Time capsule of Beatrix Potters life. This is Beatrix Potters home which she gifted to the National Trust, it was bought with the proceeds of her first book. She made the gift with the premise it should remain exactly as it was when she was living there. So, it is an absolute jewel.

I had seen the film Miss Potter, about her life. Being a Peter Rabbit fan I was keen to visit her home and see some of her personal mementos. She was inspired by the gardens and countryside surrounding the house and it easy to see why. A beautiful peaceful spot with lovely views of the countryside.

The house itself has 2 rooms downstairs to visit and 4 rooms upstairs. When we visited the weather was wet, very wet. You could imagine Beatrix being very cosy in her house, indeed the room downstairs had a fire burning in the grate. It really added to the feeling that she might suddenly pop out of a room and ask if you wanted a cup of tea.

Furnishings were dark and eclectic. Lots of carved wood furniture and lots of paintings on the walls including a number by her husband. On display of particular interest and charm are letters she wrote illustrated with some of her characters, these are upstairs.

Beatrix bedroom, also upstairs has a small 4 poster style bed. She must have been a very petite lady as there were also a pair of her slippers and they looked tiny. This was a lovely peep into her life. Many of the rooms have window seats to take advantage of the views and in many of the rooms are copies of her books to sit and enjoy whilst soaking up the atmosphere of the place.

The gardens looked lovely however it was such a wet day we didn't look around. On a lovely sunny day, this would be a gorgeous place to stroll. We headed to the gift shop to browse the Beatrix Potter themed gifts, many pretty items and a good number that would make great stocking filler extras as well as the practical ones like table mats,mugs and calendars.

The village is very quaint and abounds with floral decoration.

Entrance to Hilltop is fairly expensive if you are going on a standalone single visit ticket. £11.50 for a single adult visit and the visits are timed so you have to buy tickets first at the ticket office beside the car park up the hill then go back at the appropriate time. They check the time on your ticket as you arrive at the house, so don't miss your slot. I can imagine in high summer this would be a problem. The rooms in the house are quite small and the corridors are narrow so I can appreciate why they limit numbers.

Photography is permitted without flash. On a cold wet rainy day it can be quite dark inside.

No good for anyone in a wheelchair due to stairs and narrow access.

The guides all seem passionate and informed about the interior and the items there. We asked several questions and were given lots of interesting information about the place.