Jenni Eley, with Arran Eley and Woody, explore most of what is on offer in God’s Own Country
The Roost
There’s something special about arriving in the Yorkshire countryside for a long weekend stay with your dog by your side. It’s James Herriot country after all. The rolling scenery that greets you slows the pace of life, encouraging you to appreciate the here and now, just like our dogs naturally do. And so, we arrived at our home for the weekend, Westfield Barns. The Roost, a converted part of the old farm buildings, is tucked away on a family run farm just outside the village of Normanby, near Pickering. It’s one of two stylish self-catering properties ideally located for exploring the North Yorkshire Moors, local market towns, the city of York and the coast beyond. As if on cue, the sun appeared as we unloaded the car directly in front of the barn. We were greeted by the sound of bird song, blue skies and fresh Yorkshire air. A good start.Set overlooking the stunning sweep of Watergate Bay beach, hotel immediately feels calm and inviting. Large windows frame endless sea views, cosy seating areas encourage you to slow down, and there is a relaxed atmosphere throughout that makes you feel at home from the moment you arrive. We have stayed in many dog friendly places over the years, but Watergate Bay Hotel is without doubt the most dog friendly hotel we have ever visited. The staff made a fuss of the dogs wherever we went, water bowls appeared without asking, and nothing ever felt like an inconvenience. It struck the perfect balance between luxury and practicality, allowing dog owners to relax without worrying about whether their four-legged companions were welcome. Our room was spacious, comfortable and beautifully designed, with plenty of space for the dogs to settle after a day of adventures.
The Bedroom
We stepped into the gated patio courtyard and inside to The Roost’s light and bright downstairs sunroom. Woody had already sampled the water from the bowl left outside for him and dashed in and up the stairs, keen to see if there were any goodies for him. He was not disappointed, with a full jar of treats, while we were welcomed with a generous basket that included fresh eggs from the farm, bread and snacks. The Roost is spacious and modern, with exposed beams and cosy touches throughout. We liked spotting the little themed nods to hens dotted about in the decor. The Roost invites you to relax, with a luxurious roll-top bath and countryside views. Everything was immaculate and clearly designed with dog and human comfort in mind. Woody enjoyed some of his treats, as we enjoyed some (Yorkshire) tea, already knowing that a stay at The Roost was going to be a treat for us too. A romantic getaway for two, plus our four-legged friend, of course. Both The Roost and the equally impressive cottage next door, Sunset Barn, sleep two humans and welcome up to two dogs. You can even bring your horse along, should you wish. There’s a wealth of information provided about the local area and a large selection of printed walks available. The North York Moors website is a great walking resource.
Garden at The Roost
We stretched our legs with a pre-dinner walk into Normanby. Small but beautifully kept, the village has around 200 residents, a church and a dog friendly pub, the Sun Inn. Out along the footpaths we completed a leisurely hour-long loop around the neighbouring farmland paths, appreciating the expansive views across Normanby. We arrived back at The Roost just in time to see a beautiful sunset. An outdoor hose and chest full of dog towels in the sunroom made cleaning muddy paws easy. We cooked dinner and left Woody to snooze.
Saturday and, after a leisurely breakfast of eggs (of course), we picked one of the many walk routes and drove to the Sutton Bank National Park Centre for the 3.5-mile White Horse walk. The centre is a great base for walkers and cyclists, with plenty of parking, toilets, a dog friendly gift shop, cafe and water stations. The varied walk followeda dramatic escarpment edge with stunning views and woodland trails beneath the cliffs. Glimpses of gliders soaring overhead from the nearby Yorkshire Gliding Club was a bonus. Dogs need to be on lead at certain points for safety. The Kilburn White Horse is a huge turf-cut hillside landmark. This walk climbs up right next to it so you can’t fully appreciate its scale, but it is visible from 45 miles away on a clear day. We also couldn’t fully appreciate it as we focused on climbing the 150 steep steps beside it. We’d missed the detail of a ‘steep ascent’ and read afterwards that locals mildly call these steps ‘a bit of a workout’. Woody, aged seven, effortlessly powered up with his four-paw drive. We arrived at the top, thighs burning and breathless, but were rewarded with wide-open views of the green patchwork of the Vale of York. Challenging but worth it, ‘Owt for nowt and nowt for owt’ as the locals quite possibly say. Back at the Sutton Bank National Park Centre we had to see the viewpoint that local author James Herriott described as the finest view in England. It’s hard to disagree, with panoramic views down the valley and across the North York Moors National Park but with grumbling stomachs, lunch in the market town of Helmsley beckoned. Helmsley is one of North Yorkshire’s most popular towns and a wonderful place for a meander around the many dog welcoming independent shops.
