Take a well-deserved staycation in these Nordic woodland style lodges overlooking the glorious Yorkshire moors.
A Place in the Pines is a luxury glamping site based in Thimbleby, North Yorkshire. Created by outdoor enthusiast Matt, he found inspiration for the site in the Swiss Alps and brought it back to Yorkshire; creating two fabulous cabins nestled in a magical forest.
Image: A Place in the Pines
Each cabin has their own bathroom, kitchen, deck and personality. 'Coulter' came first, a rustic style lodge made with reclaimed wood from a local sawmill; soft furnishings and a large wood burner will keep you cosy at night after you've cooked up a storm using the BBQ on your private decking.
Coulter can accommodate two adults and one infant, making it the perfect weekend break for a family to escape the hustle and bustle of every day life. Step outside your front door in the morning and collect some fresh duck eggs from the honesty box for your breakfast.
Image: A Place in the Pines
The newest lodge, 'Lark' is a sleek Scandinavian inspired cabin with contemporary hand-made furnishings that can sleep two adults and two children. The real showstopper here though is the outdoor bathing deck where two handmade brass bathtubs are set undercover in your own private space. What could be more perfect than a long soak while gazing out at the rain or the stars in the night sky?
Image: A Place in the Pines
The whole cabin is completely insulated to ensure you are warm enough during the winter and cool in the summer. After enjoying your morning cuppa on the decking watching the sun stream through the plethora of pine trees, take a walk on the moors and wind down with a few drinks around the sunken fire pit in the evening.
On arrival you will receive a welcome hamper of Matt's handmade sloe gin, a jar of heavenly local honey and some tasty granola. If you need to stock up then the local farm shop is only a ten minute drive away where you can find the best and freshest produce to tuck into during your stay.
Image: A Place in the Pines
Although tempting to stay in and enjoy the beautiful lodges all day, there is so much to do around the site that you'll be spoilt for choice. Say hello to the sheep, pigs and ponies in the field next door or hop over the fence and explore the wonderful Yorkshire moors, no map necessary.
Image: A Place in the Pines.
Don't fancy cooking? Take a stroll to The Golden Lion in Osmotherley where you can enjoy some proper pub grub and sample a few local beers. Embark on an invigorating day rambling through the North York Moors National Park or take a day trip to the North Yorkshire coast which is only a half hour's drive away.
Image: A Place in the Pines
A Place in the Pines has everything you need for a staycation of a lifetime and Matt's personal touches, care and attention will make you feel right at home.
Prices start at £145 per night for Coulter and £250 for Lark. For more information on prices and how to book, take a peak at their website.
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Clementine Hall -
31st May 2022 
