Beatrix Potter's House Hill Top & Hillstop Café

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It's not always such a pleasant surprise when on a journey intended to take you to one place, you end up in another. You're either lost, or in my case, you're eating cake in the middle of the Bowness countryside. That's the kind of outcome you wish to endure when taking an unexpected turn!

Easter Sunday took me and my family to the Lake District and being an avid reader, it simply seemed atrocious to be in the heart of where one of the most well-known writer's in history lived, and not see where she composed her tales from.

Beatrix Potter.

The name my childhood memories are bursting with.

I thought it may be pretty inspiring to take on the seven mile trek that leads you through the glorious Cumbrian countryside, right to the doorstep of her house. The plan was to stop on the way for a drink and a snack. There was supposed to be a lovely little pub, wedged between the hills so the many walkers that pass through this terrain can rest and refresh.

Don't get me wrong, this is exactly what we did.

We just didn't expect to be eating twice.

As we set off on the second half of the walk, my eye caught the glint of a window full of cakes (I'm the equivalent of a magpie spotting silver when it comes to hunting out the cutest teashops around!) For me, this was such a glorious find. I'm a food fanatic, constantly trying to sniff out all best places, known or unknown, to eat. Everybody halt, we are turning right!



Hillstop, a nice little play on the location "Hilltop", had just opened that day for the season. After I'd finished dribbling over the display of treats and the shelves of preserves, I managed to ask for a bakewell tart. I suppose it was rather more of a cooing request than an actual sentence!



We all chose something and retreated to the pretty outdoor seating area. The conversation revolved around asking one another if we could have a taste of theirs, and how we couldn't quite believe that we'd eaten lunch, (which in all honesty involved a lot of carbs) and then somehow managed to squeeze in these over-sized slices of cake afterwards.



The Hillstop café may be hidden a little, but it needs to be known. Delightfully cute and extremely endearing, it's the kind of place you would prefer to stop at when visiting the magical home of Ms. Potter. It's the perfect setting to your story.

And anyway, there is no doubt that we will be returning. Whilst talking to the owner, we found out that he is currently applying for a licence which will enable him to sell home-brewed cider.

A chance to sit out in the summer sun, in the midst of the rolling hills, is surely anybody's fairytale ending?



I'd recommend this walk to anyone: family or lone walker, immerse yourself in this scenic route!

#walks
#outdoor
#long_weekend
#cafes
#afternoon_tea
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