Mallyan
To Woody’s delight most freely offered treats. Special mention, and apologies to the kind owner of the gorgeous Botanical Soap Co who was rewarded for her treat giving with an appreciative loud burp from Woody. A passing Golden Retriever even popped his head into the shop to see what the fuss was about. For the English Heritage enthusiasts, there is plenty to discover with Helmsley Castle and the nearby Rievaulx Abbey, both dog friendly, but we opted instead for a leisurely lunch. You are spoilt for choice, and we enjoyed sitting in the sunshine on the terrace at the No 12 Cafe on Castlegate, dog friendly throughout. Cue even more treats for Woody and a tasty lunch for us. We spent the afternoon exploring the historic city of York, a 40-minute drive away. Woody braved the narrow, cobbled streets of the busy Shambles shopping area, enjoyed lots of fuss and attention from passers-by and posed dutifully for us in front of the impressive gothic cathedral, York Minster. We enjoyed some traditional fudge, only eaten, obviously, to honour York’s rich confectionery history. Woody endured yet another photo opportunity, this time next to Paddington Bear and a strangely dressed man asked him if he wanted to join a city ghost tour. At this stage he must have wondered what had happened to his usual lazy day nap schedule. We returned to The Roost, weary but happy and full of treats. We were in time to watch another sunset from the courtyard followed by dinner, a soak in the bath and sinking into the comfortable bed. Woody had a well-earned rest, unaware that tomorrow would hold more new experiences for him, his first ever trip on a train, and a steam train, no less. On Sunday, it was a short drive to Pickering Station to the heritage tourist route on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. We booked online in advance. Usually, the train line travels from Pickering to the coast at Whitby, covering 24 miles but was only part open when we visited due to repairs. The whole experience is like stepping back in time. From Pickering’s 1930s styled station, to the train carriages and the comforting chuff of the steam engine. Dogs on leads are welcomed, even receiving their own ticket (£3 charge for dogs). Arran was particularly keen on this trip as our station stop, Goathland, featured as Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter film. I don’t share his enthusiasm for the films, but the experience was unique and lots of dogs were along to enjoy the ride on the day we visited.
Goathland Station
In Goathland we took a popular three-mile circular walk from the village into a wooded valley to the Mallyan Spout waterfall, which rises from the moorland above Goathland, with the return route along part of the original Whitby to Pickering railway line. It was a beautiful walk, but with lots of steps and large rocks to navigate close to the waterfall.Woody, of course, negotiated these with ease, but us humans found it trickier. Goathland’s other claim to fame is that it was the filming location for 1990s TV drama Heartbeat (the one with Nick Berry from Eastenders). They make a big thing of it here, and there are retro set props and bits of 1960s’ nostalgia wherever you look, fun to explore whether you recall Heartbeat or not. We enjoyed a pitstop at the Goathland Tea Rooms, but all the shops and cafes here are dog friendly.
We worried how Woody would cope with the new sounds and smells of a steam train, but he took it all in his stride, buoyed on for his return journey by a doggie ice cream from the old converted goods shed Tea Room at Goathland Station. The railway is a charitable organisation with many day-to-day operations carried out by volunteers. It’s a really special part of the local heritage; long may it continue.
On our return we had a wander around Pickering, selecting which of the many local pie, cake and bakery shops to try. I had a delicious Yorkshire tea cake with Wensleydale from the popular, dog friendly bakery Nosh, a guilty pleasure that Woody was keen on sharing.
Our time nearly up, we returned to The Roost and bumped into the owners, Shirley and Graham, and their gentle giant Great Dane, Bella. Westfield Barns has been a family farm and home since the 1950s and they have created a gorgeous haven for guests here. The Roost is luxurious, comfortable and tranquil. Woody loved it and so did we. What’s not to love waking up to the sound of bird song and the blue skies of God’s Own Country, with so many beautiful places to explore on your doorstep? It’s what long weekends with your four-legged friend were made for.
Fact File
Property – Westfield Farm, Normanby, Sinnington, York, North Yorkshire, YO62 6RJ
Contact – 07748 097486
Price – 7 Nights in May £735. Two dogs welcome and no charge
Website – westfield-barns.uk
To read all DogFriendly stories subscribe to our magazine www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine
