Rant news. (Reading Rooms, Kelling)

Reading Rooms,

Kelling,

Opening times Every day 9-4:30,

Recommended 

Today was the first of a back to back, new cycle cafes, double header. This trip was with cycling guest Andrew (who is notoriously hard to please). We would be going from HTPH in Aylsham up to Kelling on the North Coast. On our last ride Andrew had said he had stopped ranting and would now be more positive. I had been surprised how he had kept it up so was interested to see if he would still be positive today.

We set off into a very strong headwind. It was one of those winds that meant you had to frantically pedal even when going down hill, progress was therefore hard and slow. I started to worry about Andrew as he was still trying to look on the upside of everything. Even with the wind he cheerfully pointed out we would have it with us on the way back. I knew this positive thing was getting serious when he told me he had seen this weeks Winterwatch and actually enjoyed it!

I was missing the rants but as the wind had numbed our mouths and stopped us from hearing anything they would have been wasted anyway.

If you look carefully you can just see the wind generators
whirring away in the sea showing just how windy it was

We eventually made it out to Kelling and found the Reading Rooms on the junction with the coast road.

Outside the Reading Rooms in one of several outdoor seating options

Inside we found an eclectic mix of tea room, gallery and second hand book shop. We received a very warm welcome as I started to check out the cakes. It had a lot of good sponge offerings as well as both types of scones so I awarded a decent effective cake selection (ECS) mark.

The non scone part of the cake selection

Meanwhile Andrew had wandered off and was studying the book shelfs. He claimed he was looking for the fabulous new Cake Crusader book but I explained it wasn't likely to be available second hand yet although you could get it from Amazon (for details click here).

Our refreshments turned up, mine was banana cake and Andrew had ginger cake and a cup of tea as the only coffee available was filter although you did get top ups.

Arghhhhhhhhhhh, when the cake arrived they were both on their serviettes. As part of my name and shame strategy I immediately tweeted the evidence (only thwarted by lack of phone signal). Remember #keepcakeoffserviettes

#keepcakeoffserviettes

It was a game of two halves re the cakes and drinks. My hot chocolate was a Cadbury type so not my favourite and as Andrew had tea, I applied the controversial Cake Crusader tea capping rule (a cup of tea has a maximum rating of 7 as it's just a cup of tea). The cakes were very good and we both enjoyed our ginger and banana offerings, once we had separate them from the napkins.

Cakes and drinks

I really liked the Reading Rooms for it's unusual vibe (in a good way) and excellent set of cakes and I recommend a visit.

The way back was going to be with the wind but as we set off the skies darkened and it started to rain, which was not the advertised forecast we had been promised. This seemed to be the tipping point as Andrew couldn't contain himself any longer as he complained about weather forecasters before setting off on a series of topical rants form recent news stories. It was very comforting and despite the sleety rain time flew by as his pent up rants came rushing out. Sadly (for exciting reasons soon to be revealed) we won't be riding again for another 6 weeks when I dread to think what the accumulated rants will be. (I am tracking Andrew's positivity coefficient on every ride and still felt he deserved a 6.83 today.) 

Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
5	6	7.87	7.6	7.43	6.78

Route 


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

Race to the top. (The Tea Room @Corner House, West Runton)

The Tea Room @Corner House,

West Runton,

Opening times Tue-Sun 10:30-16:00

Recommended 

As the search for Sausage roll of the year #SROTY continues it is important I also keep up with the day job of checking out as many cycle cafes as possible for the blog. For todays ride I would be doing both along with today's cycling guest Andrew (who is notoriously hard to please).

We set off early from Hard to Please House in Alysham and headed North out to the bird spotting centre at Cley Next the Sea. I had been told that they did a mean sausage roll so wanted to collect one to check out later. It was my second visit there as Andrew had previously taken me to the centre to try and teach me the way of the twitcher (see Pink footed geese). On that trip I had discovered that bird spotting is not a sport and there are no winners so I couldn't see the point of it and have not done any bird watching since. Fortunately Sausage Roll tasting is a sport so I was happy to return today.

Collecting Sausage rolls from Cley Marshes

I put the sausage roll in my saddle bag for tasting later in my secret underground bicycle workshop underneath Crusader Towers (btw it turned out to be an excellent one). In the meantime it was time to head a long the coast road to today's cafe destination, the Tea Room @Corner House in West runton.

Outside the Tea Room @Corner House

Although out of season the Tea Room was very busy and we were lucky to get a table, which was a nice window one. We weren't far from the cakes so I was able to check them out without moving too far. It wasn't the biggest selection but it had several I liked the look of so very effective and I awarded a good Effective Cake selection (ECS) mark.

Cake Selection

I ordered Blueberry cake with my Hot Chocolate and Andrew the Lemon Drizzle cake with his cappuccino. When they brought our order the very nice staff engaged us on today's cycling exploits and correctly massaged our egos by pretending to be impressed about how far we had gone and the fact we were about to ride up the very big hill over the Cromer ridge.

Our drinks

My hot chocolate was a nice one as was Andrews cappuccino although he did say he was worried that he was getting harder to please these days. I assured him that that wasn't possible and not to worry. The cakes were excellent with the Blueberry one being one of the best so far this year. 

Excellent cakes

The Tea Room @ Corner house was a very good stop and the sandwiches we had for lunch were very nice too, so I recommend a visit.

