Sue Anderson fills her boots with another stay at the activity-themed hotel chain, and a shed load of walks to keep her entertained
The Retreat -24hr Lodge
In The Telegraph recently a travel journalist wrote ‘Some areas are rough and the nightlife is pants, but I still think Scarborough’s gorgeous.’ Intrigued, Pip and I headed to north-east Lincolnshire to check it out for ourselves. On the way there, we stopped at Dalby Forest. There’s a toll road through the forest and we entered from pretty Thornton-le-Dale village at the south end and exited via Hackness village in the north. The toll for this road is £10 per car so it’s advisable (if like me, you want value for money) to make it a longer visit, but there’s more than enough to do, with a cafe, sculpture trail, large play area, activity zones and numerous cycle and walking trails (map available at the visitor centre). The 13 marked walks are all fairly short, but you can easily combine two or more to make a longer hike. We walked the Dalby Beck Trail which starts with woodland paths, has a few short, steep climbs and then spends some time meandering beside a lovely stream with views of the Low Dalby Valley. We met a couple of guide dogs (one in service, one retired) having their off-lead down time in this safe area. Chatting with their owner, he also recommended Roman Camp, near Pickering, as a short, interesting walk, and Dunscombe Park estate for a four-mile circular walk. After coffee and cake in the cafe (dogs welcomed) we drove further up the road to Bickley Gate parking area and walked the Deepdale Habitat Trail, where we caught a glimpse of a roe deer and met not a single person.
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