The UK is filled with brilliant, beautiful towns packed with history and things to do and discover.
Pateley Bridge is one such example – Yorkshire Live‘s Samantha Teasdale was tasked with exploring it for herself.
Upon setting foot in a North Yorkshire town, my frugality was put to the test as I was surrounded by an array of tempting food options.
Nestled between Harrogate and Ripon, we navigated the winding roads to reach the quaint market town of Pateley Bridge.
Renowned for its award-winning food and drink, it was fortunate that we had eaten lightly for breakfast and I had just received my pay.
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We loved our visit to Pateley Bridge (Image: YorkshireLive)
I braced myself for what promised to be a costly yet delicious day. The first unavoidable expense was parking at the Southlands short stay car park, which cost £1.40 for a maximum stay of four hours – a reasonable price for such duration.
Emerging from the car park, we were immediately greeted by The Oldest Sweet Shop in England, recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest sweet shop. Stepping inside was a sensory delight.
I was astounded by the sheer volume of sweets, displayed on tables throughout the room and stacked from floor to ceiling behind the counter. Even my father was taken aback, recognising many childhood favourites, including Pontefract cakes.
Some of the many sweets on offer at The Oldest Sweet Shop in England, Pateley Bridge (Image: YorkshireLive)
Being the sensible adult that he is, with a better understanding of money, he requested a handful of Pontefract cakes and Lemon Drops for my mother, knowing she would adore them. This treat cost £3.60.
I, on the other hand, was quite literally like a child in a candy store, ordering everything from fudge to wine gums, resulting in a staggering bill of £34 but a very pleased partner at home, along with his family.
After purchasing and sampling the sweets, we started to feel a bit parched. Fortunately, our next stop on our tour was Cocoa Joes for a hot chocolate.
Pateley Pasty for our tea (Image: YorkshireLive)
The business, which also has a location in York, has been dubbed the best hot chocolate in the country and has won numerous awards – so we had to give it a try.
After selecting our preferred types of hot chocolate, my dad choosing Lait Supreme and myself a Golden Amber, we were able to determine whether or not this title was deserved.
At just under £9 for both, it was a pricey hot chocolate, but I do concur that it was one of the best I’ve ever tasted.
With our stomachs in mind, we crossed the road back to the award-winning Kendall’s Butchers.
Classic Crown Burgers at The Crown Inn, Pateley Bridge (Image: YorkshireLive)
After peering through the window, we realised we didn’t have anything at home for dinner, so the only solution was to try the Pateley Pasty.
Boasting a striking resemblance to a Cornwall Pasty, it was priced at a modest £4.90 and looked so tempting that we had to secure it in the car to resist devouring it on the spot.
After a leisurely stroll around the town, our hunger pangs led us to The Crown Inn where my father was delighted to find Theaksons bitter ale, a favourite from his youth.
We both opted for the Classic Crown Burger which was served with chips, coleslaw, salad and onion rings, setting us back £16 each. Including drinks, the entire meal came to £38.40.
Despite a brief 10-minute power outage, the delicious food made it worth every penny – even if we did joke about washing dishes as we only had card to pay.
In conclusion, our day trip to the charming town of Patelely Bridge was thoroughly enjoyable. Although my bank balance took a hit, the experience was well worth the expense.
