Cycling UK Forum

I stopped at a couple of nice canal-side cafes on my recent short tour of Mercia (by mini-Mercian!) I wondered what other canal-side cafes people would recommend?
Blossoms Cafe, Stourport (Staffordshire and Worcester Canal)
Canal Shop, Lapworth (Stratford on Avon Canal) An excellent value mug of tea and cake for £1 each and lovely postcards 25p each.

Three that I know of and like are:

In Bradford-on-Avon on the Kennet and Avon, the cafe by the lock (might even be called Lockside Cafe!) just next to the humpbacked bridge.

On the Sharpness Canal, the Stable Cafe near Saul.

In Gloucester Docks, the place called On Toast (not quite 'canal side' in atmosphere though).

Fradley Junction, Staffs, is always popular with local cyclists.

Kizzie's at Lower Heyford on the Oxford Canal, between Banbury and Oxford, is popular with cyclists.

I remember the Maunsel Lock one on the Bridgwater & Taunton being bike-friendly, but haven't been there for years.

And of course there's a lot of floating cafes these days, i.e. actually in boats - both Diglis Basin in Worcester and Gloucester Docks have them, for example.

Norbury Wharf between Newport and Stafford. Also very popular with cyclists although I do not see anything on the website mentioning a café. It is the long white building in the main picture. http://www.norburywharfltd.co.uk/

tatanab wrote:Norbury Wharf between Newport and Stafford. Also very popular with cyclists although I do not see anything on the website mentioning a café. It is the long white building in the main picture. http://www.norburywharfltd.co.uk/

Drat, missed that one! I went past on the disused railway route. The website does mention a licensed tearoom. I shall have to return!

Caledonian canal, nice lean-too cafe counter at Laggan locks by some upmarket camping huts. Also sandwich shop fort Augustus right by the lock.

Hatton Locks Cafe, wonderful staircase of locks with views down to Warwick.

Caen Hill Locks cafe, K and A Wiltshire

Stoke Bruerne on the Grand Union Canal near to Towcester in South Northamptonshire, has a cafe in the Canal Museum at the top of the locks and a pub, The Navigation ( http://www.navigationpubtowcester.co.uk/ ) nearby. There is also The Boat Inn ( http://www.boatinn.co.uk ) opposite.

Sometimes the Cheese boat ( http://thecheeseboat.co.uk/where-we-are-now ) is in town and there is a B&B there too ( http://paddyjackson.co.uk/page5.html ).

Preston Bagot just off the Claverdon / Henley in Arden road.... not sure if it is still there or still used by cyclists. Opened in my early cycling career, was going to close over the winter but stayed open because cyclists, walkers and bargees asked them to stay open. We used to use for many years as 11's or 3's.

On returning to my 'home' when my son was little, we rode out to it, arrived for a late 11's (probably 11:45 or so) to be greeted with 'Have you booked?' ' Well I have booked Sunday lunches from 1pm, so no room for you'
'Assured the grumpy owner we only wanted a quick snack... we 'allowed' in..... was not amused as we had helped create their business and have never been back esp as there is now (was? awhile since i have been out that way) another cafe a couple of miles away.

[quote="Richard Fairhurst"]Kizzie's at Lower Heyford on the Oxford Canal, between Banbury and Oxford, is popular with cyclists.

quote]
...and further towards Oxford there's also a very good one at Thrupp too.

http://anniestearoom.co.uk/

My personal favourite is Papermill Lock http://www.papermilllock.co.uk/tea-room/

It's a common destination for cycling clubs and ramblers, both for lunch, and tea stops, and they also have events and boat tours on the canal, so it can be quite busy on a nice day.

They have good lunches and lovely homemade cakes and pastries.

I have a made point to visit a couple of times when back in the UK, but I don't think we will get there this year.

I forgot the local one I know !
In Hampshire on the Basingstoke Canal, near Odiham, there is the Waterwitch pub ( http://www.chefandbrewer.com/pub/waterwitch-odiham-hook/c3350/ ). It has a large outdoor garden that overlooks the canal.

There are also other cafes and places to eat in the nearby town itself and the villages very nearby ( close to the canal ) that are worth looking at too.

eileithyia wrote:Hatton Locks Cafe, wonderful staircase of locks with views down to Warwick.

We spent a few sweaty hours going up the twenty-odd Hatton locks with a boat this summer, only to find the cafe closed when we got to the top. About 6pm on a Saturday, so maybe it had just closed. Very busy with boats going up and down though. Lots of missed trade.