beatrix potter home tour

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s home

: Location – Near Sawrey

Beatrix Potter bought Hill Top in 1905 with the royalties from her first few books, written at her parents home in London but inspired by her annual holiday visits to the Lake District. She visited as often as she could, but never for more than a few days at a time, sketching the house, garden, countryside and animals for her new books.

an image of the house and garden at hill top, a beatrix potter house and museum in the lake district

After Beatrix bought the Hill Top she busied herself writing more books, and visiting her farm. In 1909 she bought another farm opposite Hill Top, Castle Farm, which became her main Lakeland base.

Beatrix wrote many of her famous children’s stories in this little 17th century stone house. Characters such as Tom Kitten, Samuel Whiskers and Jemima Puddleduck were all created here, and the books contain many pictures based on the house and garden.

Beatrix bought many pieces of land and property in and around Sawrey , including the Old Post Office, Castle Cottage and a number of small farms. In 1913, aged 47, she married William Heelis in London and moved to Lakeland, living at Castle Cottage which was bigger and more convenient than Hill Top.

an image of the entrance hall at hill top, a beatrix potter museum in the lake district

There is a good example of traditional cottage garden, containing mainly old-fashioned flowers such as honeysuckle, foxgloves, sweet cicely, lupins, peonies, lavender and philadelphus. Roses grow around the front door. Fruit still plays an important role in the garden – strawberries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries and rhubarb

When she died in 1943, Beatrix left Hill Top to the National Trust with the proviso that it be kept exactly as she left it, complete with her furniture and china.

Bar lunches and evening meals can be obtained from the Tower Bank Arms (NT owned) next door, during licensing hours. The Tower Bank Arms may be seen in ‘The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck’ .

aerial image of hill top, beatrix potter's home in the lake district

Following the permanent closure of The Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead , original Beatrix Potter watercolours can now be seen in a new display for 2024 at Hill Top. The special connection between Hill Top and her little books is the inspiration for the new display. Tom Kitten: What a pickle. A delight for adults and children with scenes from the book, original Beatrix Potter artwork, and interactive programming.

Hill Top is still the most visited literary shrine in the Lake District.

2024 Opening Hours – www.nationaltrust.org.uk

2024 Admission – Adult £15, Child £7, Family £37.50.

Parking is free at the National Trust car park about 100 yards north of the Tower Bank Arms. A timed ticket entry operates for the house. Advance booking guarantees entry to the house. See website for information and ticket sales

See more photos of Hill Top

What a prickle…

We're sorry – it looks like something's gone wrong

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's House

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travelers

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's House - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Beatrix Potter: Morning Half Day with an Expert Guide - includes entrance fees (From $113.14)
Beatrix Potter Afternoon Half Day - includes Hill Top and Cruise (From $138.56)
Private Beatrix Potter Full Day All Inclusive Tour Expert Guide (From $578.39)
Lake District Rail Day Trip from London (From $367.25)
Beatrix Potter - Half Day - Up to 4 People (From $476.70)
(0.01 mi) STONEY CROFT COTTAGE, pet friendly, with open fire in Sawrey
(0.01 mi) STONEY CROFT COTTAGE, 2 Bedroom(s), Hawkshead
(0.02 mi) CROFT END COTTAGE, 2 Bedroom(s), Sawrey
(0.02 mi) CROFT END COTTAGE, pet friendly, with open fire in Sawrey
(0.02 mi) Belle Green Bed & Breakfast
(0.05 mi) Restaurant at the Tower Bank Arms
(0.07 mi) Sawrey House Hotel Restaurant
(0.53 mi) Cuckoo Brow Inn
(1.83 mi) Boardwalk Bar & Grill
(1.90 mi) The Little Ice Cream Shop - Hawkshead
(1.79 mi) Sail N Dine
(1.83 mi) Lakeland Adventures
(1.64 mi) Windermere Canoe Kayak
(1.93 mi) Bowness Bay Marina - Windermere Boat Hire
(2.40 mi) Graythwaite Adventure

