Climbing tips (Biddys tearoom, Aylsham)

Biddy’s Kitchen,

Aylsham,

Opening times Mon- Sat 09:00-17:00,

Recommended 

(Note most recent visit was August 2021 see Let the adventure begin)

Yesterday was the second of my back to back cafe cycle rides I had planned to slip in before my Ironman triathlon in Austria next weekend (did I mention I was doing an Ironmam triathlon). It was also the first chance I had to discuss my next European cycling adventure with today's cycling guest Big George. This time to check out the cafes in the Italian Dolomite's in late August. 

However before that we had today's ride to accomplish which was a forty mile route visiting Biddy's Kitchen in Aylsham. I had planned the most mountainous way I could find to help Big George tune his climbing skills although Ringland Hills is no Monte Grappa, it was a start. On the way we discussed the best ways of improving your cycling up hill ability and came up with two ideas. First do lots of cycling and second loose weight.

We soon arrived in Alysham and found Biddy's Kitchen in one of the corners of the square. 

Outside Biddy's Kitchen in Alysham Square

We took our bikes round the back to a rather eclectic outdoor seating area featuring both a sofa and normal tables and chairs.

Eclectic outdoor seating area

Once inside it was clear Biddy's had set out to achieve a vintage tea room theme with period features and Vera Lynn Muzak. We decided to sit at the indoor sofa and period seating area but Big George soon became too self conscious and we moved on to a more traditional table.

Period seating area

The cake selection was excellent with lots of cakes, slices and scones to choose from, including a rather impressive Eton Mess cake. I awarded a high effective cake selection (ECS) score. I went for a slice of white chocolate and cherry cake and then, right out of left field, Big George asked for a lavender scone. As Big George has previously stated he doesn't like scones so this was a bit of a surprise but apparently he likes lavender although had never before eaten any.

Impressive looking Eton Mess cake which was part of impressive cake selection

On the drinks front the focus is on tea so only filter coffee is available meaning Big George had one of those and I had my normal hot chocolate. Big George thought his coffee was really good although I found my hot chocolate a little too milky for top marks.

Coffee and hot chocolate

My cake came accompanied with cream and the Lavender scone had cream and lemon curd. The combination was very good and Big George thought it was excellent (as was my cake) and kept saying how much he had enjoyed it on our return ride. I'm worried he will start randomly adding lavender to all his cooking which I'm sure won't go down well with Mrs Big George after a similar experience with Cinnamon and chilli flakes.

Cherry and white chocolate cake plus the lavender scone

Biddy's Kitchen was a very nice cycle stop with good cakes and drinks (especially if you are a tea drinker) and friendly staff so I recommend a visit. As a bonus Biddy's also had a loyalty card for me to add to my collection and some white chocolate and Apricot flapjack which I took away to try as part of my search for flapjack year 2016.It was mighty fine flapjack and should make it though to my end of year flapjack off

As we set off on the way home I realised our cream based cakes and scones had not helped in the losing weight part of our mountain climbing improvement plan so I suggest that Big George join me on a 100 mile sportive I was doing next month. He looked at me like I had just asked him if he wanted to come on a training camp in Syria which I took to be a no. I'm now not convinced that many mountains will be conquered on our August trip (note sadly I proved to be correct on this  see Monte Grappa cycling Adventure day 1).

Scores (from 2 visits)

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
5.5	7.25	8.5	8	6.75	7.25

Route

click here to down load 40 mile Norwich Aylsham loop GPX file for your GPS

Newbies. (Purdy's tearoom, Aylsham)

Purdy's Tearoom,

Aylsham,

Open Daily 10:00 -16:30

Recommended 

Today was a great day for a bike ride, clear blue crisp sky's and the perfect cycling temperature. I was therefore very pleased I had arranged to go on a cafe cycle to a new cafe. However cafe cycle rules clearly state that a ride only qualifies if it has at least one cycling guest in order that the guest hot drink quality (GHDQ) can be rated. Fortunately due to a series of diary and communication mishaps I had managed to triple book and invite 3 different sets of cycling guest on today's ride so I wasn't exactly sure who was going to turn up.

