Gorgeous afternoon teas in a hidden shepherd's hut

There are some places that are so special, I'm in two minds about sharing them. Betty's Vintage hut is one of these. Over the years I’ve carried out a lot of ‘research’ into special places for afternoon teas. The Waldorf, Langham, Café Royal in London, grand country house hotels, beautiful gardens, stately homes – you name it, whether it was for work (I’ve been paid for writing about cake – it’s an actual job…!) or pleasure, I’ve tried quite a few places.

Some have beautiful settings but disappointing food. Others have gorgeous food but surly staff. A few manage to get the setting, staff and sustenance just about right. But the best? It's right here in the Yorkshire Dales and it’s still a bit of a secret pleasure: Betty’s Vintage Hut. Owned and run by wonderful Ann, it's in a hidden spot in lesser-known Littondale. You have to book in advance.

Betty was Ann’s grandmother, who taught Ann to bake when she was four. Betty inspired her to go on to train as a chef and have her own café until quite recently.

Supposedly retired, Ann realised that she isn’t actually very good at sitting still. She bought the shepherd’s hut so she can cater for small pre-booked groups of up to 6 - 12 people. The shepherd's hut looks out on to open fields and has a wood burner so it's nice and cosy.

Ann bakes for most of the day to create an extraordinary range of sandwiches, savoury tarts and quiches, with sumptuous and creative cakes and pastries. She makes everything herself and constantly invents new treats. On the day we visited Ann was trying out her new gin and tonic tart – delicious.

Some of the afternoon teas I’ve tried feel a bit rationed. You glance at the plate and instantly calculate stomach space for exactly 3 small sandwiches and 3 cakes. That's not at all the case in Betty's Vintage Hut. Ann’s afternoon tea is incredibly generous. I don't think any of us have a clue how many tiny sandwiches, savoury delicacies and wonderful cakes we consumed. My daughter has a lot of different food allergies so she's used to sitting quietly or eating a couple of bland things while everyone else tucks in, but Ann had asked plenty of questions and double-checked detail, and then provided a special cake stand of treats.

When we first saw the table we were all delighted, tucking in, sampling and exclaiming as we went, ‘have you tried…’, 'Oh, this one is especially good...' Then delight turned to concern – how could we possibly finish everything? Ann reassured us, she had boxes ready for anything we didn’t eat.

A lot of places have jumped on the vintage bandwagon and it can feel a little tired and overdone. I’ve had afternoon tea in one place that had me looking round for dead bodies it felt so musty. This is the opposite. There are vintage touches such as the embroidered table cloth and tea service, but it isn’t fussy, keeping the overall feeling fresh and clean. The afternoon tea is incredibly good value and a wonderful memory for a small gathering.

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