The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction — Attraction in Windermere

Lovely displays, kids enjoyed it. However, we are toilet training our 3yr old and he needed the toilet about half way around displays as there are no toilets in the display section I literally walked through very quickly in order to take him to the toilet. The guy in the shop told me I can go back in as I had to leave for the toilet and asked where it was. Never thought anymore about as figured go back in later after looking around the shop and rest of whatever was there. Shop is expensive as expected but lovely items. I then walked into the bit where you pay and noticed another beatrix potter shop and saw a beatrix potter van outside the doors. Forgive my ignorance as never been here or to the town before. I had entered through the back door by the cafe and thought that was the entrance. So I walked through the doors to look at the second shop thinking it's part of same attraction. Only to find it's in the main town. I then went to go back into the attraction to be told your only allowed in once. Even though my husband had asked could we go through those doors to look at the other shop. Nothing was said to us about not being able to go back in and there were no signs on doors or on the ticket to say no readmittance. The 2nd shop, from inside looked like it was part of the same attraction as we had entered by the cafe side originally. We also had a disabled person with us and there are many reasons why someone may need to come back out of the display areas quickly without having a good look. So I was upset to hear that we couldn't go back in since the guy in shop had told me I could. seen as I had walked out to take little one to toilet, then through ignorance we walked to the 2nd shop. We were eventually let back in at their discretion. I said how disappointing it was in the circumstances. For the entrance fees there is not a lot there. You will walk around it fairly quickly. Didn't try the cafe. Was told though that any future visits can only walk around once. So certainly not a day out would say takes about 15-20 mins to walk around the displays. That would be with kids stopping to look etc... more like 10mins with no kids in tow. There's also a very short video before you go in. Small shop and cafe. Nothing else is there. I did see a door to a seperate theatre but wasnt included with the tickets. Don't make same mistake as me if your potty training or may need to come out quickly due to some reason before having looked around the displays. The other shop you can see is in the main street so if leaving to look at it you may not get back in. I think it needs to be written on ticket and doors no re-admittance if that's the case. if going in by the cafe you don't nessesarily know there's even a town outside the other set of doors. I thought it was all part of same attraction as it was so small. My mistake yes but others need to be aware. Especially if your not...

The World of Beatrix Potter™ Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere is a vibrant visitor centre offering a unique experience for all the family. Explore a magical world where all 23 enchanting tales are brought to life, recreating the beautiful Lake District countryside complete with sights, sounds and smells. There's chance to meet your favourite characters including Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-winkle and Jemima Puddle-Duck.

Visitors can step into Peter Rabbit's Garden to see the cos lettuces that Benjamin Bunny nibbled on and the gooseberry bush where Peter got caught in a net as he tried to escape Mr. McGregor! There's plenty to do to keep everybody happy: kids can explore with a free activity booklet and play puzzles and games whilst adults reminisce and absorb themselves in Miss Potter's history in the fascinating virtual world and interactive area.

There's also a superb themed family friendly café where you can treat yourself to a scrumptious High Tea and a Peter Rabbit Picnic Basket for the kids. On the menu too are delicious fresh soups and salads with ingredients grown in our very own kitchen garden. And don't forget you can take a bit of Beatrix Potter magic home with you at the end of the day from our famous gift shop. With plenty of great events to take part in through the year, a fun time is guaranteed whatever the weather!

Also at this venue:

The Peter Rabbit™ Garden

The Peter Rabbit™ Garden has proved tremendously popular with visitors who have delighted in the beauty and attention to detail in the design and the way the garden evokes the atmosphere of the Peter Rabbit stories.

The Peter Rabbit™ Garden is a small but perfectly formed show garden which brings to life the kitchen and cottage gardens you see in Beatrix Potter’s illustrations. The garden captures all sorts of details from the stories – the watering can in which Peter hides, his jacket transformed into a scarecrow and the cos lettuces that Benjamin nibbled on.

Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Spanish & Dutch translation available ​​​​ Rebel + Rose

Just outside the front of the Attraction is our boutique nursery Shop which will stock a huge range of ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly clothing, gifts and accessories. Brands include Turtle Dove, Ettie + H, MAI, Little Green Radicals, Pigeon and more. With beautiful clothes and gifts for newborns to 3 years, gorgeous books and soft toys, gifts and trinkets, our experienced and friendly nursery shop staff are always on hand to help. Whether it’s your first baby and you’re planning the nursery, or you are a grandparent looking for a beautiful gift, you need...

CoVid restrictions did this attraction very little benefit. We were lucky and there was little queue when we arrived but even at that movement into and around the attraction was slow with many families with smaller children than us struggling to contain them within 2m taped off sections and with little to look at in some of those sections while waiting for the family/families ahead to move on.

The attraction is a pathway consisting of a series of models and still images from the beloved Beatrix Potter books. The introductory film was good to reminisce over but left little to entertain my 8yo who was bored waiting in the socially distantanced line until we got into the attraction proper.

The few interactive elements of the attraction were disabled, hopefully covid restrictions rather than electronic/mechanical failure. Progress was slow and once the model in our section was viewed (with significant effort to find interest within it) they commonly held insufficient interest for my child until we were able to move into the next taped off section along the pathway. Equally, being conscious of families behind us with younger children obviously keen to move forward from the less interesting sections of the path, detracted from enjoyment of the content slightly and decreased the overall value of it in my eyes.

The attraction tried to help by providing an activity trail of things to find along the way via a nicely printed booklet but even this was a struggle to prolong during the inevitable periods of waiting.

It's not the most expensive attraction in the Lake District but the current experience of it definitely detracted from the usual delight of revisiting fond childhood memories and of sharing in that delight...