We have just returned from a walk around falling foss and May Beck.

The trees are all out with new crisp green leaves and the stream was babbling along, but the greatest thing was the warmth from the sun.

Dare we raise our expectations that summer has arrived?  After following Manetta’s directions we eventually found the Tea Garden at Midge Hall.

The open air tea garden was brilliant, everything was served from what can only be described as a castaways hide. Good simple food, in the open reasonably priced.

A good find. For more details checkout their website www.fallingfossteagarden.co.uk.

An exciting global astronomical event is on its way – the transit of Venus 2012.

A rare phenomenon where one astronomical body appears to pass in front of another, the planet Venus will visibly cross the disk of the Sun.

Transits are very rare, occurring only twice every hundred years.

In 1768, Captain James Cook, a talented astronomer as well as a skilled seaman, made an epic voyage to the exotic island of Tahiti in order to observe a transit of Venus.

This was one of the most expensive voyages Britain had ever commissioned, but the observations allowed scientists to accurately calculate the size of the solar system for the first time.

Wednesday 6 June will be the last chance in our lifetime to witness a transit of Venus – the next one will take place in 2117.

The Captain Cook Memorial Museum begins the count-down to the transit and has teamed up with the Whitby and District Astronomical Society to present three days of Venus-themed activities and star parties to remember – complete with telescopes, solar-viewing demonstrations and special planetarium shows.

Looking at the Sun with the naked eye can be dangerous so the WDAS will advise how you can safely view the event.

There will also be a display of original Cook material relating to the 1769 transit. Activities will kick-off at the museum in Grape Lane from 1pm on Sunday 3 June, 11am Monday 4th and 11am Tuesday 5th.

The transit itself will take place from sunrise, approx 4.30am, on 6 June (viewing on the West Cliff).

This is a must for astronomical enthusiasts young and old.

For more information call the museum on (01947) 601900 or the astronomical society on (01947) 605516.

Eagle -eyed rugby fans would have spotted Super League Champions, Leeds Rhinos, doing a spot of mid-season training on the beach on Tuesday morning.

The team were staying in town for its mid season development camp at Raithwaite Hall.

The North Yorks Moor Railway will have the largest number of trains running between Whitby and Pickering in more than half a century this summer.
From saturday 2nd June – 10 june there will be train every two hours leaving Whitby and Pickering.More details are available at www.nymr.co.uk

The Archbishop of York John Sentamu is to celebrate Pentecost – (the birth of the church) in Whitby Abbey on Saturday 26 May at noon.
People are encouraged to come with deckchairs, have a picnic and enjoy the occasion.
Free tickets available form Parish office 01947 606578

The Tea Guild Awards, now in their 27th year, are considered the ‘Oscars’ of afternoon tea industry, with the best tea rooms in Britain competing for the hugely coveted honour.
The Tea Guild has awarded 38 special Awards of Excellence to tea rooms across Britain in recognition of their outstanding quality and consistently high standards in tea service.

Perry’s River Garden Cafe on The Carrs at Briggswath has been named as one of the best budget eats along the Yorkshire Coast – and for the second year.

The Guardian wrote: “Part of Perry’s Plants – a quaint, idiosyncratic commercial nursery, that also comprises an 18 hole putting green – there has been a tearooms on this site for over 100 years, and little wonder”.

A programme of events celebrating the 60th anniversary of the creation of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park is being held

at the Moors centre in Danby (13 May -17July).

Six respected local artists will be joined by  Photographer Joe Cornish and Glass artists, Gillies Jones.

For more information log on to  www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/exhibitions

or telephone 01439 772738

A host of big names are Playing at the Open Air Theatre in Scarborough over the summer:

Dionne Warwick  – 4 June

Olly Murs  – 15 July

Russell Watson  –  4 August

JLS   –  18 August

For more information 01723 383636

As the big weekend draws near we are preparing to decorate the house accordingly.  There will be extra treats for anyone lucky enough to have booked with us.  Whitby will also be represented in the flottila pageant on the Thames.

The old Whitby lifeboat the William Riley will take its proud part, as she is rowed down the thames accompanying the Queens barge.  Keep your eyes peeled, you may see her on the TV!