On Monday we finally got the opportunity to visit Hill Top, former home of Beatrix Potter and inspiration for many of her books. I had originally wanted to visit earlier in the year as it had been one of the school's topics for the spring term, but better late than never, and although we couldn't go into the house itself, we might at least be able to enjoy the garden while it was lovely and quiet.
We parked up on Windermere's west shore and enjoyed a simple picnic lunch before walking up a short track to Claife Viewing Station, which suddenly appeared through the trees and offered beautiful views across the lake. The courtyard café had recently re-opened, so it was here I was able to enjoy my first proper coffee since the beginning of lockdown, and it tasted oh-so-good.
From there we followed the signposts for Hill Top, which took us uphill along tracks, and lanes to reach Near Sawrey. At one point we thought we might have been going the wrong way, as the signpost pointed away from the main road, but the route turned back on itself and took an unexpected turn through the field and alongside a lovely little stream where we sat for a while on a bench.
I had booked our visit the previous week, so we had an allotted time slot and on reaching Hill Top we were welcomed by a friendly guide and given a brief run down of the distancing measures. The garden was one way only but we could go round several times if we liked. This little white gate, which is the entrance to the garden, can be found in The Tale of Tom Kitten book.
This pretty little pathway leads up to the front door of the farmhouse. This also features in The Tale of Tom Kitten and in The Tale of Pigling Bland.
To the other side of the fence is another pathway, then behind that is a small orchard.
It was so quiet. I imagine we would not usually have the garden to ourselves, so it felt rather special.
In the walled vegetable garden we searched behind the flower pots but still couldn't find Peter Rabbit.
I would like to go back again when we can have a look around the house but for now I am more than happy to have been able to wander around the garden.
J. X
Hill Top! We used to visit every year when we holidayed in the Lakes back in my school days. I remember how pretty the garden was although it was the fungi sketches inside the house that captivated me.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to have it to yourselves! xxx
It was really lovely and I'm sure I wouldn't have enjoyed it anywhere near as much had it been busy there. I'm looking forward to a return visit to see the inside of the house. X
DeleteIt looks like a very pretty garden, and having it to yourselves must have made it feel quite special - a shame you didn't find Peter Rabbit though :)
ReplyDeleteIt is really pretty, Eunice. I suspect Peter was hiding somewhere in the walled vegetable garden. X
DeleteWow! Looks like a perfect time to visit and have that lovely garden all to yourself! Thanks for sharing these sweet pictures. I never realized the stories were inspired by her own home. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying the garden while it was quiet made it feel really special. There is a ticket system for visiting inside the house but I understand the garden is usually very busy at this time of year. X
DeleteLovely garden - nice to see one fashioned before there were cars when it was just a walkway.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very pretty garden. It's not surprising it was the inspiration for some of the books. X
DeleteI have been there with the children many years ago now. I am looking forward for that first coffee still as the cafe on the beach shuts at 4 and we were a bit late.
ReplyDeleteThis was my very first visit but I'm looking forward to returning and looking around the house one day.
DeleteI hope you get to enjoy that coffee soon. X
I remember taking my brother in law and his wife there years ago as they really wanted to visit. Its was incredibly busy and this busyness completely spoiled the experience for me. It sounds like it was a much nicer place to visit when you were there, how lovely to have the garden pretty much to yourself.
ReplyDeleteI worked in an outdoor centre, based at a large property, in Scotland in the 90s. When I worked there I was told it was a place that Beatrix Potter used to visit as a child, there are even a couple of gravestones in one of the gardens that it was said were animals that she buried there. I was amazed to see a picture of that house in one of the rooms at Hill Top so it seems it was true!
I know I wouldn't have enjoyed the visit anywhere near as much if it had been busy and, as it happened, we got it all to ourselves. There was another group of visitors but they were way ahead of us and the next family arrived just as we were leaving.
DeleteThat's an interesting tale. I'll look out for that picture when I get the opportunity to visit inside the house. X
How wonderful! I'm so glad you and Lily had such a lovely day out and having that lovely garden all to yourselves! My children had a little 'library' of all the Beatrix Potter books and I used to read one every night as a bedtime story :) I loved the film, Miss Potter; Renee Zellweger is a wonderful actress. Best, Jane x
ReplyDeleteThe garden was so pretty, Jane and I enjoyed the film but, if I'm being honest, I'm not a huge fan of the stories. As a child I was always horrified that Peter could have finished up in a pie. X
DeleteWhat a lovely place to visit! I quite enjoyed the tour of the garden. Too bad that Peter Rabbit was hiding! ;)
ReplyDeletePerhaps we will get to see him next time :)
DeleteThe Tale of Peter Rabbit is my favourite BP story. I almost know it by heart as I constantly read it to my little ones. Gorgeous garden! You seem to have caught it at its high point of blooming!
ReplyDeleteThe garden was everything I hoped it would be. X
DeleteWow! what a wonderful place
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxxxx
It is very beautiful there. X
DeleteWhat a gorgeous place and your photos are clever - thank you for them. It made me feel quite young again!
