Autumn Adventures

These past few weeks have been some of the best this year. The changing of the season brings with it bright, crunchy leaves, cold weather and big knits. I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it.

Although life has been pretty hectic with university, and I haven't done anything particularly interesting recently, I wanted to write a blog post condensing all the lovely bits and bobs that I have done, making this Autumn the best one yet. 

Starting off with a trip back home, and a stroll through Guisborough Forest Walkway. 

Coming home during winter time is my favourite. I get to fill up on Sunday roasts, spend time with my family and, most importantly, keep toasty by the fire without any worry of student house heating bills ... *if you know, you know*.

Guisborough Branch Walkway is a perfect place to go for a winter dog walk. With it being so accessible and right near home, I couldn't think of a better place to start my weekend. So I pulled on my wellies and off I went. 

I honestly don't think we could have picked a more perfect autumn day to go for this walk. A cool sun was set high in the sky, and the crisp air was cold enough to be cosy in a hat and scarf. Jubes and Buckley had the time of their lives getting up to mischief in the mud and stopping to make friends with every other dog we passed. Once they'd had a good run about, we warmed up with a coffee in the cafe at the end of the trail.

 All in all, it was a very lovely morning. 

Fast-forwarding to a little later in the day, we bundled up in some more layers and made our way to Whitby.

With it being the run-up to Halloween, the Abbey had been illuminated for a dramatic retelling of Dracula that was being staged within the grounds. Now, I've been to Whitby Abbey a number of times, but this night it looked particularly grand. The illuminations lit up the whole hillside and made everything look a little magical and eerie. Really setting the scene for a Halloween tale.

We grabbed a cup of coffee, and some amazing pulled pork fries from an American food van and took a wander around the craft stalls whilst we waited for the show to start. Unfortunately, when it did there was a problem with the microphones, which was a bit of a bummer, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The bitter cold didn't ruin the evening one bit. I'd totally go back again next year!

Jo's carved pumpkin on our Halloween night.

My last day at home was spent scouring around a few of the best garden centres in our area. This is such a 'granny' thing to do but I absolutely love it, and I managed to pick up a few cute plants and storage boxes for my room.
We visited Cherry Hill (the best GC ever) and spent ages admiring all their beautiful decorations and displays, even managing to fit in some lunch and a slice of cake afterward. If you live anywhere near Cherry Hill and haven't managed to visit around Christmas time, you are honestly missing out. Go! Go! Go!

Luckily I didn't have to be too sad about leaving home, as I had plans to carve pumpkins, watch Halloween movies and eat snacks with my besties back in York. It was absolutely amazing, as all my time is when spent with them, and I went home particularly content (and smelling of fresh pumpkins).

The next week was spent drinking copious amounts of coffee whilst trying to get an essay done. I even ended up spending bonfire night, with my head in a book, watching fireworks through the library window. Luckily, with our essay due Monday morning, I managed to catch a  display around the corner from my house that night. The smell of bonfire smoke was set deep in the air and being wrapped up in multiple layers really got me feeling festive.

I always say that once November 5th has passed, its time to get into the Christmas spirit... What do you think?

Me & Mrs Fisher - The Teahouse Trail.

I made a promise to myself that, in my last year of university, I would visit all the places in York that I have always said I would go to. After over two years of walking past Me and Mrs. Fisher, ogling at the decor and delicious menu, I finally went in.

My friend Alexandra, who has also always wanted to pop in here, informed me that they had recently updated their menu, making all the food they serve either vegetarian or vegan. As a lactose intolerant (who really doesn't know, or stick to, her limits) I was incredibly excited to have a meal that I could enjoy without stomach ache inducing consequences. 

The way they have chosen to style this place is honestly encapsulating, it has such a great vibe. With calming, retro tunes, cosy sofas and ambient lighting, this couldn't be a better place to grab a bite to eat, bask in the warmth of the cool, Autumn sun and enjoy the Minster views. Which is exactly what we did. 

After a long morning of lectures, with another few hours to go, I couldn't wait to shake myself up with a hot coffee and something filling. I chose a double shot cappuccino, with Alexandra similarly opting for a latte. It is so nice to go to an eaterie that offers more than one kind of dairy-free milk option, and with Oat being my favourite, this was such a great pick me up. 

