What glorious spring weather we've been having (Bank Holiday weekend aside, naturally). And while the blue skies and warm sunshine have been most welcome after such a dark, wet winter, let's hope it's not a sign of another drought akin to last year's dustbowl conditions.
It's been lovely getting out and about as the snowdrops faded and the daffodils came on, and then the tulips burst into colour and now the bluebells are lighting up our woodlands. So what better way to spend a sunny Sunday morning than a stroll around the foothills of Roseberry Topping.
My sister and I had planned to walk and then find breakfast, but after a Saturday night spent on the dancefloor at Danby Wiske Beer Festival, a steadier start was called for. Breakfast was required first, and after looking up various venues we hadn't tried before, we decided to pay a visit to Whinstone View at Great Ayton.
The site sits in 14 acres of grounds on the outskirts of the village, and includes a bistro, log cabins, a spa, and weddings and events venues.
The bistro is open to non-residents, and as we wandered along from the car park, it was good to see plenty of the outside seating already occupied with groups of family and friends.
We headed inside, and picked a table overlooking a smart terraced area. The decor is modern, with clean lines, while the walls are adorned with attractive oil paintings of local landmarks such as the close-by Roseberry Topping.
The breakfast menu includes pretty much what you would expect – full cooked breakfasts (£14), a smaller version (£10), a vegetarian version (£12), bacon or sausage buns (£6.50), eggs on toast (£5.50), pancakes (£9.50), and avocado on toast with halloumi and chilli jam (£11).
Feeling in need of energisation after our late night, I went for the little breakfast – bacon, sausage, beans, hash brown, egg and toast – and added some mushrooms. Claire went for the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on sourdough toast (£11).
There was a decent enough wait for the food to arrive – the kind that signals it's being freshly cooked rather than waiting around on a hotplate – and when it arrived it did not disappoint.
My bacon was thick-cut and well cooked, while the sausage was flavoursome and the toast proper white bread. The hash brown was nicely crispy, and the poached egg the right amount of runny. The only fault I could find was the the egg and toast could have been just a little bit hotter.
Claire's smoked salmon and scrambled egg was a huge portion and very good value we felt. The sourdough toast was a bit on the brittle side, but the egg and melt-in-the-mouth salmon made up for it.
With a hot drink each, the bill came to a very reasonable £29. Service was efficient and professional throughout, and as the sun beamed in through the huge windows, the whole experience felt very relaxed.
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So off we wandered on our walk, parking up in Great Ayton and bimbling through the woods for a couple of miles before returning into the village alongside the sports fields and the sparkling River Leven.
It was so warm and sunny that it would have been a crime not to go to Suggitts for an ice cream. Sitting on High Green with our 99s, we felt like we were on our summer holidays. It just shows, you don't have to go far to enjoy good food, nice treats and some wonderful scenery.
Whinstone View,
Great Ayton, TS9 6QG.
01642 723285
Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-10.45am and Sunday, 9am-11am for breakfast. All day menu Monday-Saturday, 12pm-7.30pm. Sunday lunch 12pm-4pm.
Ratings (out of ten): Service 8 Surroundings 9 Value for money 8 Food quality 8
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