The World of Beatrix Potter Review, Windermere
Recently, I have found my days off with George have been a little how do you put it nicely… mmm “stressful”. George is nearly 2 years old and he wants to be entertained constantly but with me trying to balance home, mum and work life I have found myself doing jobs around the house, replying to emails and cleaning on our days off together, rather than spending quality time together – which was my initial intention when I decided that I wanted to have 2 days off during the week. I decided enough was enough, we have two days together and one of those days is going to be spent doing something new, fun and exciting wherever that may be.
My friend and I checked the weather and no rain was forecast (for a change) so we decided it would be the perfect chance to head to Windermere for the day and me (a wannabe expert on the work, mum and life balance) thought it was the perfect chance to share my thoughts and experience of The World of Beatrix Potter, Windermere in a review.
Car Parking
The world of Beatrix Potter is conveniently located across the road from a pay and display car park. You should allow 45 minutes for the tour. We decided to pay £4 for 3 hours so that we could have a wander round and go on a boat on Lake Windermere – in hindsight the idea was better than reality.
The prices for parking are as follows;
1 hour – £1.50
2 hours: £3.00
3 hours: £4.00
4 hours: £5.00
6 hours: £6.00
Where is the world of Beatrix potter located?
The world of Beatrix potter is located in the busy yet beautiful town of Bowness-on-Windermere. You are within walking distance to the lovely shops and the lake so make sure you allow a little extra time to do some sightseeing – it really is a beautiful place to visit. The postcode if you are travelling by car is LA23 3BX, Windermere does have a train station but it is a couple of miles away from The World of Beatrix Potter.
First Impressions
Initially walking up to The World of Beatrix Potter, I did feel a little worried at the sight of the tall steep steps but if you carry on walking you will see a green sign saying “wheelchairs and pushchairs this way” you follow it round on to a slope – it is a little steep but we got up there with no assistance needed.
Prices
The prices were;
Adults – £7.95
Seniors – £6.95
Children – £3.95
Under 2’s are free
The World of Beatrix Potter Review
The attraction begins with a 5-minute video about Beatrix Potter, her life and the inspiration behind some of her most well-known books. Once the movie has finished the doors from the film room open and lead you in to the main exhibition. As you begin your journey through the world of Beatrix Potter, you are guaranteed to feel the true magic from her books. During your journey you will witness some incredible displays showcasing the wonderful characters from her books.
Initially when we started the tour, both George and Amalia were both in their prams but it was quiet enough for them to be able to explore safely so we let them out. They were truly fascinated by the wonderful handcrafted animals and George was pointing at them and shouting what they were – OK OK I admit that he did called Jemima Puddle-duck a penguin and Mr Fox a dog but that’s neither here nor there, the excitement in his voice made my day!!!
The first area was Jemima Puddle-duck’s woodlands glade and Mr Tod’s underground home, this 3d scene had real sounds and smells and took me back to my childhood when I used to read Beatrix Potter’s books – it was beautiful.
We then headed to the garden and although the garden was fairly small it certainly didn’t lack beauty. The garden had so many stories within it from the Gooseberry bush where Peter go stuck in a net trying to run away from Mr. McGregor to the nibbled lettuce that Benjamin bunny nibbled on.
We witnessed the wonderful adventures from Mrs Tittlemouse and Squirrel Nutkin. It was also home to Mrs Tiggy-winkle’s kitchen which was just how the books described it, she had her fresh laundry drying above her head and it gave off a really cosy feel. The kids loved Mrs Tiggy-winkle’s kitchen and they even posed for a photo.
Mr Fisher on his lily-pad boat which was probably my favourite part of our journey with a beautiful lake and lilypads.
The 360 degree tour projection screens allow you to take a journey to the places that inspired Beatrix Potter’s work. The projection screens grab children’s attention with a short film “The Tale of Mrs Heelis”. You can also follow the timeline of the wonderful Beatrix Potter’s life.
The final area was Mr McGregor’s greenhouse and The Tale of Peter Rabbit where you can step in to and explore Peter Rabbit’s garden.
The Beatrix Potter Shop
This is a great place to treat yourself or a loved one with some Peter Rabbit treats from pencils and books to chocolates and plates there is literally something for everyone.
The Beatrix Potter Tea Room Café
There was a life to the café which is great for prams. The café was busy so we left the prams outside. There were plenty of highchairs by the entrance which we picked up and carried to our desired table.
The café offered a range of different items for both children and adults. We decided to get the kids a Peter Rabbit picnic basket at £5.25 this included 3 items of your choice. The sandwiches for the kids were great but we quickly realised that they could have probably shared a basket as they didn’t eat it all.
I ordered a tuna sandwich and soup and my friend Krysia ordered a jacket potato with beans and cheese – the food was great, the cakes looked fantastic (I did manage to refrain myself for eating one) and the price of the food was ok but with the kids not eating much of their lunch, I did feel that it would have probably been better if we made them lunch at home and brought it with us. The bill for 2 adults and 2 1 year olds was around £25.
MyBump2Baby’s overall rating on The World of Beatrix Potter
MyBump2Baby’s overall rating for The World of Beatrix Potter would be 5*****. It was more interesting than I thought it would be and the kids loved it – I do think there is something for everyone. I felt the pricing was reasonably prices. The baby change facilities were clean and it was pram friendly. I would definitely take George again.
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Daniel
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