Hill Top, Ambleside. A last-minute camping trip!
The kids have been itching for another camping trip, but with various weekend commitments throughout this half term, it has been quite challenging to find the time to get away! On Friday morning, we felt that a night away would do us all some good, so Steve booked a campsite at lunchtime. We got home from work in good time, quickly threw some clothes into the van, along with the kids' sleeping bags, which haven’t been needed on our trips so far this year. Luckily, the van is always packed and ready to go. We arrived at our campsite at around half six, which gave us enough time for games and a few drinks at the onsite pub.
We didn't have any plans for our day, but unfortunately, the weather forecast was not looking particularly great. After some deliberation, we decided to call into Keswick for the Saturday market and then head to Hill Top, which is famously known as Beatrix Potter's farmhouse retreat, and owned by National Trust.
It is worth mentioning that Hill Top needs to be prebooked in advance if you are planning to drive there, and we had no problem doing this on the very morning of our visit. Entry and parking are complimentary for National Trust members, and upon our arrival, we were asked to present our membership cards at the entrance. For those who are not members of the National Trust, tickets are priced at £15.
We parked in the Hill Top car park and checked in at the small visitor building, where we received information about the site. After that, we made our way out of the car park, turned left, and walked past the pub to reach an entrance gate located on the right side. Although it started to rain, the kids enjoyed themselves splashing in the puddles and searching for Benjamin's lost buttons in the cottage garden.
The lovely garden is a mix of flowers, fruit and vegetables. Sam spotted the dhalias and sweet peas that still had plenty of colour. We made our way up the garden path to the front door.
The National Trust staff are always very helpful. We found out that Beatrix Potter purchased Hill Top in 1905 with the proceeds from the beloved children's classic, The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Beatrix Potter, the renowned author and illustrator, used Hill Top as inspiration for many of her books, and they are dotted in various rooms throughout the house. This arrangement allows visitors to walk through the spaces and compare the rooms with the illustrations that accompany her stories. Sam and Esme settled into the cozy window seats of each room, eagerly trying to locate the very rooms featured in the illustrations from The Tale of Samuel Whiskers, The Tale of Tom Kitten, and The Tale of Two Bad Mice. Esme's favorite tale has always been The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck, and she was absolutely thrilled to discover an egg hidden in the rhubarb patch outside.
Our favourite room was the Treasure Room, which includes a display of Beatrix’s most precious things, including a doll's house with a miniature Tom Thumb and Hunca Munca sitting in the front room. The kids spent a while looking at all the details in the house, and then Esme insisted we read the book, The Tale of Two Bad Mice, before moving into the next room.
Before leaving, we decided to pop to the little coffee cabin nestled in the corner of the garden. There was a selection of freshly baked goods and savory snacks, along with ice cream tubs, coffees, teas and hot chocolate. The shop also features a wonderful range of Beatrix Potter-themed gifts and books, as well as some lovely locally made soaps, candles, and preserves. Sam always manages to find something he insists he ‘needs’, and he was reminded to add it to his growing Christmas list!
