Tea and Cake

 Last weekend it was my Mum’s birthday. Unlike me, she’s not keen on planning things in advance and so it was a fairly late in the week decision to go to Goathland for birthday tea and cake.

Sheep roam free

Goathland is an idyllic moorland village filled with large green open spaces and roaming sheep. It was also the location for the 1960s set TV programme, Heartbeat. Goathland is Aidensfield. 

The last time I’d visited was over a year ago, and was more of a hiking adventure than the peaceful trip we enjoyed this time around.

Coats not required

The weather has been so changeable of late, and Sunday morning had been quite grey. We really didn’t know what to expect. By the time we pulled up in the grassy, sheep inhabited car park I was peeling off layers. The sun had put in an appearance and I no longer needed them. 

It wasn’t long before the chap pulled up beside me, which was fortuitous since there’s also no telephone signal at Goathland. It’s like stepping out of the 21st century which is probably why we love it. 

First stop was the Goathland tea rooms. It’s dog friendly, and we got a lovely table in their conservatory area, overlooking the pretty gardens. Here we enjoyed a simple lunch of toasties or sandwiches with soup, followed by cakes or ice-cream sundaes. It was all very delicious.

Then we perused the gift shops. Goathland is a small village, so there are only a handful of gift shops and tea rooms. A pub and a couple of hotels, a play park that little miss loves and lots of wide open grassy spaces and old brick built cottages.

Little miss did get some time at the play park, while Mum got sheep bothered by a very naughty boy lamb whilst she was sitting on a bench waiting for us. Obviously both me and the chap found that highly amusing. 

Once Little Miss had finished playing with some kids in the park, we took a slow walk back up the village to get a drink in the pub. Alas the pub closes at 4pm (reopening later) so we went to the Inn on the Moor instead. Another dog friendly place with comfortable sofa’s to sit and sip a drink on.

It was so relaxed. We all enjoyed it, and Mum said she’d had a lovely birthday.