Walking, sightseeing and going to a cafe are ....

· The Top activities for visitors of the North York Moors area. If this appeals to you going on a gentle walk, sightseeing / pottering and going to a café / tea room - Come and stay with us. Not to mention Dark Skies venues of which we are lucky to live in the very midst of one .We do see the most amazing skies full of stars and wonderful formations. We have seen falling stars and as youngsters always wanted to pick one up and put it in our pockets as the song goes - but havent achieved this yet. A record from the 40-50s Perry Como sang and is still remembered today. We can direct you the the foodie places we think are the best.... We can tell you the best places to go to eat, pick up a sandwich or slice of cake to eat on your day out. There is plenty of tea/coffee and milk here. Just bring you own flask and we will fill it for you . You can walk from the doorstep and leave your car while you tak a stroll to Byland Abbey 20 minutes away And if we have some homemade soup on the go we are happy to share some to go in a flask too . One of our favourite easy,flat stroll round a picture perfect village is only 10 minute drive away. Where there are thatched cottages, a duck pond and old mill. Pass cottages with names like Primrose Cottage, Mill Cottage and Orchard House A pretty village church with its lofty steeple but even better the day you do this there is no need to think of a picnic. The Star At Harome does the most amazing food ,having just been awarded 3 rosettes by the AA. Even though the foie gras is what Jack would be drawn too topped with black pudding, a very reasonably priced Market Menu 3 courses for £30. Did you know there is a child's menu too - A child's menu at a Michelin starred inn that was news to me . Add a loaf of bread and rest assured you dont need anything else but maybe a slice of cake later in the day but if you look in "your tin" when you get make to your room there will be some sweet treats for you in there. If you have already "done" your Holidays for this year .Why not plan ahead from 2024 . Gift vouchers can be bought from us for you to give for family and friends who like to get away and have a treat. If you pop into the Star Andrew Pern has brought a second book out which also will make a great gift or a keepsake for your stay in the area. It is named "Loose Birds and Game" contains 65 recipes divided into 13 chapters, large-format fold-out pages introducing each topic. There is everything here from dishes that you’ll cook to win round the in-laws, to rustic pies that you’ll want to keep for yourself. Game has never been more affordable.

Life at Carr House in Summer

We are now well into Summer and life here goes on with fruit picking in the garden, cutting lawns and looking after some Labrador puppies which we born last Sunday. More and more guests are enjoying the benefits, we can now offer with part self catering in rooms . With a fridge,microwave and toaster available you can make snacks and small meals if you do not wish to venture out in the evenings. Even just chill out around here in the woods and fields,by a stream.You dont even have to go that far, enjoy sitting in the garden listening to the birds,reading a book Enjoying that bottle of wine you treated yourself to. We are happy to help should you wish for a food delivery to arrive in time so you can make your own supper,snacks and small meals. There is a barbecue too for those more adventurous souls if you choose. A cooked breakfast, all comes in with the price so no need to worry about that. The Star in Harome has reopened its doors after that terrible fire and once again serving delicious meals . Michelin starred with a very reasonable market menu 3 course meal for £30 which I had for my birthday and very good it was too ,as well as their a la carte menu. Across the field from us is Wass Farm and you can buy delicious charcuterie. . Jack is busy with his dogs and Minty who a lot of you have meet or seen on facebook is his shadow. There is a saying if only the dog could talk … She makes friends with anyone who will give her the time of day and enjoys all the attention. We are busy working and in the early stages of bringing a walled garden on the farm back to its former glory.There were poplars tree which were hollow in the middle so had to come down which was a shame but necessary. Surprisingly they are putting up green shoots from the bottom again. By our Christmas newsletter hopefully will be able to tell you more exciting things and who we are working with and what we can offer in 2024. Wass Grange and its walled garden overlooks Byland Abbey. You can tread the route that the monks walked many centuries before. Grange is the word for a granary and this historically is an outlaying farm belonging to a monastery or feudal Lord. A large country house and when I googled a bit more the motto of the Grange Movement-USA- from the 1800s was “We have always welcomed and invited people of all races,creeds,religions and nationalities ". My grandmother did this in the 1920s and 30s and here we are 100 years on doing the same. We have a good relationship with Castle Howard as we continue to work together with local businesses. For guests staying with us we are able to offer a reduction in entrance costs. To get you in the Christmas spirit they will be open from mid November with their spectacular Christmas event. Also as we would really love you to experience a gastronomical experience at Andrew Pern’s The Star at Harome, we offer complimentary travel to get you there - Arrangements can be made with a local taxi firm for your return journey.

