One of my favourite things to do is travel, to me there's nothing finer then discovering a new place, eating locally sourced produce and generally just escaping everyday life, indulging in a spot of dreaming so when the team at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel Scarborough invited the family and I for an overnight stay we packed our cases faster than you can say mouldy wardrobes.



Scarborough is a place neither Craig or I have visited since we were children so we were eager to explore and happy to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane (more on that soon). After a later than planned set off #babylife we arrived in the centre around 2.30pm, thanks to the fading sunlight I didn't get any camera snaps but check out my Instagram where I captured our bloomin' delicious lunch at EatMe Cafe, somewhere I'd been told to visit on Twitter. My veggie burger was beyond tasty, the chips were possibly the best I've ever eaten and the hot chocolate, well that was something else. The staff were incredibly friendly too, a must visit if you pop to Scarborough. Before we departed for Ox Pasture Hall we took a stroll down to South Bay sea front, only to be severely sandblasted as we walked past arcades and ice cream parlours. Definitely one for better weather.

 With sand absolutely everywhere (how does that happen?) we jumped into the car and after a speedy ride we found ourselves pulling into Ox Pasture Hall Hotel*. The first thing that amazed me was the sheer contrast that Scarborough presents, moments ago we'd been dazzled by neon signs and arcade sounds and now we were surrounded by farmland and countryside. We were warmly welcomed at reception and check in passed with the blink of an eye, before we knew it we were back outside being shown to room 23. To call our accommodation a room is an understatement, we opened the door to a palatial open plan suite with a cosy living area before discovering two televisions, a huge bedroom with travel cot for Sadie and the piece de resistance, a spa-like bathroom with the biggest tub you've ever seen complete with his and hers basins. We immediately felt at home and got cosy, some of us more than others.


Up there with travel is dining out so when you can combine the two you're winning. Warm welcomes clearly come as standard at Ox Pasture Hall as Craig, Sadie and I were shown to our table at the Courtyard Restaurant with a greeting of prosecco, my kinda hospitality. The menu was a diners delight and so it should be as Scarboroughs only restaurant to be awarded two rosettes for culinary excellence. After much deliberation we decided on rabbit terrine, beef cheek and crumble for him and scallops with chicken wings, lemon sole and the most dreamy chocolate fondant for me. As if three beautifully plated courses weren't indulgent enough Craig and I were also treated to an amuse bouche of trout on filo pastry pre starter (just delightful) and before pudding we were served a refreshing palette cleanser of pina colada sorbet. Both Craig and I relished every single plate and couldn't recommend the restaurant at Ox Pasture enough, the chocolate fondant was the stand out dish for me while Craig couldn't get enough of the melt-in-the-mouth beef cheek. With stomachs full to the brim we retired to our suite for a good nights sleep.


Even with Storm Desmond raging outside family FW slept well and it was a real relief to see the angry wind had finally ceased Sunday morning. Before packing up our bags we headed back to the Courtyard for a hearty breakfast of poached eggs, sausages, bacon and tomatoes for me and additional black pudding for Craig (one item of food that I just can't stomach thanks to a tale told by my brother many moons ago). Watered and fed we decided to take in the beautiful views and woodland charms of Ox Pastures seventeen acres. Set in the North York Moors National Park there's plenty for the eye to behold but with a trip down memory lane ready to start we bid adieu to Ox Pasture Hall and headed off to Scarboroughs North Bay.



Scarborough is a town of two halves, South Bay is the perfect place to while away a rainy day with old school arcades, hot sugared donuts and kiss me quick hats while North Bay is the charming, mature counterpart with pretty coloured beach huts, a historic castle and a famous tombstone to boot. On arrival Craig and I took a sleepy Sadie up to the castle meeting a mini Cagney and generally horsing around enroute, anyone for press ups? Our uphill jaunt quickly had us reminiscing about childhood holidays, me remembering scrap booking each Summer (early blogging right?) and Craig visiting Scarboroughs open air theatre for sing-a-longs of the birdie song with his granddad. Arriving at St Marys Church where Anne Bronte is buried I was struck by how peaceful and serene the morning had been, I could definitely make seaside town walks a Sunday ritual. 


Once we'd devoured our slice of culture for the day we were ready for some real sustenance so went in search of hot chocolates and the classic seaside must have, fish and chips. With after eight hot chocolates in hand thanks to Peaches n Cream, a quaint seafront tearoom we pushed a sleeping Sadie onto the beach to admire the adorable beach huts. Walking on the beach reminded Craig and I of the magical time our feet last touched English sand when Craig asked me to marry him in Norfolk and now it's just over four months until our wedding, doesn't time just sail by? Just before the sky started to turn all the shades of grey we completed our tour of North Bay with a stroll through Peasholm Park admiring the Japanese dragon boats and finally making a cheeky detour to the open air theatre to reminisce about past family holidays via the cute as a button miniature railway which I've no doubt Sadie would love when she's a little older.


With Christmas approaching faster than the miniature railway our overnight getaway to Scarborough was the perfect anecdote to what can become a stressful time of year, December mini breaks are definitely the way to go and not just for festive shopping. I was also pleasantly surprised by all that Scarborough has to offer, not just for young families but for couples too. England you never fail to amaze me.

 Have you ever holidayed in Scarborough? What do you make of Ox Pasture Hall Hotel? 
*We were guests at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, all country hotel thoughts my own.