Summer in Staithes...

The summer patio furniture is now installed at Dunsley! After a chilly start to the season we've bitten the bullet and replaced the winter bench with the table and chairs, for al-fresco dining. Fingers crossed it'll soon be warm enough to use it. There's always the option of staying warm indoors and opening the stable half-door to watch the world go by from the comfort of the sofa, of course!
 We've also set up a new website - www.holidaycottageinstaithes.com  - to partner www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk . Both are active, it's just to make it even easier to remember and access.
 We've had feedback already from our new QR code (see previous post), which is displayed in the yard so the technology seems to be working!

Hi-Tech Dunsley

New developments in high-technology at Dunsley... Our friend Wendy recently alerted us to QR Codes: quick response bar codes that are scanned by a mobile phone, using a free App (eg QR Code City), to give instant access to a website. We are often contacted by visitors to Staithes who have seen Dunsley from the outside and want more information, so we have generated a QR code which will be fixed to the letterbox, near the front yard gate. This way, passers-by who like the look of our lovely little cottage can scan the code on their phones and have instant access to our website. It's all part of our mission to keep Dunsley fresh, lively and relevant. Here's the code, or you can go direct to the website from this blog: www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk

Merry Christmas!

Dunsley is ready to celebrate Christmas, with a perfect little tree from Duncombe Park estate. The village tree, by the harbour, is much bigger and bolder, but the Dunsley tree is just right for our private little yard. Our Christmas guests arrive on Friday for two weeks, and are sure to enjoy the Staithes atmosphere. Merry Christmas, all!

Christmas!

The Staithes christmas tree, which sits right by the harbour, just above the beach was illuminated on December 4, but last weekend it had extra help from the full moon. I took this picture just after sunset, with the lights twinkling on the tree and on the water. The sea was pure silver against an indigo sky; just wonderful. There's a festive atmosphere in Staithes already, with decorations and lights on many of the cottages. It should be a fun season! We've already had an enquiry for Dunsley for New Year 2012-13! so if you fancy the idea of Christmas in Staithes, it's worth planning ahead! www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk

'Round the corner'

A combination of beautiful autumn weather and a low tide meant we managed to walk 'around the corner' this weekend. That's the name for the seashore below Cowbar Nab, which is usually covered in surf. As we crept across the slippery rocks, we found a flock of seabirds scurrying around, pecking lunch from the rockpools. We think they're dunlins, which are the birds on our stained glass window at Dunsley (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk). The views were amazing, north toward Saltburn. It was a real treat, especially with the clear blue sky.

Romance at Dunsley

Dunsley is set to welcome its first honeymooners! We've taken a booking for 2012 for a happy couple to start their married life in style... A bottle of French champagne will welcome them to our romantic little cottage, before they settle in for a cosy week 'a deux'. Staithes is such a friendly, relaxed and relaxing village - I can't think of anywhere nicer for a post-wedding week. See Dunsley for yourself: www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk

Coffee and cake!

Great discovery: the best coffee and cakes in the north of England are a short walk from Dunsley! We walked the Cleveland Way from Staithes to Runswick Bay last weekend - it's about 1.5 gentle hours on the clifftop or a little longer if the tide is out and you scramble along the beach boulders. The cafe in Runswick Bay is right on the seafront, just above the coastguard station; you can sit inside or outside. We walked back but if you walk to the top of the bank, the regular bus service whisks you painlessly back to Staithes. Anyway, I had a double-shot cappuccino and a huge slice of home-made apple and cinnamon cake (plenty big enough for 2), and it was superb... I have a feeling the cafe is closed out of season but that's even more reason to book ahead for a holiday in Staithes in 2012: www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk