AN idyllic cottage which inspired children's author Beatrix Potter's vision of Peter Rabbit has gone on the market for offers over £160,000.

The charming building, which played a key role in the creation of one of the world's best-loved storybook characters, is now up for grabs.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which has been rebooted for the big screen was influenced by the scenery, fauna and flora at Dunkeld in Perthshire.

Somerset County Gazette: FURRY FRIENDS: An idyllic cottage which inspired Beatrix Potter's vision of Peter Rabbit has gone on the market for offers over £160,000. Inverbraan Cottage at Dunkeld in Perthshire is a charming building, which played a key role in the creation of o

INSPIRED: children's author Beatrix Potter

The cottage was once owned by Charlie McIntosh, a revered naturalist and expert on mushrooms, who became friends with Beatrix Potter.

The author met McIntosh during a summer break in Perthshire in 1892 and became her mentor through their shared unusual interest in fungi.

She later wrote: "I asked him to sit down, his head being somewhere in the chandelier.

"I would not make fun of him for worlds, but he reminded me so much of a damaged lamp post.

"He warmed up to his favourite subject, his comments terse and to the point, and conscientiously accurate.

"When we discussed funguses he became quite excited and spoke with quite poetical feeling about their exquisite colours.

"He promised to send me some through the post though I very much fear he will never have sufficient assurance to post them."

During Potter's trips to Perthshire, she developed a love of the landscape and its flowers and animals, all of which she closely observed.

The drawings and paintings she later made would inspire her self-published children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, while the book's character of Mr McGregor the gardener bears a striking resemblance to McIntosh.

Somerset County Gazette:

McIntosh was born in Inver bear Dunkeld in 1839 and lived most of his life in the three-bedroomed, two-storey Inverbraan Cottage, which today bears a plaque noting his achievements.

Offers over £160,000 are being considered and selling agents are excited to see what fans will move into the Perthshire countryside property.

A Bidwells spokeswoman said: "This cottage is quite unique in its history and connection with Beatrix Potter and bears the plaque to confirm that the naturalist and musician Charles McIntosh was born here.

Somerset County Gazette: FURRY FRIENDS: An idyllic cottage which inspired Beatrix Potter's vision of Peter Rabbit has gone on the market for offers over £160,000. Inverbraan Cottage at Dunkeld in Perthshire is a charming building, which played a key role in the creation of o

"The property itself is quintessentially Highland Perthshire and is situated in the small hamlet of Inver at the confluence of the rivers Braan and Tay.

"I would like to think that lots of interesting conversations between Beatrix and Charles about the local flora and fauna took place here and there's certainly lots of beautiful countryside to explore in the vicinity."

Potter's books featuring Peter Rabbit went on to be bestsellers and have been beloved by generations of children.

Somerset County Gazette: FURRY FRIENDS: An idyllic cottage which inspired Beatrix Potter's vision of Peter Rabbit has gone on the market for offers over £160,000. Inverbraan Cottage at Dunkeld in Perthshire is a charming building, which played a key role in the creation of o