visit Beatrix Potter's house.  We had tossed around a few ideas about where to take them, but knowing how T loves Beatrix Potter  I thought this would be a winner.  Of course we showed them Miss Potter the night before leaving.

KJ and I visited Hill Top in October 2013, but it was so much more enjoyable visiting with kids!  I highly recommend you find a few children to take with you if you're ever in the area, or just ask for the children's guide, because you'll enjoy it so much more.

Part of the added enjoyment is because the National Trust does such a brilliant job of providing scavenger hunts for children.  When we walked in the kids were each handed a copy of The Tale of Samuel Whiskers and a list of objects to look for around the house that were found in the book.  A lot of the illustrations in that book especially feature nooks and crannies of Hill Top, and it will forever make the re-reading of the books even more fun when you can spot the places you saw in real life.

This is the front room of the house where you will still see the sideboard with Miss Potter's collection of blue and white plates.

The front door and door handle are just the same.

We walked up those stairs and stood on that very landing.  It was such a delight to visit with Ella and James.  Ella sat on a window seat in the bedroom and sketched the fireplace.  It was so sweet.  My only suggestion for improvement would be for the National Trust to put a nice watercolor or pencil set in the shop there, because I would have definitely bought it for my little artist!  Over the winter I read all of the Beatrix Potter collection with James.  They were his bedtime stories of choice for a while, so he was able to appreciate being there, too.

We spotted Mr. Macgregor's wheelbarrow.

When we visited in 2013 I actually spotted a rabbit in the grassy area in that photo.  I kept my eyes peeled this time, but with no luck.

The kids also had a map to follow around the village that pointed out a few other places that made it into Beatrix Potter's books, like the local pub, seen here in Jemima Puddleduck.

The kids are holding up their hands to show the number of the place on the map.

I think this white gate made an appearance in Tom Kitten.

KJ had a walking adventure planned for us when we left Hill Top, but that will keep for another day.