Where Can I Go Exploring the UK and Abroad
Zarina’s Tearoom, Kettlewell
February 20th, 2010
Kettlewell is a picturesque small village located in the Yorkshire dale of Upper Wharfedale and home to a very welcoming tearoom owned for the last four years by Zarina Belk. It makes perfect sense for Kettlewell to have several tea rooms as the area attracts a lot of walkers and visitors each year and this particular one is located about 100 yards from the two main village pubs, the Blue Bell Inn and The Race Course Hotel. Kettlewell has received even more attention and fame in few years as being home to The Calendar Girls who bare all raising money for Leukaemia Research and were the subject of a recent film starring Julie Walters and Penelope Wilton which was also filmed in the surrounding area.
Zarina’s cafe has been trading in Kettlewell for about four years now and was once home to a Village Shop run for many years by a village legend before she eventually took retirement. The shop has sadly long gone, but the tearoom maintains a lot of its character and as well as offering freshly baked cakes and several types of tea sells gifts, conserves, postcards and sweets. [...]
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The Queen Catherine Hotel, Osmotherley, North York Moors
February 16th, 2010
The Queen Catherine Hotel is situated in the centre of the small but pretty village of Osmotherley, on the western edge of the North York Moors National Park. The village is an excellent base for walks in the surrounding hills and on the moors. Built of stone, the hotel dates back over 300 years and is a family-run pub serving home-cooked pub food. We called in on a Sunday lunchtime and ordered mushroom soup as a starter (£3.95) followed by the roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and all the usual trimmings (£8.95). It was delicious and the gravy was particularly tasty. The Queen Catherine Hotel serves traditional ales including Black Sheep Bitter. Although there are other pubs in the village this was ideal for a hearty pub lunch before or after a walk. There is also bed and breakfast accommodation available.
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The Feversham Arms, Church Houses, Farndale, North York Moors
February 15th, 2010
We discovered the Feversham Arms on a walk starting from Low Mill in Farndale and taking us up onto the top of Rudland Rigg. Famous for its daffodils, Farndale is a beautiful valley in Spring but is definitely also worth a visit out of season when it is very tranquil. On our visit in February, it was a clear day, the sun was shining and the tops were still covered in snow so the views were quite dramatic and we could see for miles around in all directions.
The Feversham Arms is a traditional old stone pub dating back to 1836 with a flagstone floor and roaring fire, and the landlady gives a very warm welcome to walkers and their dogs too. The menu has a good choice of traditional hot pub dishes such as steak and ale pie as well as lighter lunches including soup, sandwiches or jacket potatoes. On Sundays roast dinners are available in addition to the main menu and the pub is open until 3pm. [...]
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The Ship Inn, Low Newton by the Sea, Northumberland
October 31st, 2009
The Ship Inn in Low Newton by the Sea is tucked away in the corner of a square of old fishermen's cottages belonging to the National Trust, just a few metres from a wonderful sandy beach and picturesque bay. Situated in a fantastic location with views from the beach towards Dunstanburgh Castle, the inn itself is a real gem. The Ship Inn, formerly known as the Smack Inn, was taken over by the present owner and her daughter in 1999 and refurbished to retain its original character. The interior has wooden floors, solid wooden seating and tables, and colourfully painted walls decorated with shipping maps and framed local photos, which all add to its charm.
The Ship Inn serves simple yet excellent food, with an emphasis on locally sourced produce, both seafood and meat. With its own micro-brewery adjacent to the inn, a variety of real ales are offered. Starters range from £3.50-£5.95 and include kipper pate with oatcakes and goats cheese with tomato and basil. Main courses offer a selection of fish and meat dishes with something to suit everyone and most dishes are priced between £8-£16. Typical main courses include fresh local crab with salad, lamb cutlets with mash and cabbage, venison in red wine sauce, local sausages with mash and cabbage or tagliatelle with homemade pesto and Berwick Edge cheese. The desserts are equally impressive with choices including a generous portion of apple crumble with cream, lemon possett with mixed berries and a variety of original flavours of Cream of Galloway ice-cream. [...]
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Dolphin Beach House, Clifden
September 7th, 2009
The Dolphin Beach House is a delightful family-run guesthouse situated right on the coast, overlooking the sea, and just outside of Clifden in Connemara, Galway. Beautifully furnished, the interior of the Dolphin Beach House looks like something from a Country Living magazine but with original touches. The bedrooms are spacious with large comfortable beds, wooden floors (with underfloor heating), hand-carved wooden headboards, old suitcases and antique furniture. Some of them have patio doors leading out to a patio and the garden.
When we arrived it was rather wet so we were pleased to be offered a tray of tea and biscuits in the lounge area, with Bella, the dog, sitting at our feet keeping an eye on us. There is also a cosy lounge with an open fire and comfy sofas in which to relax. In the evening you can take a taxi into Clifden (about 10 minutes) and take your pick of the lively pubs and restaurants or if there are enough guests, dinner may be served at the Dolphin Beach House. Clifden is a lovely, small and typically Irish town at the heart of Connemara so definitely worth a visit. [...]
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Where Can I Go Exploring the UK and Abroad