Tour de Gateaux stage 1 to Aldeburgh (Coffee Den at Pura Vida, Wortwell)

Coffee Den at Pura Vida Garden centre,

Wortwell,

Tue-Sun 9.30-3.00

Highly Recommended

To celebrate getting back on the bike properly then this year I have decide to organise a few 2 day rides that will be part of the first ever Tour de Gateaux. Unlike other stage races on the international bike scene, the Tour de Gateaux always has a cafe stop half way through where points are awarded for eating cake for the cake eating points prize. There are also prizes for stages wins and the overall general classification.

Entry is by invite only where the only criteria is that I think I can ride faster than you. I therefore hand picked seven of my regular cycling guests to join me on the Grande de Part. The first two stages were Norwich to Aldeburgh and  Aldeburgh to Norwich. I inadvertently forgot to mention to the other seven that it was a race to further increase my chances of winning.

Unfortunately it was a wet and windy start as the peleton left Norwich and headed for the first compulsory cafe stop at Beccles. 

part of the peleton dealing with the unseasonable conditions

I had kindly offered to carry Mrs.Crusader’s overnight kit on my bike. The 1st law of packing states that the amount of stuff taken will always fill the the luggage space available however long the trip. Knowing this law I made sure I gave her the smallest pannier I could find. Which as predicted came back full to the brim.

Lunch was at Twyfords in Beccles which appears to be a very popular and rather expensive cafe (£5.95 for a slice of cake!). 

It claims to have a secret garden although not much of a secret as it advertises the fact. I had been here once before so was keen to check the ratings. See previous review for up to date cafe scores etc Wet, wet, wet.

Outside Twyfords where there is sadly little bike parking

The staff were very friendly and the drinks all scored well. As cake was so expensive I was the only one that had any so this put me straight to the top of the cake eating leader board. It was a salted caramel sponge which was nice but not spectacular. Note to self I must remember to tell the others about the cake eating competition.

Very expensive cake

We also had lunch which everyone seemed to enjoy. By the time we left there was a big queue waiting for tables so it seems to be a very popular joint.

Unfortunately the rain had got heavier and wind stronger as we set off again towards Aldeburgh but Mrs Frazer was very excited when she got to cycle across a golf course.

Cycling across the 11th hole at Thorpeness

As we approached the final couple of kms the road turned along the sea front and straight into a head wind. There was only me and old school cyclist Dom left as the rest of the riders had been blown away. Dom attempted the old trick of sitting on my wheel to shield from the wind before trying to sprint past but he went about a mile too soon so I was able to repeat his trick and had a big lead as we went under the flan rouge. The stage and tour leaders Maglia Rosa Jersey was mine.

After a relaxed evening then stage 2 was due to start at 9:45 but as usual the group had an over long breakfast and faffing to fit in so were far from ready on time.

Pre ride faffing

I waited patiently in my bright pink tour leaders Jersey for the rest of the peleton to finally arrive.

Proudly wearing my the tour leaders Jersey

Before setting off we decided to ask a passing dog walker to take a group photo which didn't quite come out as hoped but I'm sure you get the idea.

Team photo plus passing dogwalkers finger

Fuelled by an overlong breakfast the group set off at a good speed until the first controversary of the day when Barry and Helen and their tandem were spotted mechanically doping as it was discover Barry's so called water bottle was in fact a battery for an E-tandem! And they were thrown out of todays stage.

Disgraceful display of blatant mechanical doping

Todays lunch stop was at the coffee den at Pura Vida garden centre where the cafe seems the bigger attraction.

Wondering where the rest of group had got to as I arrive at 

There was plenty of indoor and outdoor seating plus and indoor/outdoor fusion seating area, which looked very comfy but sadly full.

There was a solid cake selection to select from which the nice waitress lady could recite by heart.

Today’s cake selection 

The drinks went down well and scored highly but despite me explaining the cake points competition to everyone yesterday only me and Helen had any cake, and she had already been DQed.

