Over the Easter weekend we were lucky enough to get over to the coast, for an East Yorkshire getaway in a luxury lodge. The East Riding of Yorkshire is not somewhere I have frequented much, and never with the kids so it was a great opportunity to see what the area had to offer for families.
The luxury lodge at Willow Pastures Country Park
We were staying in a lodge with Willow Pastures**. Willow Pastures Country Park is situated in a village between Hornsea, Hull and Beverley. So prime position for getting out and about.
Luxury lodge offerings
We stayed in a Signature Collection lodge which had 2 bespoke bedrooms. The master bedroom had an ensuite and the lodge boasted a wrap around deck with its own hot tub. The lodge was was very spacious (double size) and really felt like home from home. The interior was beautifully styled, the lodge was cosy and everything was pristine. Lodges on the site are new so they haven’t had the general wear and tear so it really does feel like luxury. All the mod cons were in there too including; flat screen smart tv in the lounge and bedrooms, wifi, huge fridge freezer, and full cooking appliances plus a washing machine. All the family enjoyed the lodge especially the boys who had loads of room of playing.
You can book your East Yorkshire getaway through Hoseasons – check here for availability.
Site location and amenities
The site is quite small in a prime countryside location. This meant that it was quiet, felt safe and secluded and definitely peaceful which ultimately was the key to such a relaxed holiday for us all.
We walked round exploring the site some more and to get our bearings whilst enjoying the Easter hunt that the management team had laid on for the kids. They had also left out Easter Eggs for the boys which went down very well! Willow Pastures Country Park is in a great spot right next to the Pennine Way so you can literally just hop on there with your bikes and cycle off. There is a pub next door with a secret door through from the grounds. We had our evening meal here on the first night and we could not fault the food or the service. For an added bonus there was a playground! The additional tip I have to tell you is that the ice cream sundaes for the kids have lots of sprinkles! My eldest’s top memory!
On site there is also the main reception with a convenience shop, a beauty spa so you can book treatments in advance and next door there is a garden centre with another restaurant. They also have visiting food trucks such as pizza, pies and an ice cream van.
**For full disclosure we were invited at the time for a complimentary stay however this blog was written separately.
What we got up to on our East Yorkshire getaway
Day 1 – Hornsea and check in at Willow Pastures
On the day of arrival we set off at lunch time to make sure that the littlest could nap on the way over. As we arrived earlier than check in time for our East Yorkshire getaway we headed straight to Hornsea to see the sea. The route we came brought us in via Hull so we did get a glimpse of the Humber Bridge. Hull is an amazing place for kids. There has been a lot of money ploughed into it in recent years to boost the area. So this is an area that I would love to come back to and spend some more time around.
Hornsea
Hornsea is a lovely small seaside town with a bustling High Street full of independents which is only a 10 minute walk from the front. The seafront is quaint with a few shops, including a fish and chip shop which we had to sample, followed by an ice cream… When in Rome!
The tide was high when we arrived but we enjoyed a walk along the promenade and the sea wall. The local community has placed art work on the sea defences which is a really nice touch and keeps the little ones entertained in the extra walk from the free car park.
On the front there is a leisure centre which has public toilets, swimming pool and a cafe. There are also a few other indoor kids entertainment venues in Hornsea if the weather was not favourable. Including Bugtopia, Beach Cove soft play, inflatable park, outlet shopping centre, Neptune’s amusement centre and more.
Once we had walked off our fish and chips we drove the 20 minutes back to the lodge to check in and spend the evening relaxing into our new surroundings. The kids eventually went to bed after the excitement of the day so we could pop open the fizz and enjoy the hot tub in peace.
Day 2 – Bridlington
The first full day of our East Yorkshire getaway we were going to discover the main seaside town in the area, Bridlington. This unique seaside town with its charm, award winning beaches and a phenomenal list of attractions is a must visit if you are in the area.