They had such an extensive menu, filled with absolutely delicious sounding veggie/vegan options, it was so hard to choose. I ultimately favoured the tomato, basil and avocado sandwich on sourdough over everything. Served with a green salad garnish and salted crisps, it was truly delicious! They also had a special of vegan macaroni cheese which Alexandra liked the sound of, by the looks of her clean plate I'm assuming it was just as tasty.

Enjoying a good catch-up and the chilled out atmosphere of Me and Mrs Fisher, we snuck in one last coffee, and a slice of chocolate and banana cake, before scarpering off to our lecture. 

All in all, this was a totally worthwhile trip and I would 100% recommend a visit. I'm sure this is the kind of place that everyone can appreciate, vegan or not. 

The Sitting Room - The Tea House Trail.

Back to one of my favourite places, with one of my favourite people. The second edition of The Tea House Trail comes straight from The Sitting Room, Guisborough. A long time beloved cafe of mine back home. A trip to the North is simply incomplete without a coffee and cake catchup with the lovely Faye, and thus, I made it priority in my two days back for us to do just that.

The Sitting Room has always been one of my favourite cafes. With their large selection of delicious alcoholic drinks; delightful cakes, teas and coffees; and locally sourced, homemade food, you can't go wrong with taking a trip here. It is such a treat to have such an amazing establishment so close to my doorstep. With absolutely fabulous, retro decor and amazing artwork, it is the coolest and cosiest place to stop for a drink. I couldn't be luckier!

Despite taking many a trip to The Sitting Room, Guisborough (some of which have been included on my blog previously) this was the first time I have been for a non-alcoholic beverage. However, I have sampled the cakes (one too many a time) in Saltburn and they are truly divine. We were certainly not disappointed today either. 

With their new seasonal drinks menu catching my eye straight away, I chose a rose hot chocolate, a huge treat for me seeing as I tend to avoid dairy like the plague. Rose is one of my favourite scents and flavours and this was such a scrummy combination. Faye opted for the caramel hot chocolate, as well as two hefty slices of chocolate and Guinness cake, which we ate every bite of.

I can't wait to be back, and to hopefully attend one of their upcoming events, such as the Secret Cinema which I think is such a wonderful idea. (Faye, if you're reading this, please can we go)? If you'd like to check them out their Instagram's are tagged here and here. I would totally recommend taking a trip, it truly is as great as I say! 

Breakfast Club - Bakes & Co.

It has to be said, Mondays are the worst. 

There seems to be a perpetual tiredness surrounding the whole day making it seem almost exhausting to get through, especially when you have University. So what better way to cheer up a dreary day than Pancakes! 

At 10 am this morning I dragged a few of my best pals off to town to start our day the best way I could think of, with a strong coffee and some delicious food that we didn't have to put the effort into making ourselves. After being blown about viciously by the wind, we landed upon Bakes&Co, a coffee shop pretty much right outside our uni.

Jo is taking a picture of a conker she found on the way ... Autumnal vibes!!

I have walked past this cafe many a time, on my way to work or town, telling myself that one day I will go in. It's taken me a whole two years of living in York to finally do it. Serving fresh sandwiches, cakes and bakes this place is an absolute dream and looks so inviting on a cold day like today.

Their breakfast menu especially sounded divine, ranging from a good old bacon butty to eggs benedict, or even avocado on sourdough toast. Yum! 

It is safe to say that I was very much influenced by my friends. A sweet treat was too hard to say no to and I needed a little sugar boost to get me through our impending lecture, so of course, I opted for pancakes (and that strong coffee)! 

Two pictures, cos they were that bloody delish.

God were they good. Drizzled with maple syrup, fresh berries, and crispy bacon, these aren't the kind of pancakes I'd usually go for but I'm so glad I did. They definitely gave me the much-needed sugar rush I craved to get me through the day.   

If going out for breakfast is this good, I need to suck it up, wake up early and do it all the time!

Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club.

Graze on The Green - The Tea House Trail.

Whoops! Long time no blog ... (Does that even make any sense)?! 

I've been such a busy bee lately, time has completely escaped me and I have found myself neglecting my favourite creative space. With university starting up again and life becoming that little bit more hectic, I wanted to give myself a real reason to sit down, relax and enjoy making content. And so, The Tea House Trail begins. 

