Fabulous heather season

From its position on the edge of the North York Moors national park, Staithes and Dunsley (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk) are perfectly placed for easy access onto the moors. The heather display is always worth seeing: our moors are the largest expanse of heather moorland in the United Kingdom. This year, it is particularly good, due to lots of warm weather that has created an incredible growing season on all levels. This photo was taken this week from Blakey Ridge, of the view into Farndale. It's a 20 minute drive from Dunsley, and there are some really good walks from here. Options include easy strolls along the disused railway line around the heads of Rosedale and Farndale (with refreshments at the Lions Inn on Blakey Ridge, the highest pub in England), or more strenuous hikes into and across the valleys. My book - North York Moors, Freedom to Roam - outlines several in this area; there is a copy in Dunsley's bookshelf.
 The heather will last well into September this year, so there's still a chance to enjoy the purple glory!

Weird and wonderful tides

We saw some extraordinary tides at Staithes on Tuesday this week: a low tide of 0.25m (compared with the usual neap of around 2.2m), and a high of 6.11m (compared with 4.35m). It was the combination of Spring tides on a full moon, when the moon was exceptionally close to the earth, with high pressure. It was really quite incredible: at low tide at midday the sea actually retreated out of the harbour, and the rock platform that makes up the surf break to the south was completely exposed. There were people walking all over it, where normally there are fish and seals. To the right, under Cowbar Nab, people were walking in 'the tangles', as the kelp beds are known.
 We were working on the parking platform, making it tidy and getting rid of weeds, and took time out to watch the action. These pictures were taken from the footpath that runs from the parking down to the harbour, at about 12.15pm. The first is across the harbour with the boats high and dry, and the second is the view toward Cowbar, showing the tide at the harbour entrance, instead of inside it!

Dunsley wins Certificate of Excellence

We are really proud to announce that, thanks to fabulous reviews from our equally fabulous guests, Dunsley has won a coveted Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence.

 2014 is the first year that the travel site has given this award to holiday cottages. It is a global award, for the very top tier of businesses on Trip Advisor: those achieving five star ratings, taking into account volume of reviews.

 “TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional vacation rentals for consistent excellence,” their excited letter reads. “The Certificate of Excellence award gives top performing properties around the world the recognition for the consistently positive they receive  from those who matter most – their customers.”

 So hurray: thanks to you all for posting such inspiring reviews for our little cottage... please keep them coming, we love reading them, and so do other guests (although, of course, that does mean you need to share Dunsley with them!). Your feedback and support is, as always, appreciated.

 Thanks again, from Judy and Duncan

 

Private Parking for Dunsley Cottage

The private parking platform for guests at Dunsley cottage in Staithes (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk) is now complete. We are delighted to be able to offer the closest possible parking to the harbour village, on a smart new plinth by the Captain Cook lookout. Our local contractors have done a fantastic job building the 2-place platform, and another lower platform which will, hopefully by the end of summer, be home to a wooden shed. Duncan has made the steel barriers (NASA-worthy, like the cottage gate).
 Next job is to landscape - we plan to plant wildflower meadow seed, and buy montbretia and flax from Poet's Cottage shrub nursery in nearby Lealholm. By the time we've finished, Dunsley guests will have access to a garden with a view over the river and cliffs to the sea, enjoyed in evening and morning sunshine from strategically placed benches. Ah, the plans! In the meantime, the private parking is now available... it's a real rarity in Staithes, and saves our guests £35 per week public car park charges, plus it's a shorter distance to walk from the cottage. Enjoy!

Private parking in Staithes

Parking in Staithes is at a premium. Very few cottages have access to beach-level parking, and the vast majority of guests pay to park at the 'top of the bank', at a cost of £35 per week. Last year, we bought a patch of land by the village lookout, on the lip of the bank, to create a private parking platform for guests at Dunsley holiday cottage (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk). For months we have been jumping through planning permission hoops with the North York Moors national park and the Highways Authority. Imagine our relief when we finally acquired all necessary permits for the parking and garden shed, which our guests can use to store bikes, surfboards or other items that need security. Work started this week and we hope it will be finished within 10 days. Here are pictures of our wonderful contractor, Nobles of Whitby, hard at work... we will update all our guests with details of how to access the parking, as soon as we have the barriers installed and a padlock code. Parking with a view: at last!

Parking platform in raw state! It will be finished with rolled stone

 Nobles men unloading local stone for the gabion baskets

Stone gabion baskets support the platform on the sloping site

Lowest point of the site, below shed platform and gabions

Digging the shed platform

Eggs: not just for Easter

Great news for egg lovers: they are not just for Easter. While chocolate and fancy designs rule the roost this month, guests at Dunsley holiday cottage (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk) can enjoy the real thing. Our neighbour Sonia, at Fossil Cottage, now has a brood of six happy hens in her allotment (near the car park). These free-range lovelies are also terrific egg producers, so Sonia regularly fills the egg box in Fossil Cottage's front yard. It's an honesty system, and the eggs are gorgeous! It's the ultimate breakfast treat: wander down to the butcher for fresh bread from Danby's Stonehouse bakery (meat lovers will also appreciate the excellent Staithes bacon and sausages), and an egg or two from Sonia's supply. Then enjoy the meal in Dunsley's private front yard or, if it's too cool, in the cottage with the stable door top open so you can take in the outside, from the inside. Heaven - and not a chocolate in sight.

Mystery TV drama in Staithes

Hot news: Drama at Dunsley! Our early February guests at Dunsley holiday cottage in Staithes (www.dunsleyinstaithes.co.uk) report that a TV crew was filming on the footpath, directly outside Dunsley's gate. Hilary took this picture from Dunsley's bedroom window. But what were they shooting? She says: "It was definitely drama not documentary  - after about 8 takes we knew the script - also definitely not Old Jack's Boat!"
 If anyone can shed any light on this, we'd love to hear from you! Please email us: dunsley.staithes@gmail.com . Meanwhile I have my feelers out and will update this if I learn anything new.

TV drama at Dunsley.. photo taken from Dunsley's bedroom window by our guest Hilary