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's House

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

HILL TOP, BEATRIX POTTER'S HOUSE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Beatrix Potter: Morning Half Day with an Expert Guide - includes entrance fees (From $191.50)
Beatrix Potter Afternoon Half Day - includes Hill Top and Cruise (From $234.52)
Private Beatrix Potter Full Day All Inclusive Tour Expert Guide (From $978.97)
Lake District Rail Day Trip from London (From $621.60)
Beatrix Potter - Half Day - Up to 4 People (From $806.85)
(0.02 km) STONEY CROFT COTTAGE, pet friendly, with open fire in Sawrey
(0.02 km) STONEY CROFT COTTAGE, 2 Bedroom(s), Hawkshead
(0.02 km) CROFT END COTTAGE, 2 Bedroom(s), Sawrey
(0.02 km) CROFT END COTTAGE, pet friendly, with open fire in Sawrey
(0.04 km) Belle Green Bed & Breakfast
(0.08 km) Restaurant at the Tower Bank Arms
(0.12 km) Sawrey House Hotel Restaurant
(0.85 km) Cuckoo Brow Inn
(2.94 km) Boardwalk Bar & Grill
(3.04 km) The Little Ice Cream Shop - Hawkshead
(2.86 km) Sail N Dine
(2.93 km) Lakeland Adventures
(2.63 km) Windermere Canoe Kayak
(3.08 km) Bowness Bay Marina - Windermere Boat Hire
(3.84 km) Graythwaite Adventure

Private Tour: The Tale of Beatrix Potter

Full Day from 781.00 per group

Tour Rating:

This is a private tour, only your group shares the vehicle., you can join this tour:.

Please note that due to the National Trust's booking system for tickets into Hill Top, entry tickets are selling out very quickly, so we are often only able to take bookings for at least 1 week ahead. Please don't leave it to the last minute to book this tour as you may be disappointed.

This tour takes you to:

Wray Castle the holiday home where Beatrix spent her 16th birthday and first discovered the Lake District.
Near Sawrey, the village where Beatrix lived.
Hill Top , the house which Beatrix bought from the money she made from the publication of Peter Rabbit.
Esthwaite Water where Beatrix walked with William Heelis when they were courting.
Hawkshead village where she carried out her daily business.
Beatrix Potter Gallery to see the original illustrations by Beatrix.
Tarn Hows bought by Beatrix and regarded as one of the most beautiful places in the Lake District.
Monk Coniston Estate , vast and beautiful, which Beatrix bought and later donated to the National Trust.
Coniston Water with spectacular views of the lake and the mountain Coniston Old Man .
Yewdale Valley where Beatrix owned farms and land including Yew Tree Farm which you may recognise from the film Miss Potter.
Armitt Library & Museum to see Beatrix's stunningly detailed mycology illustrations and other artefacts

What is included in this tour:

Full Day Tour
Admission to Hill Top
Admission to the Beatrix Potter Gallery
Admission to the Armitt Library & Museum
Knowledgeable guide to provide expert commentary and analysis, as well as taking care of practicalities and general support throughout the day
Experienced driver for your safety on the steep, narrow and twisty Lakeland roads
Small group of up to 6 people for a more flexible and personalised experience
Use of personal radio communication technology to keep you in-touch with your guide when you are off the minibus (where applicable)

Additional Features:

Gift Shops at Hill Top, Armitt Library & Museum, Hawkshead & Beatrix Potter Gallery
Food, drink & comfort facilities available at Tarn Hows, Armitt Library & Museum, Wray Castle & Hawkshead village
Suitable for solo travellers

Your first stop is at Wray Castle and takes you back in time to when Beatrix Potter was a teenager on holiday in 1882. The usual holiday home, rented for the summer in Scotland, was unavailable and so Beatrix persuaded her parents to take Wray Castle on the shores of Lake Windermere for the summer. It was here that Beatrix spent her 16th birthday, met Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley, one of the three founding members of The National Trust, and started her lifelong love of the area. This was where it all began for her. Your guide will explain the significance of Wray Castle in Beatrix's life and the people that she met there. After admiring the beauty of the Lakeland fells, tumbling to the lake shore across the sweeping vista of the grounds of the castle we now move on to your next destination via the steep and twisty, narrow Lakeland roads set in the charming pastoral landscape, to Beatrix Potter's home in Near Sawrey.

