No. 6 Yarmouth

Isle of Wight

The Island is not big, just 23 miles across, but there is too much going on to cover in one Bite so this is Act 1 and we'll visit the Bembridge area for Act 2, when it’s warmed up a bit.

Yarmouth is everyone's favourite sleepover with institutions such as Saltys and the George playing their part, but there are some dynamic new kids on the block so let's stretch our legs and get out there.

Yarmouth Sunset

First, a caffeine pit stop at PO41, once the old post office, just opposite The George. Perfect for sleepy heads coming in off their boats or the ferry. Elaine runs a buzzing, cosy, top coffee joint, from 7.30 – 4pm every day, bless her! Union Coffee – fab.

Elaine at PO41

The bike 

The Freshwater Flyer is the 6 mile flat ex railway line towards Freshwater, an easy hike enjoying glimpses of the Yar through the trees. Hire a bike and you can extend your route to go out towards Alum and Totland Bays for a 12 mile circular route, more info from John at Wight Cycle Hire

The route

When you arrive at Freshwater the options open up, coffee stop, light lunch?

As I'm heading on to Tennyson Down I turn right at the sea front and head up the hill to The Piano as I've heard great things about Sam and Kimmy buying the old shop that has been a piano, music and stationery shop, come PO through it's lyrical past, tuning Queen Victoria's ol’ piano and selling Tennyson sheet music; it now serves great coffee, mezze and light snacks with live piano sessions most weekends. www.thepianocafe.co.uk  01983 472874

Top time to visit - Sunday lunch when the ivories are being tinkled.

Hops choice - the hand made Florentines with a coffee or Jan's tart of the day – being goats cheese, thyme and Island sun dried tomato when I visited. Coffee by Island Coffee

The Piano

The Tart of the day

Live Music

 The other option is the ever popular End of the line cafe – 01983 752870. Serves great quiches, jacket potatoes and wonderful cheese scones. Great value and always busy.

The hike:

If I wasn't cycling I would walk back through the charming village of Freshwater to the Red Lion, right next to the church. Cosy, good beer and reliable pub food. Beware mobile users - turn it off before entering or they'll fine you!  www.redlion-freshwater.co.uk  01983 754925                                           

Then cross the old causeway and take the path back to Yarmouth – see map for choice of route.

The Red Lion

The route

But I'm saving room for our review and coming back from my trip back into Yarmouth I pull up at the first carriage available at Off the Rails

The review

Off the Rails opened in the summer, after local interior designers opened up this wonderful sunny space that was the disused station. Wight Cycle Hire is located at the end of the building making this the perfect start for your island cycling adventure. Overlooking Thorley Brook wetland with the glass doors fully open to the November sunshine, and the wood burner a glow, what a joyful stop off this is!

Philippe Blot who runs the place is full of ideas, from Orient Express evenings to some more intimate dining experiences, bringing a bit of cinematic drama to the station in the winter months – so get your ‘smoking’ out of the wardrobe, polish the pearls and watch this space!  

There is a good mix already seated. A handful of well behaved dogs (they have their own menu) and more walkers than cyclists today – but this is mid November. I grab a table near the woodburner that looks out over the golden marshes and along the banquettes upholstered in BR green. Suitcases stored up in the luggage racks give me a warm Hogwarts Express feel. Now, let’s look at the specials. Immediately I am attracted to the Gally Bagger Rarebit, with blackberry, beetroot and sweet red onion chutney or how about the Warm Corn-fed chicken salad with pesto, sun blushed tomatoes, roasted peppers and crispy chicken skin? I’m told by the party at the next table that OTR figs stuffed with goat’s cheese is formidable, but not on today, so actually plump for the Signalman’s stew of slow braised lamb with spring vegetables and spices, delicious with warm ciabbata (all £8) and as I didn’t try the Rarebit, Philippe brought me a taster of the Isle of White Cheese’s own Gally Bagger, a golden, nutty tasting, hard cheese, that apparently means Scarecrow in Island tongue.

