Select standard or first class rail travel when you book. Then, make your own way to London’s Euston Station and board your train for England’s beautiful Lake District National Park, set in the rugged fells of Cumbria.
Disembark at Oxenholme station then meet your friendly local guide and set off on your tour by comfortable, air-conditioned minivan.
Admire the spectacular falls and glassy lakes as you trace the banks of Lake Windermere on route to Waterhead, a favorite childhood haunt of the much-loved, early 20th-century children’s storyteller Beatrix Potter. If you’re taking your tour between April and October, step aboard a sightseeing boat here and enjoy a scenic cruise on this lovely expanse of water.
Next, continue to the enchanting village of Hawkshead, a tangle of cobbled lanes and whitewashed cottages. Enjoy free time to explore independently, and view the Old Grammar School, attended by a young William Wordsworth between 1779 and 1787. Have lunch (own expense) here, and then drive to Tarn Hows, a popular beauty spot famous for its gorgeous lake-and-mountain scenery.
Summer Tour Itinerary (April – October): Leave Tarn Hows for Hill Top, the old-world farmhouse bought by Beatrix Potter in 1905. Show your included ticket and stroll around the charming interior, left as in Beatrix’s time, with much of her furniture still in place. Recognize some of the pieces and features that appeared in her books, and scout around the gift shop and garden.
Afterward, drive to the Lindeth Howe, a hotel set in a Victorian house formerly owned by Beatrix. Savor a delicious cream tea here before a drop-off at Oxenholme for your return trip to Euston.
Winter Tour Itinerary (November – March): After time at Tarn How, venture through the idyllic Yewdale Valley past Skelwith Bridge and Yew Tree Tarn, and stop at Rydal Mount and Gardens, the home of the poet William Wordsworth between 1813 and 1850.
After a guided tour of the house and garden, followed by a cream tea, visit Bowness, a pretty town on the banks of Lake Windermere. Enjoy free time here, and perhaps visit the award-laden World of Beatrix Potter visitor center (own expense), before reconvening with your guide and driving to Oxenholme to catch your train back to London.
