Dawn Chorus Walk at Pensthorpe

One of our dafter ideas...

Pensthorpe is a fabulous place. About 15 miles away from us, just outside Fakenham, it's a delightful nature reserve, with beautiful grounds and amazing birdlife. (Oh, and a very agreeable cafe and shop, too.)

This morning we went on the Dawn Chorus Walk, led by Steve Cale. This started at 5:00 am, and therefore involved getting up at 3:15 am - makes Easter Dawn seem like a doddle. It also means that you lose half the day when you get back, as staying awake just wasn't an option, and we crashed out for about two hours!

However, in a period of heavy rain, we were lucky enough to have a reasonably fine (if cold) morning, and had a great time. Steve's knowledge of birds and their birdsong is unbeatable, and how he can pick out the seven different types of warbler is beyond me - especially when several of them are singing at once! Not to mention chiff-chaffs, blackbirds, wrens and of course robins, amongst many others. And we finished up with a full English breakfast to warm up...

As my digital camera doesn't have a powerful zoom, I haven't taken any photos of the birds themselves, but here are a few of the beautiful place.



a beautiful dawn



listening to reed warblers across the water



through the bluebell woods



a very confused slow-worm

Sandsend

Finally, just outside Whitby (at the foot of the 1-in-4 Lythe Bank - test your brakes!) is Sandsend: a lovely corner with a long beach and some great-looking eateries.

We chose to have coffee, and later lunch, in the Bridge Cottage Cafe, which is excellent; in a lovely sheltered position set just back from the road, it's easy to miss. The food was first-class and the service excellent.

We also spotted Estbek House, which we were sad not to have a chance to try - it looked like a very good "special occasion" venue; and also the fabulously-named Wits End Cafe, which was in the next bend in the road going north.

Finally, we visited the Turnstone Gallery, which contained many lovely things that we'd have been tempted by if we'd had a bit more money!

Helmsley Walled Garden

This was one of our favourite discoveries. The most tranquil, gentle place imaginable, abandoned in the 1970s and lovingly restored over the last few years, it has the spectacular backdrop of Helmsley Castle.



The cats are very much in charge, especially Boots, who is a tourist attraction in his own right:



and the cafe provides delicious refreshments in a vinehouse. The garden specialises in clematis and fruit trees, of which there are fantastic numbers. There are plants for sale, and it's altogether an unmissable experience. Visit the website to find out more.

Saltburn

There aren't many long beaches along the Yorkshire coast; Sandsend, near Whitby is one; and Saltburn is another. A very long set of steps (about 200) down from the road at the top to the beach; or else you can take the funicular, if it's in use when you're there:



Once on the beach, there are miles of beautiful sands. We were there in the late afternoon, and misty light was glorious, with surfers, horse-riders and dog-walkers all out in force.

Playing trains at Grosmont

Selwyn said that this made him feel about six years old.

Grosmont is a lovely little town, with at least three good places to eat: the Station Tavern, the Gallery & Jazz Cafe, and another excellent cafe (where we had delicious quiche & pork pie - one each, I hasten to add), the name of which escapes me for the moment, but which is a few steps down the hill with a charming garden.

In the background of all this, there is the fabulous steam railway. We imagine that the noise might get on your nerves after a while, but for the visitor of a couple of hours, it's great to find yourself expecting Jenny Agutter to come running along the platform! It's a working line, not just for the benefit of tourists, and a lovely step back in time.



There's also St Matthew's Church, in its tranquil setting, with beautiful birdlife - we watched the treecreepers especially as they flitted between the yew trees.

Robin Hood's Bay

Another fairly tough walk! A lovely village, which has generally managed to avoid becoming too commercialised - some nice bookshops, tea shops and the rest. This is the lovely sight when you reach the bay.

Our cottage

Continuing the theme of keeping fit, The Nook is a great little place - arranged across five floors... The front door opens to a living room. Down one flight to the basement takes you to the kitchen; up one flight to the main double bedroom; one more to the second bedroom plus bathroom; and finally the top floor is another sitting room, with the most stunning views across the bay.