Autumn travel: Real fun with Yorkshire relish

Scarborough, North Yorkshire. Image: Adobe Stock

So my recent weekend break in North Yorkshire proved to be a revelation as I explored its stunning coastline for the first time. For our family and dog-friendly weekend break, we were based in the seaside town of Scarborough, and enjoyed varied activities together from exclusive seal feeding to an exhilarating zipwire experience.

We were covering a section of “Route YC – Yorkshire’s ultimate road trip”, which could be described as the region’s version of Scotland’s successful North Coast 500.

We set off from Edinburgh on a Friday lunchtime for the drive south and about five hours later, when we arrived in a bustling Scarborough, we were certainly ready to get stuck into dinner. We ate at The Hideout cafe, kitchen and bar, which has a local neighbourhood hang-out vibe and a menu focusing on burgers, pizzas and slow-cooked, smoked meats.

My husband had the Boro Burger – a playful nod to local football heroes Scarborough Athletic – while I went for the Cajun Blaze chicken burger. Meanwhile, our nine-year old son wolfed down a cheeseburger followed by a sweet and delicious Rocky Road with Oreo ice-cream.

Next we went onto our cool Bike & Boot Inn lodgings, perched on the town’s Cliff Bridge Terrace, overlooking the South Bay’s sandy beach and the iconic Spa Bridge. While the hotel doesn’t have dedicated parking spaces, we were given a ticket that lets you leave your car for free when you find a spot.

Bike & Boot, made up of converted Georgian townhouses, is one of the most dog-welcoming places we’ve stayed at, and there were lots of four-legged friends to occupy our puppy. Its basement even has an area for cleaning and drying your dog after a muddy walk. As the name suggests, the quirky accommodation appeals to walkers and cyclists, with well-equipped bike storage also found in its basement. And, there’s a cosy cinema for guests after a less active time.

Our family-sized room, with views of the bridge and beach, had high ceilings, plenty of soft-lighting, thick blinds with vintage Scarborough scenes, a large and comfy double bed, plus a sofa bed for the little one. We particularly liked the room’s excellent coffee machine and Bike & Boot-branded toiletries.

After a good night’s sleep, we rose to glorious Yorkshire sunshine and headed downstairs to the hotel’s Bareca bar and restaurant area for a hearty breakfast. There was a great selection of pastries, cold meats, cheeses, cereals and – to my delight – freshly made pancakes with bacon and maple syrup.

Our first stop of the day was the Breakfast with the Seals VIP experience at Sea Life Scarborough on the town’s quieter North Bay. An hour before the centre opened its doors to the public, our enthusiastic guide showed us how she prepared fish for the resident seals – Ed, Boo, Pendle and Mando. Our host let us feed the hungry group while she told us how they came to live at Sea Life. Following our exclusive tour of the centre, and some more foodie treats for ourselves – not fish! – it was time to leave for our next adventure.

We headed about eight miles inland to the vast North Yorkshire Water Park near Wykeham. After lunch in the park’s cafe, my husband and son put on wetsuits and jumped into the water for the Wipeout experience of inflatables, slides, swings, stepping stones and balance beams. It’s one of three floating obstacle courses, alongside Splash Kingdom for younger children and the Warrior. While my boys were splashing about, I walked the puppy in the park’s grounds and let him cool off in the doggy paddling area.

Next up, my son and I donned safety gear to scale the 12-foot high climbing wall. The lad threw himself into the challenge, completing the easy, intermediate and hard ascents. Meanwhile, I was a bit more wary, having never climbed before, but I ended up loving it.

And, as if that wasn’t enough thrill-seeking for one day, we rounded things off with more adrenaline on the attraction’s 250-metre zipwire, which sees you flying over the lake to land on the other side of the park.

We were looking forward to our dinner as we jumped in the car to The Plough, a pub, restaurant and rooms in the pretty village of Scalby on the outskirts of Scarborough.

Dating back to the 19th Century, the inn has a quaint feel and has curated a menu of British classics with modern touches and an emphasis on local Yorkshire ingredients.

We whet our appetites with tasty hummus and sourdough crisps. I had the filling pie of the day and a hard-to-resist sticky toffee pudding, while my husband ate East Coast Fish Pie followed by the recommended Plough Cheeseboard. The youngest member of our party thoroughly enjoyed his smoked haddock fishcakes, followed by ice cream with hot chocolate sauce.

Back in town, to get a taste of old-school Scarborough, we took a tram on the historic Victorian Railway – built in 1881 – near the Bike & Boot for the journey of a couple of minutes down to the seafront.

The North Beach walk reminded me of my childhood summer days with its brightly-lit amusement arcades. After that spot of nostalgia, we relaxed back at the hotel’s chilled Bareca bar with a couple of drinks and a family game of dominoes from the selection of pursuits made available for guests.

On our second and final morning we checked out of the Bike & Boot and drove to my eagerly-awaited head, shoulder and back massage appointment at the relaxed country retreat Raithwaite Sandsend near Whitby.

This luxurious hotel is set in acres of landscaped grounds not far from the pretty coastal village of Sandsend. After a massage in the soothing hands of my therapist, Holly, the pain in my muscles from the previous day’s activities began to subside as the oils, essences, mists and cooling balm took effect.

Making the most of some “me-time”, I went for a swim in the spa’s pool overlooking the gardens, and ventured into its steam room and sauna before rejoining the boys and our dog for a stroll on Sandsend’s long, sandy beach.

Sadly, it was time for our delightful Yorkshire trip to end, and to begin the long drive north back up to Edinburgh. We packed a lot into our weekend, but we would love to return to see all that Route YC has to offer.

Rosemary’s trip was organised by Route YC – www.routeyc.co.uk – which also has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RouteYC, and an Instagram presence at www.instagram.com/routeyc