On arrival, your guide will take you on a walking tour of the village pointing out all of the places that Beatrix knew and used in her illustrations for the famous books. At the end of the village you will arrive at Hill Top, a 17th century farmhouse which was the home of Beatrix Potter. Your entry to Hill Top and Gardens is included in your tour. Beatrix wrote many of her famous children's stories in this little house. Characters such as Tom Kitten, Samuel Whiskers and Jemima Puddleduck were all created here, and the books contain many pictures based on the house and garden. You will have plenty of time to visit the house, gardens and gift shop before moving on to your next destination.

A scenic drive will take you past the beautiful Esthwaite Water , so admired by both William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. It was probably a combination of Moss Eccles Tarn with its water lillies, and Esthwaite Water that served as the inspiration for the home of her tale of a frog who lives in a "slippy-sloppy" house at the edge of a pond in The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher.

Moving on through the sublime countryside, you arrive for an early lunch in Hawkshead , "the prettiest village in the Lake District". Your guide will take you on a short guided walk around the village and then take you into the the Beatrix Potter Gallery where you will be able to see original Beatrix Potter manuscripts and illustrations. You will then have time for lunch and to explore the village at your own pace.

After lunch, a short drive up Hawkshead Hill leads us on to the next destination of your tour, the beautiful Tarn Hows. The land and farms around were part of the considerable Monk Coniston Estate which was bought by Beatrix Potter and eventually sold or bequeathed to The National Trust so that the landscape and its unique way of life would be preserved forever. Your guide will point out features of interest and explain more about the life of Beatrix Potter as a farmer and conservationist . You will have an opportunity to take a short walk to the Tarn before we drive along a steep, spectacular and narrow road, deep into the Yewdale Valley.

Yewdale, once part of the Monk Coniston estate, and bounded by steep, craggy fells, offers the visitor some stunning scenery. Our road through the valley offers us a view down on to Yew Tree Farm which was the location for the 2006 film Miss Potter. The road falls steeply downhill, so narrow that it is one way, for no other vehicle could pass without tumbling to their doom, and takes us through enchanted, shaded woodland. Emerging on to a more major road opposite Monk Coniston Hall . On the shore of Coniston Water , we stop to take in the view. From here we follow the lake shore until we are on the edge of the village before plunging back into the Yewdale Valley.

We are now on our way to your next destination but before arrive, the road takes us right past Yew Tree Farm once owned by Beatrix Potter, with its rare spinning gallery. The farms in this area, all owned by Beatrix Potter were where she, and her tenant farmers, bred her beloved Herdwick sheep. You will have a quick stop to snap some pictures.

We continue our drive back to the town of Ambleside where your guide will take you into the Armitt Library & Museum to see another aspect of Beatrix Potter's life, that of the scientific researcher and illustrator. Your entry to the Armitt Library & Museum is included in the tour. Here you will see fascinating insights into Beatrix's interest in mycology as a young woman illustrated by her stunningly detailed and beautiful illustrations which she bequeathed to the library in her will. You can also see the other museum exhibitions and browse the reference library full of rare and interesting books. This concludes the tour and so your driver will then take you to your drop-off points.

Additional Information

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 some walking involved in the tour, some uphill and on uneven or wet terrain, please wear suitable, comfortable shoes.
No food or drink is included in the tour price.
This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 5.

More Details about the Places on the Tour

Wray castle.

Wray Castle is a National Trust owned friendly mock-Gothic castle on the shores of Lake Windermere with turrets, towers and informal grounds. Beatrix Potter was born and brought up in London and her parents took her on summer holidays to Scotland. However, when the house they usually rented became unavailable, they looked further south than Scotland, renting Wray Castle on the shores of Windermere instead. Beatrix was 16 when they stayed here in 1882. Her parents entertained many eminent guests, including Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley, one of the founding members of The National Trust. His views on the need to preserve the natural beauty of the English Lake District had a lasting effect on the young Beatrix, who had fallen in love with the unspoilt beauty surrounding her new-found holiday home.

