With all our rides, not just the Steadies (aka Tea Shop Titans), the tea/coffee shop stop is an essential feature of the ride. Fuelling up with caffeine and calories, the better to power up those hills between cafe and home.
Our thanks to Mike Waite for providing an exhaustive list, across several counties and including grid references, of cafes/pubs/tearooms etc. There is something for everyone for whichever route you care to take.
Click HERE to view or download this (potentially detrimental to your waistline) document and ENJOY!
PS: These are all tried and tested mid-week stops, so if you’re planning a Sunday ride it might be worth checking that your essential nutrition stop of choice is open. Cheers, Andrea.
The Perfect Bacon Sarnie/Breakfast Bap
I have long since come to the conclusion that the three most important elements of a good tea stop shop are, somewhere safe to ‘park’ the bikes, great food, and a decent cup of proper coffee (or tea, for the tea drinkers). Of course great company is essential too, but that goes without saying! Other aspects are important, e.g., loos etc but are definately of secondary importance. Since joining the club in April ’09, I have had the pleasure of sitting in many a cafe, in various degrees of exhaustion and in all weathers. Essential nutrition being such an important part of any ride, I undertook the mission of finding the perfect bacon sarnie and have applied an almost religious zeal in my quest, not to mention the danger factor (to my waistline).
I can now share with you, fellow club members, that my quest may well be at an end. There are two main contenders in this category.
Firstly, the Monument Cafe at Ashridge, where for a mere £3.50 you can purchase a bacon, sausage and egg bap. Yum. Sadly, no indoor seating area so not a great option for the winter months. However, the bap is awesome and certainly helps increase your downhill speed to Aldbury via Thom Hill. This definately wins, hands down, the tasty grub and low budget prize!
Secondly, The Waddesdon Deli at Westcott. Here you can purchase a proper white bread doorstep of a sandwich made with juicy, thick, smoked back bacon cooked to perfection by Sandy and worth every single penny. Also the cakes are almost with compare, but more of that another day. Should you wish to check out this marvel of culinary splendiferousness then visit the website for directions www.waddesdondeli.co.uk. It’s located on the Ashendon to Westcott road. PS: our thanks to A. Lane for finding this jewel of a tea/coffee stop.