We arrived early as the weather was on our side. Luckily we found a car parking space right on the front in the Harbour car park. From here we could explore the harbour, the town as well as the beaches without trudging all our stuff.
Exploring Bridlington Harbour
In the harbour we watched the fishing boats and followed part of the Maritime Trail. There are 2 versions of this, one for adults and one for children. Each takes you on a tour of the harbour and the seafront to discover more about Bridlington’s heritage. There are information boards and artwork that depict stories of the fisherman, heroes and villains of the past. For the children you can also download a trail sheet which has fun things to find too – download it here.
After a walk round the harbour, ensuring we clung on with dear lift to the little one (thank god for reins) we hopped aboard the pirate ship. This pirate themed 15 minute boat trip out of the harbour and up the coast has no actual pirates! This was a good thing for us as I expect we wouldn’t of got on otherwise but I can imagine others may be a little disappointed. Regardless it was a good way for the little one to have his first boat trip.
Next we headed past the fun fair (promising to return later which we didn’t) and into town to grab something to eat. On the first street back from the seafront this is a wash with cheap shops and we did find an ok cafe for something to eat but it isn’t worth recommending. When we go next time I would find somewhere further back towards the main town centre where there are more independent shops.
Ice-cream shops are a plenty around the sea front along with fresh donuts, rock, candyfloss and other items to guarantee a sugar high! We all opted for a lemon top and went and sat amongst the pigeons over looking the harbour.
Enjoying South Shore beach
Round the other side of the harbour is South Beach. This sweeping expanse of golden sand is the ideal beach for spending a day. We enjoyed a couple of hours here playing football, digging holes, collecting shells and building sandcastles. The tide was out which uncovered a wide gently sloping beach. On this nice Easter weekend it wasn’t packed either which was surprising. This meant it was perfect for watching the kids running around with the water far enough away.
The South Shore promenade is wide, flat and easily accessible. It runs for a mile up to Fraisthorpe Beach which is another great family friendly beach. The promenade links also to the park and ride car park. The land train runs up and down the promenade continuously. We chose to walk down then get the train back for a small charge. If you do the park and ride then your land train fare is included in the parking charge. The boys loved riding the train, waving at everyone walking by.
On the South Shore there are beach huts that you can rent for the day, a paddling pool, the life boat station (which was having an open day on the day we visited) and the Bridlington Spa, an entertainment venue.
Thoughts on Bridlington
We enjoyed Bridlington and what the town had to offer. We definitely could have stayed all day if it wasn’t for having to leave to get the little one to nap. Next time we would explore the town more and find some great places to eat brunch and tea.
There are also lots more attractions in the town centre including the leisure centre which has a climbing wall, plus the swimming pool has slides and a splash pad. There is the fun fair, amusements, adventure golf, dinosaur world and then more further out on the outskirts (see the end of the blog for more recommendations).
An extra stop in Hornsea
After a nap in the car mid afternoon we got changed and headed back to Hornsea to sample some more of its unique charm. We really enjoyed it the day before so were keen to get back.
We had another walk along the promenade and a run around on the green just behind the beach before heading off to explore the town centre. This was full of independent shops with quite a few nice bars, restaurants and shops. We had booked to eat at The Green Owl which we had been recommended. They do food in the day then turn into a bar and entertainment venue in the evening with live music. We arrived for last orders of food and enjoyed the best burgers I’ve had in a while! Whilst Daddy enjoyed a pint in peace I took the rabble to the playground situated in Hall Garth Park. This large park with grounds, playground, skate park and walking trails is ideally situated in the centre of Hornsea with a free car park.
Once they were sufficiently tired out we watched the sky start to turn pink and the waves crash over our heads! Back to the comfort of the lodge and another relaxing evening in the hot tub and enjoying a film.