The only cakes eaten today

Everyone else had more traditional lunchtime fare and it was agreed this was a very good cycle cafe stop and I highly recommend a visit.

As the ride neared it’s end the peleton started to spread out, but as cycling host I decide to wait up from time to time to make sure everyone was still on route and alive.

Part of strung out peleton 

But as we neared the end Andrew (who is notoriously hard to please) didn't wait nicely and set of on an outrageous break to claim the stage (but not the jersey). He may have won the day but has turnned the cycling public against him for such unsportsmanlike behaviour. 

Andrew starts his dash for the line

The tour now heads to North Norfolk at the end of May for the next two stages.

Scores for Coffee Den at Pura Vida based on 2 visits. Most recent 12th May 2022

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
6..5	7	7.25	7.5	7.3	7.11

Route

Vegantastic (Salthouse Stores, Salthouse)

Salthouse Stores,

Salthouse,

Mon-Sat 08:30-4:00, Sun 8:30-1.00

Highly Recommended

I'm not sure if I mentioned it in previous posts but I got a knee injury last Autumn which needed an operation and I was on crutches for 7 weeks (oh apparently I have mentioned it).

But this week I was back on the bike for the first cafe review since last October! And as it turned out it was a cracker.

After all the warm weather of a few weeks ago then, as soon as I was ready to join in again it got distinctly colder and windier, but I wasn't to be put off and met up with Andrew (who is still notoriously hard to please) at Hard to Please House in Aylsham. Andrew was in charge of the route and I had chosen Salthouse Stores as our destination.

It was a tough 20 odd mile ride up to the North Norfolk coast into the wind. Fortunately I had been able to keep up some semblance of fitness by using my indoor bike and plenty of crutch based walking. As usual we attempted to solve the worlds problems as we cycled along but they seem to have got a deal trickier since our last ride.

Despite the strong headwind it was so nice being on a cafe cycle review ride that for once I didn't whinge about how windy Norfolk was, so before I knew it we had pulled up outside the Salthouse stores.

Outside the lovely Salthouse Stores

Andrew had been rather hard to please in persuading him that this was a good destination as he thought it was mainly a shop and had very low expectations of the quality of the refreshments.

However once inside we found a very good selection of cakes and a good range of coffee. They even had his favourite, a cortado. I was also super pleased to be offered a milk or dark hot chocolate and went for dark, obvs.

As I'm in touch with environmental issues I know Veganism is a good thing so I have decided to highlight if the cafe has any vegan offerings or not and from now on will indicate if a cafe is Vegantastic.

Well as a first one then the Salthouse stores is defiantly vegantastic, with knobs on, as all its cakes range was vegan. 

All the cakes were Vegan and there was a Vegan sausage roll too

I went for a black cherry slice and Andrew banana and cherry loaf.

We decide to sit inside in the smallest indoor seating area I've so far come across. It had a couple of stools at a window style breakfast bar and not even room for any cat swinging (I'm note sure if cat swinging is a thing anymore or even if I'm allowed to mention it). It was a great space with views over the marshes only spoilt with a big red van in the way.

The smallest indoor seating area to date

Our refreshments soon arrived and both the cakes and drinks were excellent . Andrew even said his banana and cherry loaf was the best (if only) one he had ever had.

Excellent Cakes and drinks

Andrew had to admit he was wrong about the Salthouse Stores as it was a real find and he is already planning a return trip so I highly recommend a visit.

Andrews route now headed up the big hill from Salthouse which he recons has the steepest section of road in all of Norfolk (based on his own unscientific research). Possibly not the start to the return ride required straight after cake and hot chocolate.

Top of big hill up from Salthouse

As always in Norfolk the tail wind we were expecting on the way home never materialised but I didn't care as it had been a very successful trip and cafe cycle reviewing was back underway 

I have a very long list of cafes needing checkout but as Desmond Tutu replied, when asked how do you eat a giant cream Victoria sponge, one bite at a time (or was that elephants?)

Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
7.4	8	7.4	8	8.2	7.80

Route 


Click here to download 40 mile Alysham Cley loop GPX file to your GPS