El Hombre is getting old… So, in order to celebrate it, I organised I road trip for both of us up to the North of the country. We still had a gift voucher to redeem, so it gave me an idea of where to start.
We had a long way to go, while one drove, the other worked. There is no excuse, these days, working in a car is possible.
El Hombre se hace mayor, así que como regalo le preparé un fin de semana en el norte de Inglaterra, aprovechando que teníamos una noche de hotel pagada como regalo de unos amigos, así que me lo pusieron fácil para organizar por donde empezar.
FRIDAY
Once in Yorkshire, getting closer to our hotel, we decided to stop for lunch. Despite not liking Trip Advisor much (I prefer to wander around), it is always a good way to find gems reviewed by foodies. And this was one of them: The Higher Buck in Waddington. A bright gastropub with light wood and austere rustic decor. The menu was varied with wide range of local products.
Both dishes, the lamb with aubergine purée and the fish fake pie filled with potato and leek purée were cooked to perfection and well presented. I found the lemon curd and raspberry cake a bit too rich for my taste, specially with the meringue on top, but the taste was great. And the best part of it, we paid much less for a meal of kings.
Feeling slightly stuffed after that feast, we finally got to the Coniston Hotel Country State and Spa. The plan was to get there as soon as possible so we could enjoy the spa. I don’t have any pictures but the views from the exterior hot tub are breathtaking. The hilly fields, the sheep, the pond, the trees… Seriously, when these kind of treats are gifts, they feel even better. Most relaxing evening ever. The next morning I could barely remember where I was.
The room was big and comfy, the staff helpful and friendly and the breakfast choice was superb. Traditional Yorkshire breakfast with eggs Benedict on crispy pancetta to start the day. Oh, yes, baby.
And that was after a not-light-at-all dinner in Skipton the previous night. After the relaxing spa experience, we wandered around this cute village to find out that, despite being small, it’s literally full of shops, pubs and restaurants… But they also have a castle and a grand church.
So we found Oakley’s Grill & Pizzeria, an Italian cuisine restaurant, with pizzas from all over the world. Here there are, Europe and Africa on the picture.
The staff was really friendly and accommodating. They asked us to change tables in order to open the window and gave us a free dessert to make up for the inconvenience. That’s what I mean by great service!
Ya en la región de Yorkshire, nos hospedamos en el Coniston Hotel Country State and Spa, que pertenece al municipio de Skipton. Es ideal para un fin de semana de puro relax para tu cuerpo serrano. Las vistas desde su spa son increíbles, el hotel es más que cómodo y el personal muy amable. El pueblo de Skipton, no muy lejos del hotel, es una buena opción para salir a comer o tomar algo, pues tiene gran variedad de restaurantes y bares.
SATURDAY
Very close to Skipton, heading east, you’ll find Bolton Abbey or Bolton Priory, I should say, in the lands of the Duke of Devonshire.
Standing by the river Wharfe, this prior has seen many centuries pass. Bolton Abbey is the perfect day out, with footpaths around the river, adapted for wheelchairs and buggies, plenty of space to accommodate families and their BBQ and playgrounds and adventure areas for children. There are also nice tea rooms as a quieter or warmer option.
Inside the remaining church of the Priory, we were very lucky to come across this gentleman who kindly offered me to answer a quiz sheet. I was actually alredy curiously staring at from the main door. This lovely man told us the history of the place while we walked around every corner of the church, finding the answers with his help. Amazing! And I won a price! That really made my day (the experience, not the price, of course…)
And in the afternoon we drove to Harrogate, well known for its spa waters.
And its lovely parks, Bettys Tea Room (there was a long queue outside) and the Farm, the wholefoods and bistro I was telling you about on Instagram. Lovely dishes served all day with love. With a beautiful setup, detail oriented and vintage interior design and super friendly. Definitely a must!
El sábado por la mañana lo pasamos en Bolton Abbey, donde se encuentran las ruinas de un antiguo monasterio, la iglesia del qual ha perdurado íntegra en el tiempo y tuvimos la oportunidad de conocer su historia de la mano de un lugareño y su ingenio. Además, es un destino familiar popular, pues los alrededores están perfectamente condicionados para barbacoas y juegos con niños.
Por la tarde nos dirigimos al pueblo de Harrogate, no muy lejos de ahí, conocida por sus aguas termales, teterías famosas como Bettys y para mi, una joyita, the Farm. Un bistro ideal para pasar las horas y cargar las pilas.
SUNDAY
We woke up in Derbyshire already and spent the morning in Bakewell, where the Baking Festival happened to be taking place, funny enough.
But we couldn’t leave the Peak District without the sweet taste of a hike.
El Hombre found an easy walk for this pregnant lady, the Thorpe Cloud hill, lying between the villages of Thorpe and Ilam in Dovedale. But I didn’t really make it to the top, to be honest.
And I fell in love with the sheep and all the shades of green and blue (and grey) I saw. And all the random human beings that stopped us to just have a chat. People up in the North are definitely friendlier. A must-see! 🙂
El domingo amanecimos ya en Derbyshire, donde se encuentra el parque nacional Peak District. Recorrimos las calles del pueblo de Bakewell por la mañana y por la tarde, fuimos a caminar un poco por sus valles, concretamente en Thorpe Cloud, una ruta muy fácil y agradable, adaptada para todas las edades y condiciones.
Quedé prendada de estos lugares, sus verdes, azules y grises, sus ovejillas y vacas y su gente simpática, que nos daban conversación en cada esquina. Realmente, merece la pena visitarlo. 🙂
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