A FAMOUS food critic once said that you can judge a restaurant by its crme brule. If that is the case, then the Ryedale Country Lodge, at Nunnington, near Helmsley, must be very, very good.

Not only was the brule the perfect point of crunchiness and the crme the perfect point of creaminess, but the pudding itself also came mob-handed with fresh fruit and Chantilly cream and a home-made shortbread biscuit. I could have asked for two spoons.

Dining in the elegant conservatory is just part of the intimate experience of Ryedale Lodge, chosen as one of only three best places to stay in the region in the Which Hotel Guide 2002 - and selected for its "romantic escapism". This former station house of the long-closed Gilling to Pickering branch line, set in four acres of pretty gardens, has the most stunning views over the North York Moors and is the perfect hideaway for an indulgent weekend.

Owners Peter Handley, 53, and his Norwegian-born wife Gerd took over Ryedale Lodge four years ago after "retiring" from the Abbey Inn at nearby Byland Abbey. And they have certainly made their mark. Each of the seven bedrooms is individually designed with lots of pretty drapes, chintz and carefully-chosen pieces of user-friendly antique furniture.

Before dinner, everyone congregates in the lounge for drinks and a long look at the menu. (Perhaps even longer than was first intentioned as a production error produced menus the size of a good broadsheet newspaper - but at least you don't need your specs). Chef Robert Thompson, formerly at the Black Swan at Helmsley, has really put his stamp on the menu with lots of fish and game dishes, while Gerd Handley's Scandinavian influence is well-represented with an amazing selection of seafood.

Starters included crab tartlet, goat's cheese, garlic and herb mousse, and a seafood platter that should qualify for the Guinness Book of Records for sheer variety. Main course choices were from pigeon breasts on a compote of venison sausages, guinea fowl in a sherry sauce, game casserole or Gressingham duck. Then coffee and chocolates back in the lounge... and so to bed.

Ryedale Lodge is nicely placed to explore the surrounding countryside and the delightful towns and villages of the dale. But one of the rarest jewels in this crown must be Rievaulx Abbey, a soaring testament to the medieval wealth and power of the Cistercian monastic order.

You need time to take in the magnitude of these incredible ruins, to experience the serenity of the remains of the first Cistercian monastery in the North of England. And you can discover what made the order so wealthy. In the exhibition, The Work of God and Man, winner of the Interpret Britain Award 2000, you can see how the monks blended religion and commerce, from rearing sheep to leather tanning, glass production and iron smelting. From March to November, you can also walk the half-mile grass-covered terrace with vistas over the Abbey and Rye Valley to Ryedale and the Howardian Hills.

Over at Pickering is the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where you can take a steam-hauled train 18 miles to Grosmont, calling at Goathland, now made famous as Aidensfield in the TV series Heartbeat. The line runs special events, such as the Santa Specials, and dining services are available all year.

If museums are your thing, then you can be transported to wartime Britain at the Eden Camp Theme Museum at Malton, or re-live the life of a country vet at the James Herriot museum at Thirsk.

Stately homes tend to close during the winter, but in the summer you are spoiled for choice. Nearby there's the "grandest house in the North of England", Vanbrugh's Castle Howard; Duncombe Park at Helmsley; and the 17th Century manor house, Nunnington Hall.

FACTFILE

Ryedale Country Lodge, Nunnington, near Helmsley. Tel: (01439) 748246.

Bed and breakfast £37.50 per person. Three-course dinner around £25 per person.

Rievaulx Abbey, Helmsley. Open all year. Admission, adults £3.60, concessions £2.70, children £1.80. Under 5s free. Tel: (01439) 798228.

Eden Camp, Malton. Open all year. Admission, adults £4, children/concessions £3. Tel: (01653) 697777

The World of James Heriott, Thirsk. Open all year. Admission, adults £4.50, children £3.20, concessions £3.50. Tel: (01845) 524234

North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering. Santa specials £7.50 per person. Tel (01751) 472508.