Escape to the English countryside

After what felt like the longest July, we decided to escape on a short road trip to the UK. The best part is that the UK is so dog-friendly that taking Nacho with us was a no-brainer. Once the boat was booked we roughly mapped out our route. We’ve been promising to visit some family friends for ages, so two stops were already set in stone. With just five days to spend we decided to wing the trip and choose where to stay as we go.

Hoek van Holland – Harwich Day Ferry with a pet-friendly cabin & a quick visit to Cambridge

Ferry trips with pets can be a bit nerve-wracking, so booking a pet-friendly cabin is always a must when we travel with Nacho. Unlike the ferries from Sweden to Finland, the ones to the UK require you to either book a pet-friendly cabin or reserve a heated kennel for your pet. Nacho is a princess (and our child), so choosing between a pet-friendly cabin and a kennel was easy. The Stena Line ferry left at 14:00 and arrived around 20:00 local time in Harwich. There were plenty of food and drink options on board, although it seemed that the main meal of choice for most passengers was beer. There is plenty of time for duty-free shopping, admiring the view on one of the decks, and even taking a nap in the cabin 🙂 you are only allowed to bring your pet on one of the decks with a giant litter box for pets…not that Nacho wants to go anywhere near it. He enjoyed his naps in the cabin.

We spent the night at a Novotel in Cambridge to be close to our surprise morning activity. The Novotel was pet-friendly and had access to a gym and pool which I treated myself to while Mike took some work calls. Then we rushed off to the center of Cambridge for a punting city tour! Our tour guide was a young guy just starting his 2nd week on the job – he told the perfect amount of fun facts such as David Attenborough’s attendance at Cambridge and the apple tree which is said to have inspired Isaac Newton 🙂

On our way to the start of the punting, we passed the Country Traditional Polish pottery shop – and naturally, I had to pop in afterward. Such a cute selection of handmade polish ceramics! I picked up an oven dish to gift to one of our upcoming stops. I chatted with the owner and told her about my mom’s shop’s story, it was refreshing to share stories. Who would have guessed!?

Lunch was next on the itinerary in Stamford (about an hour’s drive). Mike booked us a table for two in the garden of The George Hotel where he has previously stayed. I was a bit worried about Nacho’s behavior but we found a quiet table in a corner where he ended up relaxing on the cobblestones. The food was to die for, Iberico ham as a starter with scallops in butter (the best I’ve ever had). Paired with a crispy white wine and followed by spaghetti with lobster for me and lobster eggs benedict for Mike…I still dream of this meal!

Downton Abbey dreams in Stapleford … literally.

Next up was honestly my highlight of this trip, our stay at the Stapleford Park Hotel. Every single inch of this hotel and its 500 acres is absolute perfection. Driving down the lane to the main entrance gave me the same butterflies as the introduction to Downton Abbey ❤️ we couldn’t believe our eyes. The staff at the reception were so friendly and obsessed with Nacho who was welcome to roam around the outdoor areas off the lead.

Our jaws dropped as we climbed up the stately stairs to our room with a view of the former golf course, now taken over by fields of tall grass and wildflowers. Sheep were grazing in the grass right by the grounds and completed the dreamy landscape. I have never seen anything like it and immediately felt at peace. We stretched our legs and explored the grounds a bit before dining in the hotel restaurant. The food was delicious, and of course, I can’t complain about my company. Mike went for the ox tongue as a starter and then lamb rump, and I chose the tomatoes with aubergine and olive caviar followed by a veggie tatin. The herbs and some of the vegetables used by the chef are from the hotel’s garden, everything was delicious! A few fish bowl-sized glasses of blush rose later we were ready to hit the hay.

Off to family & friends 💫

After a relaxing morning and a beautiful breakfast in the pink dining area, we started our drive up to Harrogate to visit some family. The next two nights were spent with them and their children, a bit of a change for us but it’s always so nice to spend time with relatives. We dined outside, visited the local farm shop, and relaxed in the living room. Mike and his cousin went for a flying tour of Harrogate whilst the ladies went shopping in the center. I got all of the necessities – toffee, Betty’s tea, and a few English countryside-inspired souvenirs for ourselves.

Our next stop was some work friends who live in Preston! We took the small winding touristy road up to their home, which now sounds more romantic than how I felt at the time. I don’t easily get carsick, but this ride was rough! The roads are so small and unpredictable…I’ll bring some carsickness pills next time. Speaking of romance, our friends’ home was the most idealistic country home I’ve ever seen! With a private dead-end drive down to the property, their home was so charming and covered in wisteria. Their cockapoo Millie was a bit unsure about Nacho at first, but she accepted him eventually. We spent our time there walking along the canal and sitting in the sun at the local pub.

To be completely honest, the main reason for our trip to the UK was to hike one of the mountains that we will have to hike up during the 3 Peaks Challenge in a couple of weeks. However, we didn’t realize how far of a drive it was! We decided to settle for a big hill in the area and hiked up. The weather was great when we started, but once we reached the top clouds surrounded us and it started to rain. The way down was less pleasant as we couldn’t see anything, but we made it back in one piece. Regardless, the views were stunning!

Unfortunately, we needed to start our trip back down to Harwich. The drive was about six hours and we wanted to stay the night close to the ferry, but we stopped along the way for a few of my mandatory shop stops. Nothing beats a grocery shop abroad, so I spent a good forty-five minutes in a Tesco superstore admiring the selection. I bought Sauce Shop hot sauce, Nando’s chicken seasoning, orange marmalade, mint sauce, and some cake mixes.

Our last night was spent in The Pier in Harwich – a classic harbor hotel right at the shore. The room was as hot as a sauna and the night felt extra short thanks to the early alarm for Nacho’s morning walk, breakfast, and the 09:00 ferry departure. The ferry ride back home felt like a slow Sunday at home (luckily). We had pizza, binged Netflix, and relaxed in the cabin. Even though I truly felt sad to have to return to reality, this trip was the perfect getaway and we felt recharged once we returned to work the next day.