Situated just off the B1261 between Cayton and Lebberston, the centre is well signposted down a meandering lane resplendent with
fragrant blossom.

We were keen to explore, but it wasn't a day for strenuous exercise so we decided to fortify ourselves with tea and cake before browsing the showrooms. Clutching two extremely wiggly babies, we successfully negotiated the beautiful stained glass displays leading to the tearooms without managing to break anything – result!

The dining area is situated in a large, airy glass conservatory that opens out onto an impressively maintained garden. Although the weather was idyllic and there was plenty of seating outside, we chose a table by one of the large glass panels to browse the menu.

The tearooms offer a generous selection of homemade cakes, light bites and drinks to suit a spectrum of appetites. Although the aroma of cooked breakfast coming from some of the other tables was enticing, we had only just eaten breakfast and couldn't quite justify another one, even in the name of research. Instead, we settled on toasted teacake with tea and coffee.

The teacake was rich and fruity and came with oozings of fresh butter, which was much appreciated by my daughter, who at seven months is already a cake connoisseur. Both drinks were hot and freshly made and served in pots that yielded an impressive three cups each, working out at just under 50p a cup!

The service was friendly but unobtrusive and this, coupled with the soporific sunshine and the generosity of the tea/coffee pots, meant it was nearly lunchtime before we roused ourselves from our table to investigate the rest of the centre. Even the wriggly babies seemed more relaxed, allowing us to browse without fear of wreaking havoc – a rare treat!

Overall rating *****
Value for money *****