Another brilliant day on
two wheels. This time a coffee and cake ride around the London Borough of
Kensington and Chelsea. Bikeminded, the boroughs cycling arm has an
incredibly proactive approach to all things cycling. Amongst their myriad of
activities they blog, share cycling tips, arrange bike marking events and host
a series of rides around the Borough
Todays ride was a Coffee
and Cake ride - but with a difference. Coffee and Cake rides are a very
established, very enjoyable and very successful way of bringing non cyclists
back to their bicycles and are popular all over the country. Normally at a very
gentle, definitely conversational pace they are a great reintroduction to the
magic of cycling.
The difference today was
the fantastic coffee and cake stops that we went to - some of which I have
never seen before.
We started at Storm in a Cupcake - a tiny building that was
perhaps the original toll house for the Kings Road - where homemade cupcakes
were served along with glasses of freshly made fruit drinks. Absolutely
delicious!
We were a group of 25, a
whole range of bicycles - one of which had been flown over from Australia and a
great mix of ages - everyone happy to explore various eateries and ride their
bikes.
We weaved our way
eastwards to Cocamaya - tucked in a little street behind Sloane square.
Everyone was made very welcome and served delicious muffins.
Heading up Cadogan Square
there was a visitation but as we were so close to our next stop we walked to
what I can only describe as not just a unique boutique but the Emporium Armani
of macaroons. Pierre Herme at 13 Lowndes St, London SW1X 9EX
Stepping inside was extraordinary. The displays of chocolates,
the unusual flavours, the atmosphere - and the macaroons were absolutely out of
this world.
My ratio of calories
burnt v calories consumed was not the healthiest and so far I had held back -
but the macaroons were too good to be true to my sweet teeth. The combinations
of flavours was exquisite. Raspberry and elderflower - apricot and something so
delicious my taste buds thought it was Christmas!
Meanwhile the visitation
was staying - despite best efforts so a Barclays hire bike was swapped in the
frey. Into Hyde Park, along Rotten Row, up to Kensington Palace on the
Broadwalk and into The Park Cafe for Apple Juice and muffins. At the point the
threatened rain arrived - tried to pour but only spat a bit then disappeared
again.
Up to Bayswater all the
way to Portobello where another surprise was in store! A bike related shop, Pedlars,
with interesting luggage and delicious coffee. A great combination - the sort of
mixture that can only happen with small shops where the finance director and
the purchasing director are the one and the same. They have a special Fridays
event where they only sell some things on a Friday (oh the irony!!)
We stayed outside
chatting and discussing life in general and indeed what fun the afternoon had
been.
It just goes to show that
the very best way of discovering an area is to ride a bicycle!
Thank you Bikeminded - that was a really lovely day.
