Day trips from the Cottage
By Car the fascinating Beamish Museum is around 50 minutes, Durham around 1 hour and another 10 minutes will get you to the Sage and Baltic at Gateshead or the Metro Centre.
In the other direction Darlington is about 25 minutes and Northallerton about 45, where a famous tea room by Bettys stands in the centre of the town, for those treats such as afternoon tea or delightful breads.
The Robineau Patisserie is at Cockerton, 2 miles north of Darlington for fabulous chocolates and patisserie to take away.
Other local restaurants include the highly rated Bridge Inn at Whorlton where one of Terry Laybourne's sous chefs has taken over and at Leyburn Jonathan Harrison continues to wow diners at the Sandpiper Inn Leyburn.