I started to get nervous after one of my potential guests Chris (Mrs Crusader) had to pull out at short notice and then realised another, Barry, was currently refusing to partake of hot drinks and cakes so was useless on the cafe reviewing front.

I was therefore mighty relieved when Mick turned up on schedule with two newbies, Jenny and Roberta, in tow. As with all new riders they were keen to learn the ways of the cycle cafe reviewer and would be prepared to enthusiastically join in with coffee and cake rating. Obviously once they had come on several rides they would soon get bored, like Barry, with my insistence you eat cake and rate everything but for now it was good to have some new people on board.

It was also good to have some new cycling guests who hadn't heard the story of my Ironman triathlon (which I may have mentioned before) and I was therefore able to bore Jenny with the tale for many miles.

With the combination of fantastic biking conditions, keen new riders and Ironman chat I was amazed how quickly we got to today's venue especially as I had only got as far as the swim section of my Ironman story so still had the bike and marathon parts to cover after the cafe stop.

Today's stop was Purdy's tearoom at Woodgate Nursery which is just outside Alysham and near the Marriotts Way cycle track on the way to Reepham.

We pushed our bikes through the nursery plants where we found Purdy's Tearoom and a large outdoor seating area. We parked our bikes amongst a collection of pumpkins and selected a table for later use. 

Today's group parking bikes in pumpkin corner

Then it was inside the wooden cabin to check out the cakes. There were four available plus cheese and fruit scones and although not the largest selection it was still an interesting one and I therefore awarded a reasonable effective cake selection (ECS) rating.

Cake selection

I ordered chocolate and orange drizzle cake plus a cheese scone (as part of my cheese scone serving temperature research, it was served cold). This was Mick's 4th time as one of my cycling guests and he had always chosen coffee and walnut cake on the previous excursions. I now considered him my go to man on the coffee and walnut front and knew I could now trust his expertise on the subject. With coffee and walnut cake available today I was both surprised and disappointed that he went for chocolate and orange drizzle as well as me. He said he didn't want to become predictable but I considered having a self proclaimed coffee and walnut specialist on the cake crusader reviewing panel to be a real asset and will make sure I direct him back to the ways of the walnut on future rides.

As usual Barry refused to become involved and had a diet coke and sausage roll so he would take no further part in any remaining reviewing activities today.

We returned back to our outdoor seating table and on such a stunning day awarded a high atmosphere and ambiance score.

Cakes and drinks pre reviewing

The newbies had both selected filter coffee and scones (one cheese and one fruit). Hopefully they will become more exotic in their choices in the future. They also had some work to do on their reviewing skills. The coffee was 'nice' as were the scones on the basis they 'weren't hard' which they seemed to think is the only scone quality differentiator. They have much to learn especially as I couldn't work with their descriptive style of input, I NEED NUMBERS!

The pressure was now on Mick (coffee and walnut cake expert) as my only credible cycling guest left and he didn't disappoint. Despite chocolate and orange drizzle not being his specialist subject he was able to give a full rationale for his rating. Moist sponge, good amount of chocolate but lacking enough orange tang which equated to a solid seven. I was in full agreement and felt my cheese scone, although cold, was a good one.

My hot chocolate was a bit on the weak side but, after further questioning of the cycling guests, it was felt the coffees were good and worthy of a high rating.

Overall Purdy's tearoom was a good stop and in an excellent location for a bike ride so worth checking out if you are riding that way.

I was looking forward to the return ride home as I could now talk Jenny through the Ironman bike and run legs but disappointingly she kept getting involved in conversations with the other cycling guests, if I didn't know better it was almost as if she was doing it on purpose. Still I can save the story up for next time which will surely encourage her to come on a return ride.

Scores based on 2 visits

Hot Choc Quality	Guest Hot Drink Quality	Effective Cake Selection	Cake Quality	Ambiance and Atmosphere	Café Rating
5	7.25	6.35	7.40	7.7.00	6.74

Route

click here to down load 40 mile Norwich Alysham loop GPX file for your GPS