ReplyDeletexx
I'm glad you enjoyed them. X
Deletehave always wanted to go there - the garden is just so beautiful, you can imagine all the characters going about their daily business there.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wouldn't have been surprised to have see Tom Kitten walking up the path. X
DeleteHow wonderful I can't remember that part of the country but apparently went as a child. It really does look like it inspired her work.
ReplyDeleteIt is very beautiful there. X
DeleteHow lovely. Hill Top is somewhere I'd love to visit. It's a shame you couldn't go inside the house but that gives you a good excuse to return in the future.
ReplyDeleteIt is so lovely there, I don't know why I'd never visited before. I'm looking forward to being able to look around the house. There was a short video of it on Instagram yesterday. It looks like everything is covered in dust sheets for the time being. X
DeleteSounds like the perfect day out. Proper coffee and the delights of Beatrix potters garden too, empty for once. I remember visiting with my three boys at Easter many years ago. So many people milling about. You had a real treat. B x
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the fact that it was quiet made the visit so enjoyable. X
DeleteWhat a beautiful place, I have never been there so it's now on the to do list, I bet that first coffee tasted so good! xx
ReplyDeleteI do hope you get to visit. And yes, that coffee did taste so good. X
DeleteI visited there in 1994 when I was traveling with my sister to the UK for a couple of weeks. I absolutely loved every minute of the tour, and the whole Lake Windermere area. I am sorry that we'll never get back there again.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have some wonderful memories of your time there. X
DeleteLoved the pictures in this post. I'm sure I almost saw Peter and friends just disappearing behind those flower pots!
ReplyDeleteIt was so very easy to imagine them there. X
DeleteOh I do hope Peter Rabbit hasn’t been put in a pie...you just never know...and he did I keep going into Mr. McGregors’ garden! We now have Small Boy who likes going into Grumps’ vegetable garden...and especially the fruit cage...all the raspberries vanish! x
ReplyDeleteThe idea of him being put into a pie used to horrify me as a child. I'm sure that's what put me off the stories. X
DeleteWhat a beautiful garden. I love the colorful flowers.
ReplyDeleteIt was beautiful there, Nil. There was a large strawberry patch too. :)
DeleteOh...it's amazing! Thank you for sharing your tour, Jules. I love that stone wall and the gate. That's what I would like to have here. The flagstone path is lovely, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it, Stephenie. It's such a beautiful garden, I would love to have one just like it. X
DeleteOh, I would just love to visit there! The garden is just lovely. So glad to hear you had a nice time and also enjoyed a nice proper coffee.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julia. It was a lovely day out. X
DeleteI don't think I've ever been there, not in living memory anyway, the garden is just gorgeous, and I can imagine it felt very special to have it to yourself. I very much enjoyed seeing the Beatrix Potter botanical illustrations at Armitt when we went last year to take a look at the Kurt Schwitters exhibition.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing some of her work when I have the opportunity to visit the inside of the house. X
DeleteHow SPLENDID! More than 20 years since we last visited and I have kept away since because of the huge numbers of tourists I know descend at all times of the year . . . but now might just be a very good time to go back :-)
ReplyDeleteI would definitely recommend visiting now, while they are limiting numbers to the garden. It's the main reason I booked at this time. X
DeleteWhat a wonderful outing, the garden is beautiful and I enjoyed looking at all of your photographs.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your week.
All the best Jan
Thank you, Jan. We enjoyed a lovely day out. X
DeleteIt looks like a wonderful place to visit! I've never been but I'd like to go one day.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll enjoy it if you do. X
DeleteLovely! I have always wanted to visit. Just wandering round the garden looks a very idyllic thing to do. One good thing about these strange times is being able to book a slot and wander round with all that space almost to yourself. That would not usually happen at the height of Summer. I also need to go to the Claife viewing station. Looks fab. X
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if it had been busy. We had plenty of time to look around. X
DeleteThis sounds delightful!! The house, the garden and flowers all looks so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteIt's a really lovely place to visit and I'm looking forward to when I can go back again. X
DeleteWe have a caravan near Grange Over Sands, sadly we haven’t managed to get there yet this year. It must have been strange but good to be at Hill Top without the crowds. Hope the weather was kind to you
ReplyDeleteLynn x
I hope you have opportunity to visit your van soon. So lovely to have the sea and the Lakes within easy reach. X
DeleteHi Jules, I’ve just had a binge read of your posts! I’m glad you were lucky enough to give the errant chicken to the farmer’s friend! Running with a chicken nestled in your arm would not have been easy, haha!
ReplyDeleteYour quiche looked absolutely delicious, as did your raspberry jam. A beautiful colour! It does take some time to get used to going further afield, doesn’t it! But you have some lovely walks where you live.
Hill Top looks a lovely place to visit and I fully expected one of the famous rabbits to pop up from behind the plant pots! Thank you for your posts, I so enjoy them xx
Thank you for this lovely comment, Ann.
DeleteWalking has been my saving grace during lockdown and while there are many beautiful walks on my doorstep, it feels so good to be travelling a little father afield now that the restriction have relaxed.
I hope you and your family are keeping well. X
WOW,what a Stunning place to visit,just lifts the heart.Thanks for all the pics and sharing.Pity Peter didn't show his face!My mum was 90 on the 18th.Hugs x
ReplyDeleteBelated Birthday wishes to your lovely mum. Xx
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