Discover Hilltop: Beatrix Potter’s Artistic Retreat

Saturday, March 15, 2025

A cold (sub-zero) start to the day, but it’s lovely to wake up with the sun.

This morning we’re off to Hilltop, the Beatrix Potter Museum. I (erroneously) thought it was the farm where she lived, but it was more the place where she worked – and where she stayed while she was working. Interestingly, there was no working kitchen in the house as food was brought in for her.

We faffed about in the gardens for a bit before going into the house. At this time of the year, there’s not a lot to see, but signs of new life are everywhere and it’s lovely to imagine how it will be in just a couple of months.

The guides inside were super informative and brought her life to, well, life. It sounded very much as though she was a lonely child with an isolated upbringing very much like the “Kensington” system that the young Princess Victoria was brought up under. Young Beatrix had no friends; her only companions were her governesses and she wasn’t allowed to stay in contact with them after they finished working for the family. Her final governess was just a couple of years older than Beatrix was, and it was her children for whom Beatrix created the original illustrated cards.

The Potters were very wealthy – they had made most of their money through mills etc – but her mother (as so much new money did) hated the idea they had come from “trade”. Beatrix’s father, however, was one of the early pioneers of photography.

One of the most important pieces in the cottage was a portrait of Gladstone by the portrait painter of the time, John Millais, which had been gifted to Beatrix’s father by the artist.

Even though Beatrix was in her thirties, her parents refused their permission for her to marry her publisher. Despite this, the pair became secretly engaged, but, sadly, he died soon after from leukaemia.

It wasn’t until she was in her forties that Beatrix married – her solicitor – and was able to gain any sort of independence from her parents. There’s a story in there for sure.

The house she lived in with her husband can be seen from Hilltop, and as we looked across at it, a pair of horses on the hill behind began running and playing in the sunshine. Spring fever, perhaps.

If you want more information, you can find it here. You need to pre-book tickets to use the carpark. We visited out of season, so we had no issues with crowding, but it gets really busy during the summer months, and they advise coming in the afternoon when it’s a tad quieter.

Lunch today was at the farm shop at Lower Sizeburgh, where the cows in the shed are live-streamed into the café. I had broccoli and cheese soup with a cheese and salad roll on the side and Grant had a quiche. When I get home, I want to make more quiches for weekends, and more bread. Whether I do or not is another thing. The intention is there, though. Note to self, must also make the currant slice Grant had with his coffee.

Back to the cottage, I went for a walk down to the lake while Grant watched the football. Apparently, it was a big game – Newcastle were playing Liverpool in the Carabao Cup. (Rolls eyes.)

Dinner tonight was at The Coniston Inn, a fifteen-minute walk down some country lanes.

It was a fabulous meal. To start, I had Thai fishcakes (still craving the spice we didn’t get last night), and Grant had potato and leek soup. For main, I had chicken breast with creamed leeks, mash and mushrooms. Fanflippingtastic. Grant had a Lancashire stew with dumplings. We shared a cinnamon and apple crumble to finish, and were glad of the walk back to the cottage.

The stats…

Temperature: -1-7

Miles travelled: about 55 miles*

*Even though we work in kms in Australia, all signage in the UK is in miles, so that’s what I’m going with.

These posts are taken directly from my travel journal … you can find the series here.