Your admission to Hill Top and Gardens is included in the tour.

Step back in time and visit the home of one of the Lake District's most famous residents - author Beatrix Potter. Hill Top is a 17th century farmhouse located in the tiny village of Near Sawrey that tells the story of her life before she married. Her love of the surrounding countryside was the inspiration for many of her famous "little books".

Explore this fascinating house, typical of the Lakeland style with its stone walls and slate roof, appearing just as if Beatrix has just stepped out of it herself. Each room contains a reference to a picture in a tale - the house, farm and nearby villages all feature in her books including The Tale of the Pie and Patty Pan, The Tale of Tom Kitten, The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers and The Roly Poly Pudding.

The lovely cottage garden is a haphazard mix of flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables. Make your way up the garden path to the front door and see for yourself why Beatrix loved this place. She bought the house in 1905 following the success of her first book, the Tale of Peter Rabbit, as a retreat away from her bustling London home and left it to the National Trust following her death. It is now a Grade II listed building and a popular place for fans of her books to visit, almost three million people have walked through the six rooms at Hill Top.

Esthwaite Water

Esthwaite Water is one of the smaller and lesser known lakes in the Lake District national park, yet Beatrix Potter commented "I have often been laughed at for thinking Esthwaite Water the most beautiful of lakes. It really strikes me that some scenery is almost theatrical, or ultra-romantic". Esthwaite Water is also the location where she created one of her most beloved characters, Jeremy Fisher.

Wordsworth was particularly fond of Esthwaite Water because he went to the Grammar school at Hawkshead and used the lake for recreation and inspiration, capturing its many moods in his prose. The lake was mentioned as the location where he conversed with a friend in his poem, "Expostulation and Reply," part of Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads and, in the same collection, it is the location for "Lines Left Upon A Seat In A Yew-Tree."

Today, the lake covers around 280 acres (1.1 km2) and is known for its excellent fishing, particularly trout and pike. It is also the home of ospreys, otters and red kites and has been designated as a site of special scientific interest.

Hawkshead Village

Hawkshead is a picturesque old medieval village on Esthwaite Water, set midway between Ambleside and Coniston. There are whitewashed cottages around the central square of the village, and many narrow, cobbled alleys and archways running between the various properties. The lack of street signs can be rather confusing but you will have a short walking tour with your guide when you arrive to help you find your way among the labyrinth of alleyways and ginnels. Many of the buildings have decorative features, ranging from pretty window boxes to carved gargoyles in the eaves of some of the cottages. You will have some time to enjoy this delightful medieval village at your leisure. Known as the "Prettiest village in the Lake district" you can browse the shops and buy your souvenirs or just sit and relax soaking up the atmosphere in the many café's and inns.

The church of St Michael, which overlooks the village, has an interesting 16th Century altar tomb. It also has illustrated versions of some of the psalms and other quotations painted on the walls during the 17th and 18th Centuries.

The poet, William Wordsworth, lodged in the village and attended the Grammar School here between 1778 and 1783. The old school is open to visitors and there is a desk on which the young vandal carved his initials.

The Beatrix Potter Gallery

Your admission to the Beatrix Potter Gallery and the exhibitions is included in the tour. For anyone who has ever been enchanted by Beatrix's endearing characters, the gallery is the place to go to marvel at these miniature masterpieces. This unique space occupies a 17th-century building which served as the office of Beatrix's solicitor husband and has a yearly rotating exhibition of her artwork and manuscripts.

Tarn Hows is one of the most visited spots in the English lake District , and in high season can be literally packed with people. It is a beauty spot that must not be missed, yet is not entirely typical of the local landscape, for the tarn is partly artificial, being three tarns joined together in the 19th Century, and most of the trees surrounding it are conifers.

