High Tea at Tea Rooms at the Pet Cemetery | Not as Bizarre as You Might Think

This weekend I travelled up to the end of the Earth North Wales to visit one of my best friends, Beth, for her birthday. It's amazing what a couple of days of good company and fresh country air can do for you. It can even undo the stress associated with the five hour train journey there on a cramped Arriva train that has no plug sockets and where a packet of Quavers will set you back £1.10. 

In anticipation of another equally uncomfortable journey home, Beth decided we should pop out for a nice breakfast and recommended the nearby Tea Rooms at the Pet Cemetery in Hollywell. I know what you're thinking because I thought the same myself. Why are you taking me to an animal burial ground for a fry-up? Isn't there a Spoons somewhere around here instead? But I was pleasantly surprised.

As morbid and, frankly, bizarre as the idea of high tea in a pet cemetery initially seemed. as we drove up to the tea rooms, surrounded by sloping green fields with a little duck pond off to one side, I immediately got on board. The building itself is absolutely beautiful. With it's large stone walls it looks like something out of a fairytale. 

It wasn't particularly big inside, but, while it felt very cosy and intimate, it was also light, airy and not at all cramped or stuffy. The tables were laid with adorable china plates and I really did feel like I should throw on a petticoat and a pair of fancy gloves and do a bit of curtsying  (nothing new there, though). 

And what of the menu? As well as a a few different tea options that came with an assortment of little sandwiches, cakes, scones, and generally all things elegant and scrumptious, there were breakfast options and soups. And let's not forget the assortment of teas and coffees, all of which were re-fillable at no extra cost to ensure they never went cold. I could have cried for joy when the waiter told us this little nugget because, let's face it, there's nothing worse than a cold cup of tea.

I opted for a vegetarian cooked breakfast minus the beans (I'd rather wrestle a giant squid than be faced with a plate of baked beans, but that's a personal preference). At £6.60, it was a bargain. My plate was absolutely packed (though it didn't stay that way for long) and the food was cooked to perfection. Some of the other girls ordered high tea for two, which at £18 is both the ultimate pick n' mix of all things yummy and an excellent opportunity to pretend you're a princess. 

As well as the beautiful surroundings and the tasty food, the service was outstanding. Our waiter was very friendly and approachable and made us feel like nothing was too much trouble. In fact, all the members of staff we came across were wonderful. At one point (once we were finished stuffing our faces) the chef even came over to ask how we'd enjoyed the cakes. From start to finish I felt like everyone there genuinely wanted us to enjoy our experience. And we certainly did!

I'm already planning my next trip to Tea Rooms at the Pet Cemetery. It's worth all the cramped train rides and overpriced packets of crisps in the world!