Cafes on the LEL route

[LiamFitz]

I was hoping for wisdom from the YACF crowd...

One thought I and a couple of people had was that it could be good to provide riders on LEL in advance with some suggestions of cycle-friendly cafes on the LEL route. If we do it well in advance they could tell their family.friends/supporters to head there and wave at them as they fly past.

This is assuming they haven't twigged that volunteering at a control is an excellent way to experience LEL!

So, let's hear your recommendations (i.e not just there is a cafe but its a good one...).

Liam

[Pip]

Good game Liam.

In 2009, or maybe it was 2013... , I stopped at Café Pelosi, Parliament Square, Langholm for an impromptu brekkie and a bloody good cup of espresso. There was some outside seating. It really hit the spot and there was a friendly vibe.

Honourable mentions for Not Just Café in Whittlesey town centre and The Copper Kettle in Crowland. Neither have bike parking but the food is good and reasonably priced.

[Graeme]

Big shout for Vive la Velo in North Ferriby. Only a couple of km from the Humber Bridge North side: a high end bike shop. Fabulous mechanic: Chris. I also heard that one of the team is going to volunteer at Hessle.

South Dalton, north of Ferriby, has a Michelin Star gastro pub. The Pipe and Glass. This will delay you by 2 or 3 hours.

Thixendale has a one stop post office / shop for refreshments before the climb and descent to Malton. Right on the route.

If you go through Helmsley, there is a veritable smorgasbord of cafes. The butcher cum baker cum cafe on the corner: Taylor's I think, is excellent. Refuel before the NYMs.

HTH
G.

[markcjagar]

There's a chippy in Helmsley, great chips.

[Andy Berne]

Hallbankgate - between Alston and Brampton - the Village shop/Cafe is very bike friendly, set back from road opposite the pub so hard to see. They also have a track pump. The Belted Will, pub opposite is very bike friendly, owner is also a cyclist, I often see him if I'm out that way. Need to check they're both open, shop during the day and pub usually in evenings only. Both used in local Audaxes.

[LiamFitz]

South Dalton, north of Ferriby, has a Michelin Star gastro pub. The Pipe and Glass. This will delay you by 2 or 3 hours.

I don't think there's nearly enough fine dining... if only we could get a Michelin Starred chef to service it up in a few minutes and fill the water bottles...

[john jackson]

Use the Cyclists cafe map https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/
The browser version allows you lo load a GPX route see https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/help/help.php#q-gpx_file

[LiamFitz]

Use the Cyclists cafe map https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/
The browser version allows you lo load a GPX route see https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/help/help.php#q-gpx_file

Thanks - I was hoping for recommendations from this community based on recent knowledge.  But the map is a good resource

[john jackson]

Use the Cyclists cafe map https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/
The browser version allows you lo load a GPX route see https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/help/help.php#q-gpx_file

Thanks - I was hoping for recommendations from this community based on recent knowledge.  But the map is a good resource

The nap is updated at least onece a week with closed cafes removed and new ones added. It works well on mobiles.

[alfapete]

Use the Cyclists cafe map https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/
The browser version allows you lo load a GPX route see https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/help/help.php#q-gpx_file

Wow, thanks for that, it located half a dozen or so that I'd missed on a manual trawl along the route. And almost all of the ones that I'd laboriously tracked down too

In 2009, or maybe it was 2013... , I stopped at Café Pelosi, Parliament Square, Langholm for an impromptu brekkie and a bloody good cup of espresso. There was some outside seating. It really hit the spot and there was a friendly vibe.

Honourable mentions for Not Just Café in Whittlesey town centre and The Copper Kettle in Crowland. Neither have bike parking but the food is good and reasonably priced.

Big shout for Vive la Velo in North Ferriby. Only a couple of km from the Humber Bridge North side: a high end bike shop. Fabulous mechanic: Chris. I also heard that one of the team is going to volunteer at Hessle.

