Windermere Trip Overview
On this tour you will get to see:
• Wray Castle where Beatrix spent her 16th birthday and first discovered the Lake District.
• Near Sawrey village which Beatrix visited often, used as inspiration for her illustrations and where she happily settled and married.
• Hill Top, the house which Beatrix bought from the money she made from the publication of Peter Rabbit.
• Esthwaite Water where Beatrix fished from her boat.
• Hawkshead village
• Tarn Hows bought by Beatrix and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the Lake District.
• Coniston Water with spectacular views of the lake and Coniston Old Man
• Yewdale Valley where Beatrix owned farms and land including Yew Tree Farm used in the film Miss Potter.
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours
Starts: Windermere, United Kingdom
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Windermere Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Windermere, Lake District, United Kingdom
On this tour you will get to see:
• Wray Castle where Beatrix spent her 16th birthday and first discovered the Lake District.
• Near Sawrey village which Beatrix visited often, used as inspiration for her illustrations and where she happily settled and married.
• Hill Top, the house which Beatrix bought from the money she made from the publication of Peter Rabbit.
• Esthwaite Water where Beatrix fished from her boat.
• Hawkshead village
• Tarn Hows bought by Beatrix and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the Lake District.
• Coniston Water with spectacular views of the lake and Coniston Old Man
• Yewdale Valley where Beatrix owned farms and land including Yew Tree Farm used in the film Miss Potter.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Wray Castle, Low Wray, Ambleside LA22 0JA England
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.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop At: Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s House, Main St Near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Ambleside LA22 0LF England
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.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Esthwaite water trout fishery, The Boathouse Ridding Wood, Hawkshead, Ambleside England
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”.
Stop At: Hawkshead Grammar School, Old School House Main Street, Hawkshead, Ambleside LA22 0NT England
William Heelis was a solicitor who advised Beatrix about her land purchases. His offices were in Hawkshead village. Your guide will take you on a short tour of this, “the most picturesque village in the Lake District”.
Duration: 25 minutes
Stop At: Beatrix Potter Gallery Main Street, Hawkshead, Ambleside LA22 0NS England
This is where William Heelis had his solicitors office and known well to Beatrix Potter.
Stop At: Tarn Hows, Lake District National Park, Coniston LA21 8AQ England
Beatrix bought a lot of land in the Lake District and owned the beauty spot Tarn Hows. Here you will have a photo opportunity.
Duration: 10 minutes
Stop At: Coniston Water, Coniston England
After a short scenic drive, Coniston Water comes into view. Coniston Water is the fifth 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”.
Duration: 10 minutes
