The petite village of Haworth hides among the evocative West Yorkshire moors; Brontë country, all swathes of heather and skittish grouse. Enchanting vintage treasure troves, quaint bookshops and enticing bakeries line the main stretch of cobbles, but my favourite place to escape the winter chill is Cobbles and Clay.

The food is wholesome, healthy and delicious, and the cakes are just the right amount of naughty, but this unassuming wood-furnished cafe also offers pottery painting!

I’ve eaten here a handful of times but never indulged my crafty side, so after polishing off a bowl of freshly-made mushroom soup, I went upstairs to choose my pottery. From owls and dinosaurs to mugs and coasters, there’s no shortage of choice, and I had a hard time choosing. In the end my love for all things bushy-tailed won over, and I set to work bringing my adorable fox to life.

Totally immersed in making my fox look as lifelike as possible, I swapped and changed brushes, chatted away to my boyfriend, and when things got tricky, passed him my project. While he put his art qualifications to work I gazed out onto the cobbles, watching intriguing passers-by and characterful dogs. I can’t remember the last time I relaxed so completely; such a lovely way to while away a chilly afternoon.

Images by Charlotte Varela