Hill Top

Polly Checkland Harding Last Updated 28 November 2023

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Hill Top

Near Sawrey, Hawkshead, Ambleside, Cumbria, LA22 0LF

01539436269

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Monday10:00am - 4:30pm
Tuesday10:00am - 4:30pm
Wednesday10:00am - 4:30pm
Thursday10:00am - 4:30pm
Friday10:00am - 4:30pm
Saturday10:00am - 4:30pm
Sunday10:00am - 4:30pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

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Hill Top © National Trust Images / Stephen Robson.

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Beatrix Potter bought Hill Top in 1905 with the proceeds from her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit; the 17th century farmhouse has since been turned into a time-capsule of her life, surrounded by a lovely cottage garden.

What's on near Hill Top

13 Mar – 22 Mar

LiteratureLancashire

Litfest 2026

One of the oldest literature festivals in the country, Litfest returns to Lancaster with a programme focused on the rights of the natural world.

From £3.00

26 Jun – 28 Jun

MusicBlackpool

The Black Lights in Blackpool

The White Hotel’s Blackpool takeover places The Caretaker, Blackhaine and A Guy Called Gerald inside the town’s most iconic spaces.

From £150.00

Afternoon Tea at Blackpool Tower Ballroom

Until 1 Dec

Food and DrinkBlackpool

Afternoon Tea at Blackpool Tower Ballroom

Step into the majestic Blackpool Tower Ballroom for an experience like no other. With stunning architecture, live music and treats galore, Afternoon Tea here is highly recommended.

From £60.00

Until 1 Dec

ActivityBlackpool

Turtle Feeding Experience at SEA LIFE Blackpool

Come face to face with SEA LIFE Blackpool’s hungriest resident. This unique experience gives you the chance to feed Phoenix the green sea turtle and learn about this endangered species.

From £75.00

Text reads The Memory of Water. A image of three women in black sitting by a coffin, two with cups of tea, one in the middle raising a wineglass

Until 21 Feb

TheatreBolton

The Memory Of Water at The Octagon Theatre

Three sisters, one bitter-sweet reunion – grief, whisky and buried truths collide in a sharply funny Northern family reckoning.

From £15.00

30 May

TourRochdale

The Secrets of Rochdale with a Visit to the Town Hall

Discover Rochdale’s rich history on this guided tour, featuring the newly restored Town Hall, St Chad’s Church, and the Pioneers Museum.

From £20.00

Until 6 Jun

TourSaltaire

Saltaire Brewery Tour

The guided tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the brewhouse and state-of-the-art packaging plant, giving visitors a full sense of what “real Yorkshire beer” means today.

From £15.00

7 Aug

MusicManchester

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark at Rochdale Town Hall Square

Foundational British synth-pop band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark play in Rochdale, with support from Peter Hook and the Light and A Certain Ratio.

From £55.00

See all events

Where to go near Hill Top

Cumbria

Museum

Blackwell, The Arts and Crafts House

Unlike many of the ‘historic houses’ that dot the English countryside, Blackwell in Cumbria embodies the entire opposite of rarefied stately-home-stuffiness.

Windermere

Hotel

The Cranleigh Boutique

Award-winning and wonderfully unique boutique hotel at the heart of the Lake District.

Windermere

Café or Coffee Shop

Bryson’s Of Keswick Craft Bakery & Traditional Tea Rooms

Charming tearoom in the Lake District stocked with everything you could wish for when it comes to daytime dining.

Cumbria

Bar or Pub

Baha

Baha is a stylish upmarket restaurant with a Pacific Rim-inspired menu, based in Bowness-In-Windermere in the Lake District.

Cumbria

Theatre

The Old Laundry Theatre

An intimate theatre in Bowness with a varied seasonal programme

Cumbria

The World of Beatrix Potter

The World of Beatrix Potter™ is a vibrant family Attraction bringing to life Beatrix Potter’s enchanting stories in a magical recreation of the beautiful Lake District countryside.

Cumbria

Restaurant

Gilpin Spice

Gilpin Spice is the two AA Rosettes Asian restaurant at the stunning Gilpin Hotel in the Lake District.

Cumbria

Restaurant

SOURCE
at Gilpin Hotel

SOURCE is the in-house Michelin-star restaurant at the stunning Gilpin Hotel in the Lake District.

Cumbria

Spa

Gilpin Hotel and Spa

Gilpin offers a world-class spa experience that blends relaxation with nature.

Cumbria

Museum

Windermere Jetty Museum of Boats, Steam and Stories

A brand-new museum dedicated to the simple, timeless pleasure of boating on the banks of one of England’s largest and most picturesque lakes.

Windermere

Café or Coffee Shop

Windermere Jetty Cafe

Windermere Jetty Museum’s lakeshore café has outstanding food and incredible views over Windermere.

Cumbria

Gallery

Grizedale Forest

Home to 60 site specific sculptures, Grizedale Sculpture in Grizedale Forest near Hawkshead offers a pioneering and permanently evolving environmental arts and adventure programme.

See all places

Cumbria District Guides

Carlisle and Keswick, Cumbria

Our guide to things to do in Carlisle, a city framed by its famous castle, and the ‘honeypot’ town of Keswick in Cumbria.

Cockermouth and West Cumbria

Our guide to West Cumbria, with its independent, industrial streak, and Wordsworth’s birthplace, Cockermouth.

Allan Bank, Grasmere, image courtesy of Visit Cumbria

South Lakes, Cumbria

No trip to Cumbria is complete without a visit to the South Lakes, Coniston and Grizedale among them. Here’s our guide.

Things to do in Penrith and the Surrounding Area

With the picturesque Lake District to the west and the sweeping ridge of the Pennines to the east, Penrith is a stunning cultural destination.

Things to do in Kendal

Kendal is a key destination in the Lake District, packed with fantastic places to visit as well as a wide range of high-quality restaurants, bars and pubs.

Things to do in Eden Valley, Cumbria

Our guide to the best things to do in the beautiful Eden Valley in Cumbria, which stretches from Sedbergh to Penrith.

Kendal and Sedbergh, Cumbria

Packed with fantastic places to visit and a wide range of high-quality restaurants, bars and pubs, there’s loads to do in Kendal and Sedbergh.

Culture Guides

Theatre

Classic texts and new work meet in this month’s Theatre Guide, with a bumper crop of shows shaped by power, consequence and collective action.

Music

From underground festivals showcasing emerging talent to global icons unveiling new work, here are our latest live music highlights.

Exhibitions

From monumental to minutiae, this month’s exhibitions trace power, care and community across galleries big and small.

Tours and Activities in the North

Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.

Food and Drink in the North

Spring is coming, but first let's get Valentine's Day done and dusted. Here's our deal-packed guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.

Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science

Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.