Now, we realise that you don’t want to be thinking about Christmas in June but we thought we’d give you a gentle nudge to save you disappointment later in the year …

Here’s how you could be spending this Christmas.

Treat your mum to lunch, dinner or a stay on the day that celebrates how truly fabulous she is. You can be sure it will put a smile on her face.

Take a look at our Mother’s day lunch menu here.

Call us on 01751 472288 or email welome@white-swan.co.uk.

Easter is just a few weeks away and if you are looking for a family break you need look no further. Your children are truly welcome here and there’s plenty to keep little ones busy in the surrounding area, check out our Pinterest Board for inspiration – http://www.pinterest.com/thewhiteswaninn/family-friendly-days-out/

So were you one of those children that liked to rearrange the furniture in their bedrooms every so often?  I definitely fell into that camp and the urge to do something new with furniture & decorating is never stronger at this time of year.  Maybe it is the hope that once spring has sprung the house will look beautiful despite the dirty windows or maybe it is because we are more housebound through the winter months and want to make the most of our surroundings?  The White Swan Inn can help you with all of the above!!!

We have put together a lovely reason to come and have a few days at The White Swan Inn. Enjoy the cosy, spoiling surroundings possibly even sleeping in one of our beautiful antique beds AND making the most of the charming antique shops and inspiring auction houses that really are on our doorstep.

You can start by walking out the front door onto the market place and by foot there are five shops including one market that will whet your appetite for that inspirational find.

Armed with a packed hamper lunch from Feast, our deli next door, jump in the car and head to Thornton Dale, next is a stop off in Snainton before heading further east to the seaside and Scarborough. We will give you directions to a couple of shops and an auction house then suggest you head north to Whitby – maybe have a stroll round the old town & a cup of tea while you make a few discoveries and enjoy the sea air.  Next head to the town’s auction house before driving back over the moors through Glaisdale, Kildale, Hutton le Hole and Kirkbymoorside.  And enjoying a slice of our beautiful county on the way.

There’s another couple of shops to explore here and a brilliant auction house – maybe leave a bid or ask them to call you so you can bid on the telephone at their next sale – very exciting.  Then it is a fifteen minute drive back to Pickering and to us to the bar for some refreshments in front of the fire and a slap up supper.

For more information on our antiques trail call reception on 01751 472288 or email us at welcome@white-swan.co.uk.

Marion

Oh nöel it’s that time of year again when we start writing lists and generally need to get organised to insure against a Christmas Eve headless chicken (or turkey!) feeling.  Forget panic buying of dodgy aftershave in the local chemist or a box of whatever the BP garage might have.  The White Swan and Feast can help with your every need!

From gift ideas and tasty treats to take home from Feast – they love a bit of feastive spirit in our deli! To vouchers for dinner, lunch or a stay at The White Swan – wouldn’t it be nice to see a face you love light up with a gift that they would really & truly enjoy.

AND we still have a few spaces for dinner and a room or two for New Years Eve so if the thought of Christmas at home is leaving you frazzled then think how lovely it might be to get that over with and jump in the car for some proper rest and relaxation!  We are open all the way through December and January – think about some fresh air, bracing walks, a trip on the steam railway and some delicious food – wouldn’t that treat make it all infinitely more bearable?

We had to go home today but first we went to Feast as Mum said that after such a lovely week there was no way she was going to do any cooking all weekend – Dad made a face but said it was a good idea.  She bought LOADS but it all looks yummy and there was even some white chocolate raspberry blondie brownies which I cannot wait to eat.  I got that bug and my sister got that telescope thing – Mum even managed to buy some Christmas presents – is that soon?  We said we had to make a calendar when we got home so we could tick off the days!

 REASONS I LIKE THE WHITE SWAN

1 – It is in Yorkshire which is not far and I can read the menus myself

2 – There are really cool things to do close by – we didn’t even get to do half of what we wanted

3 – Everyone that works there smiles at you and they give you extra fish and chips if you say you like them a lot

4 – You can even bring your dog if you want – there were two staying with their owners and they didn’t mind us stroking them at all

5 – They have even more DVDs than I have EVER seen and Mum says they are very child friendly (whatever that means)

Mum says that we might come again and bring Granny and Grandpa – Dad made another funny face and said that was a really good idea!

Thomas (Age 10)

We were very excited and Dad went to get our picnic from Feast – it took him so long that mum thinks he had a quiet coffee and a read of the newspaper!  There were costume and colouring competitions and a display of creepy crawlies with a chance to ask questions and handle the bugs and animals – At Levisham there was the pumpkin trail and some falcons – I didn’t really fancy touching them but some children did – it would have been better if there had been an owl. When we got to Goathland station we took part in apple bobbing and searched for hidden pumpkins around the station. At Grosmont which is the last station there was even a magician and we finally finished the pumpkin trail.  The train back to Pickering was quiet compared to the one in the morning – I think some people were tired!

While we were having our fish and chips last night one of the waiters told us about a bird of prey centre which was only twenty minutes away – he said it was great so we decided to give it a go today.

We got there in time for the 11.30 flying display – there was  a man and a lady who walked down to where we were sitting with a bird perched on their arm – there was an owl and a harris hawk – my sister liked the owl best and it even came and sat next to her.  We learned all about the different birds there and then you can walk round and see them in their aviaries.  It is in the grounds of a house called Duncombe Park which Mum said was where this program called Parade’s End was filmed – Dad made a face and said something about a costume drama.

We had an early tea again and a DVD but they gave some owl colouring in to do which was great.

Today we went to Castle Howard which is not like a Castle at all but it is the most ginormous house I have ever seen.  There were some shops but not too many which was good (Why do girls like shops so much – they are too weird.  Dad said that we had better keep them happy and look in), there was a really cool adventure playground and we did a terrifying tree trail outside which was brilliant! Then Mum and Dad wanted to look inside, there was some massive rooms with lots of paintings in them and an exhibition about wars which was pretty interesting.

We went back to the White Swan and the lady suggested that we might like some Fish and Chips which was the best idea ever!

There is a big forest five minutes from Pickering and it has amazing playparks, a visitor centre AND they had the world mountain biking championships there.  That nice lady from the White Swan had organised for us all to hire bikes from the Big Bear Mountain biking shop and they were so nice they even came and picked us up with the bikes and took us to the forest!!!  Mum and I went to get picnic from Feast which is the White Swan’s deli and I will definitely be going back to spend the £5 that Granny gave me – there is this cool bug with googly eyes and my sister wants a telescope with pretty shapes in it (weird!)  We went to the forest which was ACE – the man from the bike shop took us on a two hour tour with a few breaks – it was cool and after lunch he dropped us back a at the White Swan.  We all got into Mum and Dad’s bed (then Dad got out!) and watched some telly and we had the yummy steak night menu in the restaurant with the grown ups.  My sister wore a dress – yuck!