And thanks for these - they'll make their way on to the list if they pass the scutineering. And to Mark and Andy, too

Pete (Liam's labourer)

PS: More suggestions welcome.

[LiamFitz]

I just saw theres a new caf due to open in the middle of St Ives in a couple of weeks!

[Fidgetbuzz]

Surely not relevant to LEL when the control is there

[Ian gaggiaport]

I wish I had this info in 2017.
In three consecutive controls and especially in non volunteer controls the food was poor or absent.
I had to survive on burned porrage and  bread and jam.
While the 'chefs' refused to serve me a meal Brampton.
 
Local knowledge would have really helped

[John Stonebridge]

Its only about 10km or so south of Innerleithen but this place always has a warm welcome.  https://www.thegordonarms.com/

It might be a sleep option too for those looking for a bit more tlc than kipping at a control. 

[alfapete]

Its only about 10km or so south of Innerleithen but this place always has a warm welcome.  https://www.thegordonarms.com/

It might be a sleep option too for those looking for a bit more tlc than kipping at a control.

That's perfect, thanks John, I've added it to the list

[Ivo]

Its only about 10km or so south of Innerleithen but this place always has a warm welcome.  https://www.thegordonarms.com/

It might be a sleep option too for those looking for a bit more tlc than kipping at a control.

There was a control here during LEL 1997.

[chrisbainbridge]

Its only about 10km or so south of Innerleithen but this place always has a warm welcome.  https://www.thegordonarms.com/

It might be a sleep option too for those looking for a bit more tlc than kipping at a control.

There was a control here during LEL 1997.

At the moment they are only open Friday Saturday and Sunday!  You will either be incredibly fast or out of time to use them!

[alfapete]

At the moment they are only open Friday Saturday and Sunday!  You will either be incredibly fast or out of time to use them!

I've taken them off the list!

[John Stonebridge]

At the moment they are only open Friday Saturday and Sunday!  You will either be incredibly fast or out of time to use them!

I've taken them off the list!

They are currently on winter opening hours.  .   

[sibi]

Its only about 10km or so south of Innerleithen but this place always has a warm welcome.  https://www.thegordonarms.com/

It might be a sleep option too for those looking for a bit more tlc than kipping at a control.

Their web site announces they will close for good on Sunday, 27th March 2022.

[CarlF]

The new 'keepers', Bryn & Oxana will move in on the evening of 4th April and plan to re-open for business on 15th April. We hope that you will make them as welcome as you have made us.

[alfapete]

The new 'keepers', Bryn & Oxana will move in on the evening of 4th April and plan to re-open for business on 15th April. We hope that you will make them as welcome as you have made us.

They might have to go back on the list then. Will keep an eye out.

[aidan.f]

The Crook Inn at Tweedsmuir 16 Miles North of Moffat may be a good coffee stop. It's a community project opening  in May.

One of the difficulties with 'involving the muggle community' is raising expectations... It  would be nice to get some  bunting plus a few..
 

Edinburgh XXX Km have a coffee here!

signs'

If you tell a cafe owner 1200 cyclists are passing they may expect to be busy, but a stonking taily could cause a bypass or head wind otherwise. Plus you really don't know exactly when the bulge of 'tourists' will arrive.

[alfapete]

If you tell a cafe owner 1200 cyclists are passing they may expect to be busy, but a stonking taily could cause a bypass or head wind otherwise. Plus you really don't know exactly when the bulge of 'tourists' will arrive.

Thanks for the suggestion, Aidan, I've put it on the list.
The plan is to get some 'hubs' where riders might choose to pause but estimating demand is one of the challenges. It's still very much a work in progress, and early days, but we won't be expecting the establishments to be committing anything much.
Have you seen the price of bunting?

[Ivo]

During my first PBP I discovered a sign 'menu spécial coureur' in front of a pub around midnight durng the final night. The place was jam packed with cyclists. Some café owners could create a miniature version of this .