Born in 1866, Beatrix Potter made her first visit to the Lake District in 1882 with her family. She and her brother, Bertram, explored the fields, tamed the wild animals and sketched and painted all that they saw.

Her home became Hill Top near Sawrey, which was left by her to the National Trust on the condition that her contents remain there. She was a prominent and dedicated member of the local community, breeding sheep, and immersing herself in fierce campaigning for the conservation of the area.

As one of the most popular and successful children’s story writers and illustrators of all time, her work, her home, and the surrounding areas are of great interest to the public. Hill Top is filled with her favourite things, and every room, the garden, surrounding fields and the village contains a reference to a picture from her tales. The delightful garden is a haphazard mix of herbs, plants and flowers just as she used to plant, and original watercolours can be viewed at the nearby Beatrix Potter Gallery.

The 17th century building, which was once the office of her solicitor husband, William Heelis, has remained largely unchanged since his day. Now home to the Beatrix Potter Gallery, the charming building contains annually changing exhibitions of carefully chosen drawings and illustrations. It also displays colourful information about the story of her life through its various stages. The gallery is on Main Street in Hawkshead.

Hill Top can be visited and explored at £5.80 for adults, £2.90 for children, or £14.50 for a family ticket. When the house is closed on Fridays, the shop and garden can be visited for free. Standard admission prices for the gallery are £4.20 for adults, and £2.10 for children. A family ticket is £10.50. Discounts are available for those who already hold a ticket to either Hill Top or the gallery.