Café Review: Annie’s at Canal Yard (Oct17)

We have had no coffee and food stops for a while – so must be time to consult TVAM’s coffee stop list. I have 4 tearoom recommendations that I hope you will enjoy for their location, quality of food and biker friendly welcome. The first is Annie’s at Canal Yard (anniestearoom.co.uk) at Thrupp, near Kidlington OX5 1JZ, reached after crossing the lifting bridge over the South Oxford canal. Although the café has limited seating inside, there are many picnic tables outside overlooking the canal basin. A reserved area of scraped earth and scalpings provides additional parking.

The second is TT Linnet at 41 High Street, Highworth, SN6 7BG. This is a newish mother/daughter owned and run establishment, with a choice of rooms that overlooks the market place car park.

Finally, Lechlade has two worth a visit, the Lynwood and Co Café, Market Square, GL7 3AD

…and the very traditional Tea Chest, Park End Wharf, GL7 3AQ which has its own riverside hard-tarmac parking.

CAFE REVIEW New Forest Minstead Village Shop and Tea Room (Jan 17)

Some time ago, I had the pleasure of joining a Mark Spittles’ group run through the New Forest. It was one of those memorable rides and my introduction to exploring the ancient commons and medieval woodland with the wild ponies and cattle. The contribution made by the 12 airfields is marked by the Airfield Memorial at Holmsley, and at Ashley Walk there are the remains of the 5,000 acre bombing range where Barnes Wallace tested his famous Dambuster bouncing bomb, and the 22,000lb Grand Slam earthquake weapon for penetrating the German U boat pens. The Minstead Village Shop and Tea Room sits between Lyndhurst and the A31 across the village green from the Trusty Servant pub and small village car park. You are assured of a warm welcome as you enter this eclectic tearoom with its tasteful combination of lounge, café, and shop serving the local  community; it was the perfect place to stop for lunch and enjoy a pot of tea. In addition to a printed menu there was a ‘specials’ board of pies, soup, chilli bowl and apple pie plus cakes and lite bites. My locally produced Hunts Farm sausage on a bed of hot buttered sour dough would not have been out of place on Master Chef. The number of tables inside and out is limited so please ring ahead for groups greater than four. For more details go to Minstead Village Shop

Bryan Symons