Monday, 12 August 2013

Jolly Holidays

Jason, Alfie and I have just returned from a few days on the Yorkshire coast, which have been great. My number one objective for the year was to get Alfie on the beach for the first time, and we definitely did that.

It was so nice to be out and about in the sunshine and enjoy the British summertime! I’ve never seen a dog so happy as Alfie, as he ran around after his ball in the sand! We managed to encourage his swimming in the sea too, but it did mean getting in up to our waists, which was a bit nippy at times!

We found 3 really great dog friendly beaches in Scarborough, Filey and Whitby, and 2 great places to eat with him alongside us too.

If you visit Whitby Abbey (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/whitby-abbey/) you are made to feel very welcome with your dog. We parked at the Abbey and paid £6.40 each to get in, then we were able to wander through the grounds, and into the museums with Alfie on a lead. We sat outside for a spot of lunch, then took the 199 steps past the church into the seaside town. After an amble through the busy streets, we stopped off at the dog beach for a run around. Alfie got absolutely covered in sand here, as he was just skidding and rolling around with joy!

We went to Ox Pasture Hall (http://www.oxpasturehallhotel.com/) for dinner and ate in the beautiful Bistro there. Alfie was very welcome to sit alongside us as we dined. The food was great, and beautifully presented. I fell in love with this place a little bit! Tasty and stylish grub, a big cool glass of chilled Pinot Grigio and my Chocolate Lab at my feet! Perfect!

The best beach we found was Hunmanby Bay, which is situated near Filey, between Scarborough and Bridlington. You can park for £2.50 for a whole day, and there’s plenty to do for a few hours. You can walk the long length of the beach to find a variety of cafes and beach huts for refreshments. There are plenty of dogs wandering around, but the beach is so huge you’re not bumping in to each other. If you have a dog who is less confident around other dogs, you can easily find your own private space to enjoy. Alfie was in and out of the sea for hours, and had a really, really great time there. So many things to sniff around, and plenty of waves to jump in. I liked Hunmanby Beach so much I would definitely consider visiting there even for the day, just to see Alfie so happy!

The other dog friendly beach we visited was North Bay in Scarborough, which is smaller, but still well worth a visit. There is a restaurant on the edge of the beach called Blue Crush Bar & Restaurant (http://bluecrushbar.com/), which allows dogs inside with you before 6pm. If you’re eating later than that (as we did), they can sit outside with you on the seafront with stunning views. We weren’t sure what the food would be like, but I have to say it was very good indeed, and really well presented again.

If you’re looking for a day out with your pooch (if you’re located near enough) or a few days break, I truly recommend the Yorkshire Coast.




Instagram: @Barkitty12

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