The attraction is its sheer beauty , surrounded by thick woodland, and views towards Wetherlam, the Helvellyn range and the Langdale Pikes .

Monk Coniston Estate

In 1929, when Beatrix Potter was 64 years old, the Monk Coniston Estate came up for sale. The estate consisted of 2500 acres of land around the head of Coniston Water. It consisted of the well-known beauty spot Tarn Hows, seven farms including Yew Tree, Boon Crag, High Arnside, High Tilberthwaite and High Yewdale, as well as cottages, quarries and open fell land. She sold the half containing Tarn Hows to the National Trust, and bequeathed the rest of the estate to the Trust in her will.

Yew Tree Farm

Yew Tree Farm has been much photographed, drawn, and filmed. Its most picturesque feature is the spinning gallery along the front of the old barn. It was used for drying rather than spinning the wool of the Herdwick sheep. Such galleries were not uncommon until the early 1900's, but since then have become something of a rarity.

Yew Tree Farmhouse is partly of 17th Century date or earlier, with a new end added in 1743. This date, and the initials of the then owner, George Walker, are cut in the ironwork of the front door. The farm gets its name from a yew tree which was believed to be at least 700 years old before it blew down in 1896.

The farmhouse may look rather familiar to some of you as it was used as the location for Hill Top, Beatrix Potters house, in the 2006 film "Miss Potter" starring Renée Zellweger in the lead role.

Armitt Library & Museum

Your admission to the Armitt Library & Museum is included in the tour. The Armitt is a new purpose-built home for the Mary Armitt Collection; a collection of books, manuscripts, watercolours, archaeological remains, geological specimens and assorted paraphernalia associated with this lovely part of the Lake District.

The Armitt Library was founded in accordance with the will of Mary Louise Armitt and the wishes of her two sisters, 'to create a collection of books of scientific, literary and antiquarian value' for the 'student and book-lover'. Eventually it was transformed into a small but culturally significant museum. It was opened in 1912, and embodied the old 1828 Ambleside Book Society, of which William Wordsworth had been a member, and the Ambleside Ruskin Library, founded by Hardwicke Rawnsley in 1882 with the active support of John Ruskin.

At the beginning of the 20th Century, the Armitt sisters lived at Rydal Cottage, next to Rydal Church. Here they enjoyed the company of many artists and writers, including the Victorian polymath John Ruskin , the poet Robert Browning and the poet and cultural critic Matthew Arnold , who lived nearby.

There is an exhibition space containing a variety of interactive experiences, and a reference library containing the collection of rare books.

An area is devoted to Beatrix Potter , with her desk just as she would have used it to paint her watercolour pictures, and the surrounding walls displaying for the first time some of her natural history watercolours. In 1934 Beatrix gave many of her watercolours and drawings of fungi, mosses and fossils to the Armitt Library. She had become a member on her marriage to William Heelis in 1913, and he was their solicitor since it was established in 1912.

Check the availability for Private Tour: The Tale of Beatrix Potter

To display the available dates for this tour please answer the questions below.

We can accept bookings up to 30 minutes before the departure time from your chosen pickup point, provided that we have availability.

You will not need to print anything out. Just book, read the confirmation email and wait at the pickup point!

Dates that are available for your group size are highlighted below in Orange . To book, simply click on one of these dates and complete the next page with your details.

015394 88444

We are open every day from 10am – 5.30pm. please buy your tickets when you arrive., the attraction, the world of beatrix potter ™ attraction.

Beatrix Potter’s stories brought to life

Meet your favourite characters in a magical setting.

Explore the Peter Rabbit ™ Garden

See what we are growing – but watch out for Mr McGregor!

Shop the experience

Browse our treasure trove of beautiful gifts and souvenirs inspired by Peter Rabbit.

Relax and refresh

New café, new look with everything freshly baked & delicious.

Family-friendly fun

Bunny Ears decorating

Peter Rabbit Tea Party

Peter Rabbit & Jemima sculpture painting

Worldofbeatrixpotter.

Beatrix Potter online shop

Look what’s on offer in our online Beatrix Potter shop!

A popular destination

All year round.

