A Stay at Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, Scarborough

For our first wedding anniversary, Rob and I wanted to do something special but low-key. We had a big trip planned the weekend after our anniversary, so local was better. We didn’t want to be away long, so one night was perfect. And we wanted to celebrate our first year, so a touch of luxury was necessary.

When Ox Pasture Hall, a luxury hotel just outside Scarborough, got in touch inviting us for an overnight experience, their timing couldn’t have been more perfect.

We arranged our visit for Friday 19th September, a couple of days before our anniversary proper, but fine by us. On Friday morning we threw a couple of suitcases into the car and set off on the hour-and-a-half drive through the North Yorkshire countryside. Trundling through tiny villages and across wide open countryside was a great way to blow off the week and prepare for some serious relaxation. And as we pulled up the gravelled drive to the gorgeous ivy-covered building, I knew we were in for a treat!

We started with afternoon tea in the cosy lounge area, filling up on fresh cucumber sandwiches and warm scones (so delicious). A great energy boost for our subsequent trip into nearby Scarborough, which involved much walking on windswept beaches and several attempted to win big in the arcades. None of which were even remotely successful!

We headed back to the hotel and spent a few hours relaxing in our room – a beautiful, modern suite with squishy sofa, huge bed and gorgeous bathroom. After a couple of episodes of Come Dine With Me and a freshen up, we made our way down to the restaurant for an evening of fine dining.

I’d read great things about the food at Ox Pasture so I was very excited to sample the menu. Everything was so delicious – fresh, delicate flavours, local ingredients and a chocolate and raspberry mille-feuille with pistachio ice cream that was just out of this world. Hotel menus can often be bland, boring and repetitive, but this was proper fine dining with a real mix of tastes and a seasonal feel.

We finished our stay with a huge cooked breakfast (in bed, natch) and a wander around the beautiful grounds. A smattering of confetti on the paved courtyard told us we’d just missed a wedding and Rob and I both agreed Ox Pasture Hall would be a gorgeous place to have one, with the North York Moors as a backdrop and the cosy, luxurious hotel as a base.

Ox Pasture Hall was a great setting for a luxuriously low-key anniversary celebration, and perfectly placed for exploring more of the Moors. And, as we learned after meeting an adorably exciteable Yorkshire Terrier in reception, it’s dog-friendly too. Wonder if I can convince Rob we need a four-legged friend in time for our next visit?

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