north york moors on sat with a baby and possibly crap weather - any suggestions?

[Moulesfrites]

We are staying near Pickering, will be my dh and my mum and 8mo ds. We have been before and have done the steam train to Whitby and day trip to York. Was thinking of Rievaulx abbey but will this be silly if weather bad? Are there any nice tea rooms, farm shops, places with animals where we could mooch?

Oh, and no to Flamingo Land!!!

A few thoughts on things nearish to Pickering... (I can't figure out how to do links, but if you google then they've all got websites I think).

Castle Howard
Cedar Barn Farm Shop
Dalby Forest (great for walks and lovely visitors centre/tea shop)
Yorkshire Lavender at Terrington
Old Dutch Pancake House
Balloon Tree Farm Shop
Helmsley and Helmsley Castle
Playdales Childrens Farm
Scampston House and Gardens
Farmer's Cart Farm Shop (has lots of animals too).

Will see if I can think of anything else.

oooh a very comprehansive list thank you! Will get googling!

forgot we did Castle Howard and Scampston gardens last time too!

we stayed near pickering this summer - such a lovely part of the world.
it doesn't take long to get into York, so you could try the York castle museum or the National Rail Museum if it's really wet.

If it's just cold I would go to rievaulx as it's just spectacular.

Playdale is fab, its between cayton and staxton hill near Scarborough