A Long Weekend Away in Ravenscar

Views from Raven Hall Hotel.

A long weekend away in Ravenscar!

Since our break to the Yorkshire coast last month we were keen to return to the prettiest countryside and coastlines we’ve ever seen in the UK.

My talented husband Peter Broadbent has taken all these magnificent photos which are truly mesmerising. We live a mere hour and a half away from the seaside so try and visit as much as we can.

Last month we hired a beautiful cottage at the World Heritage Site of Robin Hood’s Bay and this time opted for Raven Hall Coutry House Hotel in Ravenscar in between Whitby and Scarborough, which overlooks the bay in simply breathtaking panoramic sea views.

Raven Hall.

We actually arrived on Thursday surrounded in a blanket of thick fog and grave concerns my sun dances had epically failed. I was a little deflated initially by the hotel.

A 5* kind of girl, I didn’t realise it was 3* on booking and the interiors are in definite need of a revamp, the lodges however outside the hotel are brand new (but were fully booked) and the bedrooms we were advised, were being renovated slowly.

I must stress though that the incredible views including a forest leading to hotel and Jane Austen-esque gardens with crotchet and golf on the lawn, the swimming pool, tennis courts and divine Panorama Restaurant (serving exquisite, locally sourced British and French food) did make up for this though and we had an utterly wonderful stay.

Enjoying the sun!

We filled so much into the four days and as the glorious sun came out on Friday we spent our first full day on the beach at Robin Hood’s Bay where Oliver drew in the sand and we perfected sandcastles by the sea.

We rowed a boat on the river in the village Ruswarp the following day making friends with a certain Mr Swan, created pottery animals in a play centre nearby called Mini Monsterz and rode a sweet kid’s train around the tracks overlooking the river.

Rowing and train time!

We also ate the best fish and chips of our lives at Chips Away in Whitby fried in vegetable oil not the usual beef dripping and bought licorice by the port. These were consumed too quickly for photos though!

Pottery time.

Oliver also swam for the first time since he was 19 months old, ( with Dr’s approval and now accepting he needs earplugs in to protect his ears due to his glue ear susceptibility) and it was healtmelting to watch him swim and splash around with such confidence and joy in the hotel pool.

Pool time.

A golf lover, Oliver putted on the lawn and took me on walks hand in hand around the hotel walls (below) overlooking the bay.

Hotel views!

Oliver making a wish.

The sweetest thing was when he announced, “I’m taking you on a secret walk Mummy so you mustn’t tell anybody…then as we approached the end of the pathway and the sun shone through the castle like walls, he whispered, “I brought you to the sun because I know you like it.” What a sweet child. He later made wishes blowing the stones-the pictures are truly magical! I will treasure them forever.

We have now returned home again, refreshed, re energised and ready for the week ahead. What a wonderful Yorkshire break.

Photographs ©Peter Broadbent.