There are some lovely fresh drink options, the homemade pink lemonade is a tart hit for me and I like the addition of the ‘pichet’ option on the wine list, common in most French eating establishments – allowing you to try more interesting wines without buying the whole bottle. The cocktail list will have to wait until the sun has gone over the signal post, but there may be time for the Strawberry and Pimms Eton Mess or the Chocolate Fondant (all £5.50) 

www.offtherailsyarmouth.co.uk  01983 761600

Off the rails

The View

Signalman's Stew

It’s still sunny outside as I leave to head back into Yarmouth to check out what’s new in Harwoods, surely one of the most upmarket hardware shops around? In fact there is a great choice of retail treats for those visiting sailors, from antiques, to art, to quirky clothing.

Just time to pop into the George to sit by the fire with a cup of tea and look at the afternoon tea menu 

The George Illustrated by Connell & Todd

Best of the rest:

Wightwood Pizza van - hibernates from Nov - April, but can be found in Freshwater Bay every Friday from Easter 'till November - photo -  07955 379642

The Pizza Van

Best baker - up for award this month - The Island Bakers. In Yarmouth you can buy it in the deli - best buy, the sourdough and some amazingly crisp and buttery croissants

The Island Bakers

Best coffee - PO41 Already mentioned above - coffee emporium in the old post office opposite The George. They use Union Coffee, the Revelation, for those who care.

Cosiest pub in Yarmouth? The King's Head - by the ferry terminal

Thanks to: 

Wightlink Ferries www.wightlink.co.uk

www.visitisleofwight.co.uk

www.wightcyclehire.co.uk

Best tweeters: @MattandCat  @TasteIW  @yarmouthiow  @ONTyarmouth  @BiteTheWight

Credit to Connell & Todd for illustration of the George, Yarmouth. www.connellandtodd.com

Map of Island cycle route: http://www.sunseaandcycling.com/Files/Documents/route1.pdf

No 5. Falmouth

The World's third largest natural, deep water harbour and a healthy commercial port to boot. 

Deep into Cornwall, with wonderful creeks that are a pirates dream, beautiful beaches, tropical gardens and more eating choices than you can shake a fish slice at! 

I visited during the annual Oyster Fest, which opens the season in October, and draws a wide crowd to enjoy the food and music. This year’s top performers were the Fisherman’s Friends and the Oggy Men. Date for 2015 15-18^th October – you heard it here first, book your berth!

Map of Falmouth Estuary 

Now this is not a great area for cycling to my preferred haunts, as the roads are narrow and twisty, so this month I'll simply list top spots and one safe walk.

In Falmouth itself there is a huge choice of places to eat, with fun cafes competing with more serious restaurants, most enjoying glorious views over the Fal Estuary or out to sea. Quality is high and local produce well respected. A joyful town with friendly inhabitants and home to Rustler Yachts, of course, surely producing some of the prettiest boats around?

The Review.

Rick Stein's Fish offers some great light bites, ideal if you like to try lots of different flavours and get bored with raw oysters. The other advantage of this place is that you can usually get in - they don't take reservations - and I haven't been turned away, whereas I will have to wait to try The Wheelhouse which was highly recommended, so try it if you can.

Most popular plate is definitely the fish & chips but through the Oyster Fest they add some groovy 'specials' to the menu and I had to try them –

The Oysters

The Menu

First off - tempura oysters with sesame seeds & lime, light as a puff of air with a crisp soft chew. Still room so next I tried the trio of Parmesan cream oysters, interesting, but not as good as the tempura. Washed down with good house Muscadet 

Hops choice - all the starters, salt n pepper prawns and chilli squid. Tel 01841 532700

Top Veggie choice - The Wildebeest, 13 Arwenack St, 01326 210602

Wildbeest Interior

Top for Seafood/Crab - The Wheel House, 01326 318050 - need to book, they run 2 sittings. Situated down Upton Slip - these guys are so busy they don’t even have a sign! 

The Wheel House

Hottest Coffee - Espressini, there’s a new tiny branch opposite the Stable but the main hub is on central Killigrew St. Serious about coffee choice and a great little menu.

The Coffee

The Menu

Best Bread - Baker Tom - this artisan baker has 4 bases now, and you could do worse than coming into town from the boat and loading up with fresh breads, a few saffron buns, some Cornish cream and cheese from the deli and head off for a picnic. 01326 318221

Baker Tom's Bread

Fastest Fish & Chips - Harbour Lights – on the quay near the Stable – eat in or take out.