Head to North Yorkshire to awaken your Senses

Looking to escape the city and don’t fancy a drive to the busy South coast and the traffic queues you hear of when you go to the South West. You need to point your compass North and head to our wonderful county of North Yorkshire. If you dont want to drive you can get the train right up to Thirsk - home of James Herriot the famous vet stories were written here. Thirsk is only 12 miles from us and an easy drive to be with us .Or take the train to York and you can even get the local bus which only costs £2 and it will drop you at the bottom of our drive. With endless possibilities, adventures and the great outdoors to enjoy ,you can start planning now . We are here to answer all your questions to make your holiday as stress free as possible. The North York Moors is a special place of great beauty and tranquility. Home to magnificent historical buildings,-Castle Howard being my favourite. Deep wooded vallets, bubbling streams and big skies Dine at the Star in Harome - a favourite with guests and locals too .I am going in a couple of days time to celebrate my birthday . And I can even tell you the nicest table to sit at ...be sure to ask me . You can walk through our fields to Byland Abbey treading the age old path that the monks walked many moons ago. Feel the energy they left behind. Then stop and listen ...to the birds ,sit a while in the grass, on a stile or bench and watch the gliders silently floating in the skies above. Smell the newly cut grass as the heat of the Summer sun turns it to hay for the animal feed through the winter. Find honeysuckle in the hedgerow and take a piece and suck the nectar from the flower, the finest restaurant cannot complete with the taste of that. Clover is sweet too. And lastly find a buttercup - be that child again and hold it under your chin and if you see the sun helping the buttercup reflect the colour yellow -this tells you that you like butter.

It is all waiting for you and it is all free for the taking .

Our Wedding Anniversary Trip Out

I always love an excuse to go to Whitby and a trip to the Magpie. Last Friday was our wedding anniversary, so what better place to go to celebrate than over the North York Moors and far away. But not before we had done some jobs. I armed myself with the hedge cutter. Jack to the chainsaw to get some bushes and plants cut back in the garden. Getting that done was better than getting a soppy anniversary card. As far a bunch of flowers -Jack doesnt do soppy -well that is what he says. He has been known to come in with daffodils that have bent over. Shoving the yellow heads in a milk jug in front of my desk. And it wont be the first time I have found a bunch of bluebells on the side. Whitby is only 38 miles from home and easily done in a less than an hour. Gone are the days when I could clag it there in 35 minutes. In those days there was no speed cameras. Nor was there so many cars on the road. We were lucky to take advantage of the fact parking was free until March the 1st. Despite Jack thinking we could "just park outside and nip in" we braved the winds blowing off the North Sea. We parked up near the whalebone and walked down. Walking back up wasnt quite as easy, but then we were full of fish. It was lovely to see the sea and the rolling waves. I always remember an old friend ,Peter Gascoigne-Mullet, who used to say " Whitby, my beloved Whitby". Lovely memories of Peter and our times with him at the Star in Harome. After the fire brought down the middle section of the Star last backend I immediatly wondered what Peter would have made if it all when his bedroom had gone up in flames - a replica of Ancient Egypt and its treasures. We soon got seated in the Magpie and sorry that Ian wasn't about ,but the staff looked after us very well. I had the most amazing crab pate to begin with and Jack had kippers topped off with strawberry jam and bread and butter. The jam was quite runny and I thought any minute it would land down the front of his shirt but glad to say the shirt escaped a jammy finish. Jack had a large pot of proper tea with tea leaves and master the art of catching the tea leaves very well.I stuck to my usual tipple of tap water. All too soon it was time to come home. We were too full to eat anything else and the fresh air soon had us both snoring.