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Suzanne
Worthington and Mark Robertson visited the attraction. While Mark
photographed the characters, Suzanne had a good 'nose' around...
Even
on an ordinary mid-week day, the Beatrix Potter Attraction was buzzing
with families enjoying their holiday.
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Tommy
Brock
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Keep
your eyes peeled
The entrance takes the visitor past the cafe. The shelves which
screen off the eating area are decorated like an old kitchen. I
had to stop to examine the little model mice which were stealing
cheese from a shelf.
There
are many clever details like this around the attraction - mostly
at children's eye-level - which only the sharp-eyed will spot.
The
new centenary clock was being constructed above the main stairs.
The brightly coloured metal arms looked rather skeletal but the
unusual contraption should be amazing when finished
Taking
in the trail
Visitors view a video about Beatrix Potter's books and her life
in the Lake District before they are let loose on the rest of the
exhibition. Screenings are frequent so the attraction doesn't become
crowded.
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Mrs
Tiggywinkle
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Children
- and their parents - can wander around the trail inside the Old
Laundry. We watched the visitors spill from the cinema into Mr McGregor's
garden - stopped in their tracks because there's so much to take
in.
All
the characters are there - in settings familiar from the stories.
Every detail is recreated - I was impressed with the plants and
flowers. The wall behind the cinema door has been painstakingly
constructed - someone must have threaded the hundreds of leaves
through it.
Bringing
the stories to life
Sounds and music fill the air to recreate a countryside atmosphere.
Special lighting effects alter the mood too - I watched Jemima Puddleduck
flying across the sky as the Sun rose behind her.
More
intrusive than the changes in lighting are the smells! Cut grass,
flowers, a coal fire. Sometimes a sensitive (if slightly too large)
nose is a blessing but the plethora of aromas within the trail induced
a 'sense overload' headache.
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Jeremy
Fisher
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Resistance
is futile
The exit of the trail brings the visitor neatly to the shop. The
shelves creak under the weight of every kind of Beatrix Potter merchandise
- books (obviously), fluffy toys (Peter Rabbit, complete with miniature
stuffed carrot), stationery and gifts of all varieties.
Try
resisting this assault on your wallet. Even Mark found himself picking
up some of the knick-knacks - did he even describe one of the toys
as "cute"? Surely not.
Make
sure you don't miss the Hidden Beatrix Potter video on the other
side of the shop. This presentation goes further in depth about
her life.
It's
no surprise to find out that the Potter empire still makes millions
in revenue every year. The Beatrix Potter Attraction receives visitors
from all over the world - who each return home knowing they've got
a little closer to the woman who created the characters they loved
as a child.
Contact
details:
The World Of Beatrix Potter Attraction
The Old Laundry
Bowness on Windermere
Cumbria
LA23 3BX
Tel: 015394 88444
How
to get there:
By public transport: Trains go to Windermere from both Lancaster
and Kendal. Then by bus or taxi (Bowness is about 3 miles from the
station). In Bowness itself, you could hire the Harley Davidson
trike taxi to take you back to the station!
By
car from the South:
Leave the M6
at Junction 36.
Turn left (A590
for Barrow-in-Furness).
In 6 miles,
turn right onto A5074 - then shortly turn left - following
the signs for Bowness (still the A5074).
Stay on the
A5074 until you reach Bowness.
After going
past the lakeside, turn left at the mini-roundabout near a huge
old tree. The World of Beatrix Potter is just over the road from
the car park (30m from the roundabout).
By
car from the North:
Leave
the M6 at Junction 40 (Keswick turn-off).
Take
4th exit (A66).
In
1 mile, at the roundabout, take the first exit (A592 for
Ullswater).
In 3.5 miles,
at the junction, turn right (A592 for Windermere).
Stay on the
A592 until you reach Bowness.
Follow
signs for The World of Beatrix Potter - it's just over the road
from a car park.
Frederick
Warne & Co. is the owner of all copyrights and trademarks of the
Beatrix Potter characters, names and illustrations.
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