Beatrix Potter was a pioneer of conservation

Find out what we’re doing to help look after our planet.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

" * " indicates required fields

Bali & Indonesia Tours
Bhutan Tours
Cambodia Tours
China & Hong Kong Tours
India Tours
Japan Tours
Maldives Tours
Myanmar Tours
Nepal Tours
Singapore Tours
South Korea Tours
Sri Lanka Tours
Taiwan Tours
Thailand Tours
Uzbekistan & Central Asia Tours
Vietnam Tours

EUROPE & UK

Austria Tours
Baltic States Tours
Belgium Tours
Croatia Tours
Czech Republic Tours
Denmark Tours
England Tours
Finland Tours
France Tours
Georgia Tours
Germany Tours
Greece Tours
Hungary Tours
Iceland Tours
Ireland Tours
Italy Tours
Malta Tours
Netherlands Tours
Norway Tours
Poland Tours
Portugal Tours
Russia Tours
Scotland Tours
Slovenia Tours
Spain Tours
Sweden Tours
Switzerland Tours
Turkey Tours

AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST

Botswana Tours
Dubai & Emirates Tours
Egypt Tours
Israel Tours
Jordan Tours
Kenya Tours
Lebanon Tours
Morocco Tours
Namibia Tours
Rwanda Tours
South Africa Tours
Tanzania Tours

LATIN & SOUTH AMERICA

Argentina Tours
Brazil Tours
Chile Tours
Colombia Tours
Ecuador & Galapagos Tours
Mexico Tours

SOUTH PACIFIC

Australia Tours
New Zealand Tours

SPECIAL INTEREST

Art & Design
Jewish & Heritage
Spa & Wellness
Special Diets
Celebrations
Philanthropy
Experiences

Luxury Travel Blog

Ideas to inspire your world: luxury, culture, food, travel, style, september 8, 2023, visiting hill top, beatrix potter’s home in england’s lake district.

Preserved as it was during the author’s lifetime, Hill Top offers an enchanting glimpse into her world as a successful writer, illustrator, sheep farmer and land conservationist.

Artisans of Leisure can incorporate visits to Hill Top during our private England tours . Hill Top is a great destination for travelers interested in Beatrix Potter, English literature , interior design, history and gardens.

The Lake District (known locally as Lakeland) is a spectacular national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning landscapes of lakes and fells (mountains), ancient farming culture and literary associations, particularly with Wordsworth, Ruskin, the Romantic poets and Beatrix Potter.

From a young age, Potter was a keen observer of the natural world and devoted time to recording the Lake District’s landscapes, flora and fauna in sketches and watercolors.

Following the success of her self-published children’s book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), Beatrix Potter purchased Hill Top farm near the picturesque village of Near Sawrey in 1905 to be her summer home and studio.

The farmhouse, garden and surrounding area appear in many of her delightful illustrations, which combine detailed observations of the natural world and whimsical anthropomorphic characters.

Potter married later in life and moved to a nearby farm. But she maintained Hill Top as her private retreat and artist studio. Passionate about land conservation, she bought numerous farms and thousands of acres to preserve the Lakeland landscape and traditional fell farming. Potter’s interest in Lakeland farming extended to breeding the sturdy Herdwick sheep that have grazed in the area for centuries.

Upon her death, Beatrix Potter left most of her property to the National Trust, including Hill Top and thousands of acres of land that comprise an impressive amount of the Lake District National Park. Hill Top remains a working farm as it was during Potter’s lifetime.

Today, the cozy farmhouse appears as though Beatrix Potter has just stepped out, with a fire in the grate and her hat and boots near the door.

The interiors, which Potter decorated with local antiques, traditional crafts and family heirlooms, reflect her love of the history and traditions of rural Lakeland life.

Other stylistic details, such as the William Morris wallpapers, reference the Arts & Crafts movement that advocated reviving medieval craftsmanship and the ideals of rural life.

A highlight of visiting Hill Top is identifying the details of Beatrix Potter’s daily life that appear in her books, such as the intricately furnished dollhouse in The Tale of Two Bad Mice or the staircase and grandfather clock on the landing from The Tale of Tom Kitten .