Our next challenge was to get up the long hill which started right outside the Tea Rooms door. I was surprised when Andrew had left his change as a tip but now realised it was to lower his weight for the climb.

Halfway up the hill over the cromer ridge

Half way up I decided to take a photo of the hill and this allowed Andrew to get ahead. I didn't want him to beat me to the top but failed to catch him up as every time a car went past I had to stop them to explain that Andrew was only further ahead of me as I had stopped for a photo. Next time I will prepare some leaflets.
Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
6.50	6.5	6.75	8.15	7.85	7.15

route


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

Pink Footed Geese. (Cley Marshes visitors centre, Cley)

Cley Marshes Visitors Centre Cafe,

Cley next the Sea,

Open Mon-Sun 10 - 3.30 (4.30 in summer),

Highly Recommended

I have spent each day this week on my indoor cycle turbo trainer doing a cycle training video and taking part in the tour of Sufferlandria (the greatest tour of a mythical country you can do). I was therefore very keen to get out on a real bike ride. Unfortunately the weather forecast was poor with biting winds, sleet and snow on the cards. However I was delighted when Andrew (who is notoriously hard to please) agreed to host a ride from his house and promised not to take us to Holt for the 4th time running.

Andrew has recently become interested in birds (the feathered variety) which he claims is because he is old and all old people become interested in birds. I'm hoping to be old one day so I thought it was about time I found out more on the subject. Therefore we decided to take a ride to Cley Marshes visitors centre where I could see birds and rate a cafe.

You may remember that a recent cycling guest top cycling tip suggest that: When you set off on a ride you should start off feeling cold or you will get too hot later on.  Being scared of today's forecast I had foolishly not followed this tip and had over layered and was toasty warm when we set off. This meant I was soon boiling hot on the ride. It just proves what a useful feature the cycling guest cycling top tip is and that they should be followed at all times.

The way up to Cley was a real treat for all ford crossing fans with several to enjoy such as the one below which was the deepest.

Deepest of many fords crossed during the ride.

Still boiling hot we arrived at Cley Marshes visitors centre where Andrew passed on his cycling guest top cycling tip for the day.

Cycling guest top cycling tip no 12. If you are boiling hot when you arrive at your cafe destination make sure you delayer when inside or you won't appreciate your cycling jacket when you leave.

Outside visitors centre where there is currently much lottery funded building work

There is an outdoor hexagonal bench seating picnic area available overlooking the Marshes but it was far too cold for even the most hardy bird fan to be picnicking at so we opted to go inside.

Outdoor hexagonal bench seating area overlooking Cley Marshes

Inside there is a very modern building which has a huge window indoor seating area overlooking the marshes. This area was full with actual bird watchers. There where also a number of tables for the lesser dedicated observer which we opted to sit at.

Huge window indoor seating area occupied by bird watchers

While Andrew engaged in bird related chat I  went to check out the cake selection and was very pleased to see a large number of cakes, slices and scones available. I therefore awarded a high effective cake selection (ECS) rating.

Good selection of cakes, slices and scones

I ordered chocolate sponge cake and a cheese scone (as part of my cheese scone serving temperature research) to have with my hot chocolate. Andrew had a cappuccino and millionaire shortbread.

Before we tried the cakes and drinks Andrew taught me a few basic bird spotting facts. I quickly got the hang of it and as things flew past the window and I was able to identify them as birds. To make it more exciting I pointed and shouted "bird" to make sure all my fellow twitchers didn't miss out on one I had spotted.

With one eye on the bird action going on outside we tasted our drinks. Andrew (who is notoriously hard to please) thought his coffee had excellent flavour but was not hot enough. My hot chocolate, on the other hand was very hot but very weak so only got an average score. Andrew's millionaire shortbread was performing well so hopes were high for a good cake taste quality (CTQ) score.

Cakes and drinks ready for tasting

Just then a particularly good bird flew past, I knew it must have been a good one as some of the people in the prime bird watching seats actually stood up. I was very pleased to have seen such a good bird although I have no idea what it was.

When the excitement had died down I went back to cake tasting. Sadly the scone was served cold and it is becoming clear my cheese scone hot campaign has not yet reached North Norfolk so more work to do there. It was, however, a nice enough scone. The chocolate cake was also a good bit of cake but neither had lived up to the high standard set by the millionaire shortbread.

Overall the Cley Marshes visitors centre was a very good stop and performed well in all categories. It has the added bonus that you can play bird spotting at the same time.

By the end of our visit I had spotted 23 birds fly past. I thought this was very good so I asked at the information desk if this was likely to be a winning score for the day. I was told it didn't work like that, apparently bird watching isn't a sport it's just a thing. I didn't understand that concept but the other people at the visitors centre seemed to be enjoying themselves. I did notice that the best watchers did get to write on the bird leader board if they spotted something good so maybe I'll have another try one day.

Bird spotting leader board showing what has been seen on the Marshes recently.
I wasn't allowed to put that I had seen 23 birds

On way home Andrew said he was glad we had not reacted to the poor forecast and had come out on the ride. After such a foolish remark there was only one thing that could possibly happen and within a few minutes we were being bombarded with stinging hail followed by sleet and snow. Andrew may be old and know about birds but he still has a lot to learnt about commenting on weather conditions while out on a cycle ride.

Scores

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
6.0	8.0	8.0	7.5	8.0	7.50

Route 


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