When I started writing Lake District: Cottages and Corpses, I had no idea how deep the Beatrix Potter rabbit hole would go. What began as a walk-on role for a certain famous neighbour quickly turned into a passionate side quest, one filled with fungi, rabbits, and some rather stern letters to the local council.
Here are just a few of the things I learned (and loved) about Beatrix Potter during my writing journey.
(Some links may be affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my writing!)
1. I didn’t grow up with Peter Rabbit
It’s true! Beatrix wasn’t part of my childhood reading. It wasn’t until adulthood — during my time in Glasgow — that I encountered her world. And even then, it was the illustrations that got me first.
2. Miss Potter (the film) changed everything
Yes, I watched Miss Potter, the film, for Renée Zellweger (Bridget Jones) — no shame there — but came away utterly captivated by Beatrix herself. That film nudged me into biographies, exhibitions, and eventually into plotting her presence into my novel… some 20 years later!
(If you haven’t seen it, it’s a charming blend of whimsy and heartbreak, perfect with a cup of cocoa.)
3. Her letters are an absolute treasure trove
If you’ve never dipped into Beatrix Potter’s Letters, edited by Judy Taylor, you’re in for a treat. They’re sharp, affectionate, occasionally grumpy — and wonderfully alive. Highly recommended!
4. She loathed motorbikes
In her letters, she called them noisy and unsettling. I couldn’t resist including that detail in my novel — especially as Giovanni and I, share the same view: footpaths are not racetracks!
5. She offered her own timber to fix a bridge
In 1938, Beatrix wrote to the council about a dangerous bridge with a hole in it — and offered wood from her estate for the repairs. It wasn’t even near her village. That’s how deeply she cared.
This inspired a fictional bridge accident in Lake District: Cottages and Corpses… though no sheep were harmed in the writing.
6. She was a gifted naturalist
Before she wrote stories, Beatrix was sketching mushrooms, animals, and plants with scientific precision. Many of her drawings were accurate enough to be used in botany textbooks.
7. Beatrix Potter saw through Hitler early and clearly
While some British aristocrats were still fawning over the “New Germany”, Beatrix wrote with alarming clarity about the dangers of Hitler’s ideology. Her courage and insight were remarkable.
8. She helped save the Lake District
Beatrix quietly bought up farms and land, then donated them to the National Trust. Her efforts were key to preserving the very landscape so many of us now treasure.
9. She was not always easy to like… and that’s why I love her
Beatrix could be blunt, opinionated, and difficult. But she was also deeply fair, protective, and endlessly curious. I hope my fictional version reflects that balance.
10. Her brother Bertram was an artist too
Beatrix was close to her brother, and his artwork appears in Lake District: Cottages and Corpses. After his death, Beatrix and William (her husband) kept visiting Bertram’s wife for years, each single summer!
A detail that made its way into Elsa’s voice in my story.
11. The V&A’s Drawn to Nature exhibit was unforgettable
In 2022, I had the joy of seeing Beatrix’s work and life celebrated at one of my favourite museums in London. It traced her evolution from a lonely sketching child to a visionary conservationist.
12. Not everyone liked her at the time
She ruffled feathers. Locals found her opinionated. Landowners thought her odd. But she never cared. She did what she believed was right, whether or not it was fashionable.
A role model for introverts and trailblazers alike.
13. Her legacy lives on: in sheep, land, and children’s books
Even if you’ve never heard her name, you’ve likely met Peter Rabbit. And if you’ve ever walked through the Lake District, part of the beauty you see is thanks to her.
14. She made it into my novel (with a few fictional liberties)
Beatrix Potter appears as a quiet but powerful figure in Lake District: Cottages and Corpses. I didn’t write her as the main character, but she looms large, as she always does.
Curious to meet her on the page? Read Lake District: Cottages and Corpses here.
Want more Beatrix in your life?
Here are a few books I recommend:
-
Beatrix Potter’s Letters by Judy Taylor
-
Beatrix Potter: Her Lakeland Years by W.R. Mitchell
-
The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter (fiction series) by Susan Wittig Albert – utterly ADORABLE!!!
-
Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life by Marta McDowell, perfect for green thumbs and plant lovers everywhere!
-
The Story of Beatrix Potter by Sarah Gristwood
Final thoughts…
No, I didn’t grow up with Beatrix Potter. But somewhere along a muddy Lake District trail, I found her. And she never quite let me go.
PS: Curious to read more about the places I visited during our Lake District time? Check out Walking in Beatrix Potter’s Footsteps: Visiting Hill Top and a Lake District Mystery
