Former Great British Bake Off winner David Atherton reveals his favourite Yorkshire coast spots

The Yorkshire baker is the face of a new campaign to promote the region as one of the UK’s top food and travel destinations in 2024.

He has collaborated with the brains behind Yorkshire’s ultimate road trip, ‘Route YC,’ in order to promote the stunning Yorkshire Coast as a dream destination for staycations and day trips - and if you happen to have a dog then even better.

From succulent seafood restaurants to bustling bistros and cute and cosy coffee shops David is exploring the Yorkshire Coast stopping off at six idyllic destinations along the way.

David interviews some of the owners of the tearooms and bakeries which “define what makes, not just a good, but a really great place to have a slice of cake” and the charm of Scarborough, Whitby, Hornsea, Bridlington, Filey, and Withernsea all feature in four episodes, live on the North York Moors National Park’s website and YouTube channels.

Botham’s bakery and tearoom on Skinner Street in Whitby offers a true taste of Yorkshire, including Whitby Lemon Buns and Whitby Gingerbread.

Wolds Restaurant at Orchard Lodge in Flixton is the only two AA Rosette restaurant in the Scarborough area. Wolds showcases locally-grown, sustainable and seasonal food.

A personal favourite for David is Marie Antoinette's on Church Street in Whitby, which he believes serves the best scones on the Yorkshire Coast and The Farrier at Cayton is a modern luxury restaurant with rooms where dogs are also welcomed as part of the family throughout the day.

David, 41, from from Ruswarp near Whitby is bursting with pride - for his victorious GBBO win five years ago and for the county of Yorkshire itself. So much so that he says he feels more "Yorkshire" than British and thinks his roots helped equip him with the tools needed to cope with the famous tent and the aftermath of his win.

"Great British Bake Off is one of the things I am always most proud of. When I used to watch it, every year there's someone from Scotland or there's someone from Wales, but there's always people from Yorkshire and the Yorkshire people always do well.

"So I was really proud. I've always seen myself more as a Yorkshireman than a British person. So I was actually quite proud just to represent Yorkshire on the Great British Bake Off.

"Everyone that gets on the programme can bake. But there's other things that make it so you're good for the Great British Bake Off. Maybe it is something about the character of Yorkshire people that we're usually relatively calm and we don't get too over excited by things.

"That's probably one of the best things for Bake Off - to keep a level head and to keep calm, even if things are going a bit mad around you."

Having established a name for himself on the show David has equally been as proud to take part in Route YC.

He says: "I think Yorkshire is a great county. The UK as a whole has so much to offer. I always love the opportunity to be able to come back to Yorkshire if it's food festivals and route YC is a new project which is looking to celebrate the Yorkshire coast in particular.

"The Yorkshire coast itself is very diverse as well. You have little towns and villages that are down in smugglers caverns. But you also have a lot of the countryside that is around the coast as well, which is really, really beautiful.

"And on top of that, you have really good produce. There's so many good cafes and places and restaurants and places to eat along the way.

"I think one of the amazing things that people don't realise is the link between the really beautiful countryside and then the Yorkshire coast.

"So just being able to wake up and go for a hike and then you'll be rewarded multiple times along the way with some nice baked goods, you'll always you're not far away from a nice cafe or a tea room and things.

"That's my favourite thing - getting out into the countryside getting fresh air, but then being rewarded with cake along the way."

Equally, David loves how dog friendly the eateries around the coast are. And just how easy it is now to go on a charming 'staycation' with your furry friend.

He says we have always been a nation that loves dogs but it's sometimes been difficult to take your dog on holiday. Route YC is celebrating the UK and these staycations.

“It's really nice to be able to take your dog on holiday and I was very surprised, for example, in Scarborough, how many places are dog friendly.

"It's just incredible. In some places, you'd think it's actually more for dogs and they're human friendly places.

“We stayed in a place called Bike and Boot in Scarborough. It's right on the front so you can hear the waves and just see the sea outside your window. They're really dog friendly there, you go down for breakfast and everyone has a dog which is amazing.

"But it's quite spacious so, even if you were on your own without a dog, it wouldn't matter. And I've got to mention having a scone at Marie Antoinette's on Church Street. You walk up the cobbled street and then it's a little tiny cafe and they make proper home-made scones and they're really, really good."

David says he feels the UK has finally left its reputation for bad food behind and we Brits have embraced a more foodie culture, with some old school cooking and baking becoming ever popular.

"I think we're definitely more into baking and foodie things now, “ he says. “There was a time in the UK, especially going way back to the seventies, where food definitely went through a bad period with the advent of microwaves and doing that kind of thing to food.

"I think one of the key things has been that there's been a look back to tradition and looking at the way people used to do things and in Yorkshire in particular I think people do have quite a traditional view. And now they're becoming really popular again.

"But also Yorkshire people, we're very friendly and we like to serve. And so maybe that's one of the reasons we make good cakes - because we want to give them to other people."

David's future plans include bringing out a new kids cookbook next year. And he also continues to work three days a week as a nurse.

“I'm one of the people from Bake Off where, any opportunity that comes along, I'll take it but I still do work for three days as a nurse. I never wanted to lose my profession because I trained all that time. And I love the work.

"There's the people who are the real super fans of Bake Off. And I can be in a clinic with a face mask on, and people will recognise me from my voice, which I find very bizarre. I go to the Malton Food Festival in Yorkshire, and lots of people recognise me so it's still nice to get that recognition."