Helpfully, each room in the house displays the corresponding illustrations.

Another highlight of Hill Top is the cottage garden filled with flowers, vegetables and fruit.

The orchard has a delightful coffee stand in a rustic cabin.

Down the road from Hill Top is the charming village of Near Sawrey.

We recommend stopping for a pint by the fire at the Tower Bank Arms. The 17th-century inn appears today just as it does in The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck .

Upon request, we can arrange for our travelers to visit other sites in the Lake District connected to Beatrix Potter, such as touring one of the traditional farms she owned and meeting the Herdwick sheep breeders who live there or visiting galleries that exhibit Potter’s original illustrations and scientific studies.

Artisans of Leisure can also arrange private excursions to other literary landmarks, notable historic homes, castles and gardens and other scenic and cultural highlights in the Lake District.

Contact Artisans of Leisure to begin planning a private luxury England tour that includes visiting Hill Top in the Lake District.

Destinations: England , Europe , UK

Tags: Beatrix Potter , Beatrix Potter's home , British interiors , Cumbria , England , England family tours , England garden tours , English countryside tours , English Lake District , gardens , Hill Top , house museum , interiors , Lake District , Lake District tours , landscapes , literary tours , luxury England tours , private England garden tours , UK tours , UNESCO World Heritage Site

View Luxury Tours:

Baltic States
Czech Republic
Netherlands
Switzerland
South Korea

Africa & Middle East

Dubai & UAE
South Africa

Latin & South America

Ecuador & the Galapagos

South Pacific

New Zealand

Special Interest Tours

Culinary Tours
Family Travel
Art & Design Tours
Honeymoons & Romance
Active & Adventure
Spa & Wellness
Jewish & Heritage
Garden Tours
Shore Excursions
Accessible Travel
Learning Activities
Celebration Tours

View Articles By:

Featured Tours:

Literary Tour of England (13 Days) London, Oxfordshire & Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, Hampshire, Surrey

Decorative Arts & Gardens of England (9 Days) London, Cotswolds

Journey Through England (16 Days) London, Bath, Oxfordshire, Cotswolds, Lake District, Yorkshire

Family Tour of England (7 Days) London & environs

Best of Rajasthan & Beyond (16 Days) Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mumbai

Luxury Tours

Take a tour of Beatrix Potter's Lake District

Lake district, cumbria.

Mountain Goat offer superb minibus tours of the Lake District – discover much-loved author Beatrix Potter’s favourite countryside on a half-day trip.

Your tour takes in Hill Top, the house belonging to Potter (author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit) whose picturesque rural location inspired many of her best-loved characters. Then explore Hawkshead, a scenic medieval village where Wordsworth once studied.

The landscapes are picture-perfect, and a photo stop at Tarn Hows is a must, before the tour continues onto Coniston Water for a lake cruise. You’ll pass through pretty Yew Tree Tarn, a small lake, and Skelwith Bridge, a cute village, and have the option to finish with a quintessentially English cream tea at Lindeth Howe Country House Hotel, the former home of Beatrix Potter’s mother on the edge of lake Windermere, before returning to your accommodation.

Windermere is in the Lake District, northwest England, and is 3 hours from London by train.

Content provided by Cumbria Tourism

Find out more about Mountain Goat Tours and plan your visit
Find more cultural breaks in Cumbria

Refine your search:

You may be interested in...

Enjoy a taste of Grasmere Gingerbread

Stock up on one of the Lake District’s most famous exports: Grasmere Gingerbread.

Location: Ambleside, Cumbria

Walk through Cumbria’s history and gardens

Be dazzled by the beauty of the Lake District’s historic houses and gardens, and gain a sense of the area’s fascinating past and present.

Location: Lake District, Cumbria

Go horseriding in the Lake District

Saddle up for a two-day horseriding trek around the fells of the Lake District.

Take a walk with the wildlife in the Lake District

Keep your eyes peeled and cameras at the ready for some serious Cumbrian wildlife spotting.