Day 3 – Sewerby Hall and Dane’s Dyke
For our final full day on our East Yorkshire getaway we visited Sewerby Hall and Gardens. I had heard of this attraction along with others in the area and wasn’t sure which one would be best to suit both boys ages as well as the husband. I ran a poll on Instagram and Sewerby Hall came out top so that’s where we headed. The Instagram community did not let us down as we had a fab day!
What is there at Sewerby Hall
Sewerby Hall and Gardens is situated just outside of Bridlington on the clifftops. It is a magnificent hall along with stunning grounds, formal gardens, a zoo and a couple of playgrounds. They also have events on throughout the year. The day we visited there was a jousting event on which was at no extra cost to normal admission price. Turns out my boys love a jousting event, getting a ringside seat and watched the event from start to finish. My eldest had never seen anything like it before so he was in awe and really got in to the show, booing and cheering away.
The grounds were huge and we didn’t get chance to get round it all. There is lots to see, secret gardens to discover and more activities hidden around. Garden games were on offer, the adventure trim trail was a hit and the playground near the entrance I could not drag them away from! The zoo had a wide selection of animals on show from farm animals to penguins to emus. We watched the cheeky penguins poking their heads through the gate, the llamas scrapping and the pigs rolling around in the mud which were all highly entertaining for boys as you can imagine!
There is a cafe on site along with a pizza van on the day we visited which we sampled and can confirm was delicious. The ice cream was also a necessity as the sun came out. We spent around 4 hours and could have stayed longer. You are allowed in and out and this would be a good place to venture down into Bridlington from as a land train is available to take visitors down into the town and back.
Discovering Dane’s Dyke
After Sewerby Hall we snuck in a quick visit to the next cove, Dane’s Dyke. This pebbly beach is renowned for rock pooling and fossil hunting so it was an obvious choice to take my budding paleontologist to. There is a car park at the top along with a small cafe then the path winds down the hillside onto the beach. This path is quite steep, and although wide it is a bit treacherous for little ones with steep drops off either side into the woodland. I did not let go of my toddler the whole time, much to his upset but it was a small price to pay for him not running off and launching himself down the undergrowth. The walk down is relatively short and takes around 10 minutes.
The beach is white pebbley and sand down to the waters edge. The rock pools are slightly further away. The big boys spent ages looking for crabs, fish and anything else that moved but unfortunately were unsuccessful. The little one and I were supposed to be looking for fossils however he had other ideas and instead just wanted to load all the pebbles in the bucket and take them all home! (Disclaimer – we left the stones on the beach!)
Tiredness took over and we headed off so he could nap.
Back to the lodge for a quick change then out again for Sunday lunch at a local pub.
Our final evening in the lodge was another relaxing one. I must say I slept amazingly all 3 nights which is generally unheard of when we are away. The beds were exceptionally comfy and the sea air must have knocked us all out for the weekend.
Final thoughts on our East Yorkshire getaway
We had a blast on our East Yorkshire getaway. This was our first time visiting as a family and I would 100% recommend it (otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered writing this blog!). Willow Pastures Country Park is the ideal location for exploring the whole of East Yorkshire. If you were just wanting to be around Bridlington then I would probably say stay somewhere closer, however if you are keen to discover the whole area then you cannot beat here.
For our next visit I would love to visit
- Spurn Point – a dynamic nature reserve home to thousands of birds
- Hull – to sample the many independent eateries
- The Deep, Hull – an award winning aquarium and under water expereince
- William’s Den – a unique indoor-meets-outdoor adventure attraction
- Burton Constable Hall & Gardens – hall, grounds and playground to discover
- Sledmere House – House, gardens, farm park, museum and playground
- Bondville Model Village – a teeny tiny world
- John Bull’s World of Rock – a hands on rock and chocolate making tour
- Humber Bridge Country Park – viewing area for the magnificent engineering masterpiece that is the Humber Bridge
- Withernsea beach
- The Pumpkin Patch at Bewholme – seasonal for PYO strawberries, sunflowers and pumpkins
Is there anything else that you would do on your East Yorkshire getaway?
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