| Fact file | Beatrix Potter was born in London but visited Cumbria for holidays as a child. She bought land in the Lake District and kept Herdwick sheep. One of the first people to buy The Tale of Peter Rabbit was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes! After her death, she donated 14 farms, 4000 acres of land and her sheep to the National Trust. She is quoted as saying, "Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality." In 2001, it was discovered that Potter may have taken the characters names from people buried in a cemetery in London. Names on headstones included Mr Nutkin, Mr McGregor, Jeremiah Fisher, Tommy Brock - and even a Peter Rabbett! |
Suzanne Worthington and Mark Robertson visited the attraction. While Mark photographed the characters, Suzanne had a good 'nose' around... Even on an ordinary mid-week day, the Beatrix Potter Attraction was buzzing with families enjoying their holiday. Keep your eyes peeledThe entrance takes the visitor past the cafe. The shelves which screen off the eating area are decorated like an old kitchen. I had to stop to examine the little model mice which were stealing cheese from a shelf.  | | Jeremy Fisher |
There are many clever details like this around the attraction - mostly at children's eye-level - which only the sharp-eyed will spot. The new centenary clock was being constructed above the main stairs. The brightly coloured metal arms looked rather skeletal but the unusual contraption should be amazing when finished Taking in the trailVisitors view a video about Beatrix Potter's books and her life in the Lake District before they are let loose on the rest of the exhibition. Screenings are frequent so the attraction doesn't become crowded.  | | Tommy Brock |
Children - and their parents - can wander around the trail inside the Old Laundry. We watched the visitors spill from the cinema into Mr McGregor's garden - stopped in their tracks because there's so much to take in. All the characters are there - in settings familiar from the stories. Every detail is recreated - I was impressed with the plants and flowers. The wall behind the cinema door has been painstakingly constructed - someone must have threaded the hundreds of leaves through it. Bringing the stories to lifeSounds and music fill the air to recreate a countryside atmosphere. Special lighting effects alter the mood too - I watched Jemima Puddleduck flying across the sky as the Sun rose behind her. More intrusive than the changes in lighting are the smells! Cut grass, flowers, a coal fire. Sometimes a sensitive (if slightly too large) nose is a blessing but the plethora of aromas within the trail induced a 'sense overload' headache. Resistance is futile | | Mrs Tiggywinkle |
The exit of the trail brings the visitor neatly to the shop. The shelves creak under the weight of every kind of Beatrix Potter merchandise - books (obviously), fluffy toys (Peter Rabbit, complete with miniature stuffed carrot), stationery and gifts of all varieties. Try resisting this assault on your wallet. Even Mark found himself picking up some of the knick-knacks - did he even describe one of the toys as "cute"? Surely not. Make sure you don't miss the Hidden Beatrix Potter video on the other side of the shop. This presentation goes further in depth about her life. It's no surprise to find out that the Potter empire still makes millions in revenue every year. The Beatrix Potter Attraction receives visitors from all over the world - who each return home knowing they've got a little closer to the woman who created the characters they loved as a child. Contact details:The World Of Beatrix Potter Attraction
The Old Laundry
Bowness on Windermere
Cumbria
LA23 3BX
Tel: 015394 88444 How to get there:By public transport: Trains go to Windermere from both Lancaster and Kendal. Then by bus or taxi (Bowness is about 3 miles from the station). By car from the South:Leave the M6 at Junction 36.
Turn left (A590 for Barrow-in-Furness). In 6 miles, turn right onto A5074 - then shortly turn left - following the signs for Bowness (still the A5074). Stay on the A5074 until you reach Bowness. After going past the lakeside, turn left at the mini-roundabout near a huge old tree. The World of Beatrix Potter is just over the road from the car park (30m from the roundabout). By car from the North:Leave the M6 at Junction 40 (Keswick turn-off).
Take 4th exit (A66).
In 1 mile, at the roundabout, take the first exit (A592 for Ullswater).
In 3.5 miles, at the junction, turn right (A592 for Windermere).
Stay on the A592 until you reach Bowness.
Follow signs for The World of Beatrix Potter - it's just over the road from a car park. Frederick Warne & Co. is the owner of all copyrights and trademarks of the Beatrix Potter characters, names and illustrations. | 