We've something we want to share

Want to receive travel tips and ideas by email?

VisitEngland would like to invite you to take part in a short survey about our website, it should take no more than a couple of minutes.

Go to the survey

To add items to favourites …

… you need to be logged in.

If you already have an account, log in.

Or register a new account

Access your account

Hill Top, Beatrix Potter’s House

Photo credit - Brian Robertson @ flickr

Resides in her original holiday home, Hill Top is a house museum dedicated to the life and work of the notable children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, best known for her Tales and the character Peter Rabbit.

Helen Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) was born to an upper-middle-class family in London. Educated at home by governesses, Potter was isolated from other children and found company with nature and animals, which she expressed with paintings of landscapes, fauna, and flora.

During vacations in Scotland and the Lake District, Potter sent illustrated letters to her friends. In one of those letters, she wrote a short story about four little rabbits named Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter.

In 1901, after editing the story into a book, she self-published it under the title The Tale of Peter Rabbit . The following year, the book was published commercially and gained immediate success. It was the first out of 23 Tales that Potter wrote and illustrated.

In 1905, with the profits from her books, she bought Hill Top Farm, a 17th-century farmhouse in Ambleside in the Lake District. Potter came there for artistic retreats and inspiration for many of her stories, including The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, and The Tale of Tom Kitten.

In 1913, at 47, she married William Heelis, and the couple moved across the road to Near Sawrey, where she continued to write and nurture her love of breeding sheep.

She died at the age of 77 after publishing more than 60 books; many adapted into films, ballet, songs, and animations.

Upon her death, Potter left Hill Top house and the rest of her properties to the National Trust to open it to the public.

The house became a museum displaying Potter’s belonging, such as kitchen plates painted by her father, paintings of her brother Bertram, the detailed doll’s house, and the dolls’ house food she painted for The Tale of Two Bad Mice.

Every room of the house contains references to one of her books, such as the staircase depicted in The Tale of Tom Kitten and the rhubarb patch in the garden where Jemima Puddle-Duck laid her egg.

Other places in the area commemorating Potter and her legacy are the Beatrix Potter Gallery at Hawkshead, Castle Farm, where she lived with her husband, and The Armitt Museum in Ambleside, which preserves her scientific mycological drawings.

Several options to explore the area with a local guide:

Beatrix Potter: Afternoon Half Day All-Inclusive Tour with an Expert Guide
Beatrix Potter’s Half Day Lake District Tour Including Lake Cruise

Hill top house, Beatrix potter

Watch and Learn More

We hope you enjoyed this article. Please support us so we can write about more landmarks of pioneer women. Donate

Sorry, no records were found. Please adjust your search criteria and try again.

Sorry, unable to load the Maps API.

Get Directions

This post is also available in: Español

Next Steps: Sync an Email Add-On

Shop & Support

About the Project

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Agatha Christie Bust in Torquay

Torquay, England, UK

Agatha Christie Gallery at Torquay Museum

Agatha Christie Statue in Wallingford

Wallingford, England, UK

Anne of Cleves House

East Sussex, England, UK

*Disclaimer: Please be aware that the information on this page is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. Learn more here .

Change Location

Find awesome listings near you.

Description

Moscow metro private tours.

2-hour tour $87: 10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
3-hour tour $137: 20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off.
Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
Have fun time with a very friendly local;
+ Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

Drop-off at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
+ Russian lunch in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

Every day each car in Moscow metro passes more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
Moscow subway system is the 5th in the intensity of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is 90 seconds .

What you get:

+ A friend in Moscow.
+ Private & customized Moscow tour.
+ An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
+ An authentic experience of local life.
+ Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
+ Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
+ A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
+ Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
+ Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

Write your review

Claudia Looi

Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

Moscow subways are very clean

To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow. Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

Revolution Square Metro Station

3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

Arbatskaya Metro Station

4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

Kievskaya Metro Station

6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

Novoslobodskaya metro station

7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

Mayakovskaya station

One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

beatrix potter home tour

IMAGES

VIDEO

COMMENTS