North West Coast 2016

Day 2

In Condor Green there’s a deservedly popular cafe sitting on the Lune Estuary Footpath (a misleading title for this section of NCN 6). My first visit to Cafe d’Lune was a few years ago after a short ride through heavy October rain, and Jan and Bev’s warm welcome and friendly banter means stopping is obligatory if the day’s route passes by.

Today’s plan holds no specific ambitions beyond ‘The Cafe’, both Steve and I wanting a lazy day. “Let’s grab a late breakfast at the cafe, then see where the bikes take us after that”. An eight mile cruise along road, gravel and grass tracks with the Cotic Escapade and Surly Straggler smoothing our way, delivers us to the sheltered courtyard on a busy day. In to the cafe to be warmly greeted as if my last visit was only yesterday rather than last year.

”Two full breakfasts please, and could I have my beans in a ramekin?” More laughter and ribbing as my quest for bean juice containment is remembered. I’ve missed this place! When our meals are served Steve finds himself an involuntary ‘ramekineering’ participant. “Oh, we always serve the beans in ramekins these days.” I punch the air in celebration. Small victories, etc.

You can easily lose track of time on a sunny day here, watching other cyclists pass by, looking across the estuary, putting the world to rights, sharing dishes with Instagram, and so on. But eventually we accept it’s time to leave after agreeing on the day’s unambitious but delicious apogee. Departing, we steer the bikes towards Wallings ice cream parlour. The forty ice cream flavours are all made on the farm, and it’s a dangerous place to visit if you’re fond of good quality ice cream.

Conversation stops as ice cream is savoured, and as sunny autumn day turns to chilly evening we’re glad to have windproofs with us for the shirt ride back to base.

Words & pictures - Jason Liddell.