An idea inspired by my lovely Aunt, who recently flew over from the magical land of Canada, The Tea House Trail will consist of me blogging about as many cafes/tearooms as I care to visit and, well, drinking coffee and eating cake, I guess ... Two of my favourite past times.

Starting with a familiar place, one that starred in my last blog post in fact: Graze on The Green.

⧪

My trail begins with an actual trail this time. Wanting to make the most of my Aunt's last day in England, we went on a detour, taking her to a few of our favourite spots. The first being beautiful Saltburn-by-the-Sea. After a spot of lunch we actually managed to catch a glimpse of the sun and, despite the harsh wind, the view was impressive as always. 

We were not so lucky on our next stop, unfortunately, and got stuck in a torrential downpour whilst exploring the moors. Forever looking on the bright side though, I managed to catch a photo that includes the edge of a rainbow. I was almost close enough to find the pot o' gold!

The rolling hills of North Yorkshire.

After being soaked to the bone, with wellies that squelched as I walked, we stumbled upon somewhere we knew we'd get a decent cuppa that could warm us through. You know the drill.

Situated in the quaint village of Rosedale, Graze on The Green offers a selection of delicious homemade cakes, organic teas/coffees and options for breakfasts and lunches. I opted for a cup of Vanilla and Almond Rooibus and a bite of Raspberry Crumble cake (I was still stuffed from lunch). 

We also took home a package of treats, including the biggest brownie I've ever laid eyes on, a giant chocolate chip cookie and a slice of Peach and Cherry Bakewell. Just in case we got hungry once we were back ... 

By the time we had finished munching, the grey skies had cleared, taking the rain with them. Feeling slightly warmer from a hot brew we made our way home, tummies full, feeling content. All in all a successful day.

I would absolutely recommend checking out Graze on The Green if you are in the area, their delicious cakes are not to go amiss, especially on a cool day! Plus, their location means you can explore the beautiful surroundings of North Yorkshire. Totally worth the trip, if I do say so myself!

A few snippets of Rosedale Village.

The Moors

With the sun shining down on North Yorkshire this bank holiday Monday there was nothing better we could think of than taking a drive out to see the new art installation, The Man on the Moors. This is a bit of a hidden gem on the Moorside, driving past Castleton you can only tell where he is situated from the line of parked cars and path full of walkers. Seeing how absolutely packed it was, we drove on by and stopped for a spot of lunch in the lovely village of Rosedale first. 

We scoped out this gorgeous little tea room, Graze on the Green, which was full of the most amazing organic teas, coffees and cakes, plus a great selection of breakfast and lunch options. I opted for a roast chicken and lemon mayonnaise sandwich, fresh apple juice and a good old cuppa and Bakewell tart for afters (because you can't go to a cafe and not have cake)! It's fair to say I was absolutely stuffed after all that delicious food.

After a little walk through the village in the sun, we decided to attempt the moors again, hoping this time it may be slightly quieter. We were totally right and couldn't have picked a better time to go. Apart from a few dog walkers, we were the only people up there and we definitely made the most of this beautiful view. The Man on the Moors is really incredible up close and much bigger than you'd expect, it is a piece of art you can really appreciate, especially as it frames itself alongside the most marvellous backdrop. If I was a sculpture I'd be quite content being stuck up there, in one of the most picturesque spots in North Yorkshire. 

Free as a bird.

Not wanting to finish off what had been a great day we decided to take one last stop at Runswick Bay. 

With its sweeping, sheltered bay and charming red roofed cottages, Runswick Bay is one of the Yorkshire Coast's prettiest destinations. The sandy beach, which once provided anchorage for brightly coloured fishing boats, is now a family favourite for rock pooling, fossil hunting and coastal walks, where you can admire the breathtaking sea views.

This delightful little town reminds me so much of Cornwall (one of my favourite places on earth) and watching the sun set whilst the waves rolled onto the beach, with a glass in hand, was absolutely enchanting. If I could have bottled that moment I would have in a heartbeat. 

There are so many amazing places in the North and today I was lucky enough to experience some of my favourites in the glorious sunshine. Creating magical summer memories once again.