Beyond Falmouth

Top pub - Pandora Inn - Wonderful setting and really good daily specials. Ruby Red Aged beef from the Lizard caught my eye as I was all fished out, but my neighbours always come for the mussels as they say the cream and butter sauce is first class.

Their most popular plate is the local catch of the day Fish & Ships or the Pandora Fish Pie

Like their ‘Wine of month’ option too.

Tel 01326 372678

Moules

The View

Maybe coming by boat would be safer then those narrow roads - or boat to Mylor Bridge & then walk. Parking is tight on sunny days and weekends.

Best afternoon tea?

Penryn - Miss Pepperpot’s cafe at Jubilee Wharf as I had heard great things about their homemade cakes. They embrace local and epicycle, see crockery. Dabara Bakers (Truro) and Origin Coffee from Helston.

PH - Peach and almond cake with a pot of Clipper tea (£4.50) a crunchy sugar topped moist cake, with big chunks of peach along with juice almonds with a decent bite - delicious snack for walker!

Best cakes/ bohemian experience -  Potager, Constantine

Again, this is no calm bike ride and I think you would be better walking over the fields and then catching the bus home or catch a lift with any friendly folks in Falmouth heading towards Constantine, to stock up on eccentric booze in the Post Office.

Potager Glass House is just before Constantine and is well worth a visit - a dream of a working garden rediscovered, that has recently opened up it's hand built (by Mark, local boat builder) greenhouse on Fridays and weekends. Wonderful atmosphere. Very happy families either playing ping pong in another glasshouse or eating cakes and drinking tea, or resting after a session in the garden – Friday helpers get rewarded with a cream tea! Interesting Breton baker Awen makes all the breads from sour dough base, with a very interesting long stir and overnight prove method. Come and spend some time here, open from breakfast till tea time. 01326 341258

PH – coffee, syrup cake

Inside Glass House

Coffee Syrup Cake

The hike – Flushing to Mylor Bridge - 5 miles there and back

This is a beautiful walk following the coastal path from Flushing (see link below to start from Falmouth) to Mylor Bridge with a welcome café ‘Castaways’ at the end.

01326 377710

http://falmouthbids.s3.amazonaws.com/1282923256_952.pdf

Falmouth Tourism www.falmouth.co.uk with info on the all important ferry services

Maritime Museum www.nmmc.co.uk

Electric bikes at Penryn – Batribike.com – Peter Williams 07966 425774

http://www.falmouth.co.uk/see-and-do/cycling

Link for walks - http://www.falmouth.co.uk/see-and-do/walking

And Potager sells some lovely (tiny) walking maps that take you on 2-7 mile walks from the gardens. 

No 4. Poole Quay

Poole Harbour is second only to Sydney as the World's biggest natural harbour and there is something for everyone here, with a choice of idyllic moorings to the west of the Harbour or to go into one of the many well serviced marinas. We, as ever, are looking for the slightly unusual place that is a hike or bike away from our mooring:

From the Quay itself:
Party Animal option - moor up on Quay wall if you dare, around £19 for a 25 footer or go into the quieter, more secure Poole Quay Boat Haven, just along the quay for £28.

Tel: 01202 649488

Now you are in the thick of things and can chose between the remarkable institution that is the Guildhall Tavern, run by chef owners Frederick & Severine, serving fantastic French food, from grilled sardine fillets to proper snails and beef Bourguignon, all delicious, but a bit of a special place to go, so my top tip is to go for lunch if you can, when 2 courses from the table d'hôte will cost £15, which is excellent value for food of this consistent standard.
They also do Seafood Platters to go, chose exactly what you want and pay accordingly. 

8 min walk to 15 Market Street, quiet road behind the Quay

Tel: 01202 671717                Website: www.guildhalltavern.co.uk

PH choice:     Homemade crispy tartlet with scallops & crab in a dill cream sauce, followed by Chicken oysters, with shallots, carrots & courgettes in a cheddar & cream reduction - then a nap.

The Stable
If you have the teens on board or there's a gang of you why not head to the Stable? Everyone's favourite pizza/pie and cider joint. This maybe a chain, but it's a very fine one and local! 
Starting in Bridport some 8 years ago, concentrating on using the best local produce they are growing in a very healthy way. They have recently opened on Fistral Beach and in Falmouth and tick all the boxes for me. Great choice of ever changing West Country ciders and live music every Sunday afternoon in Pool. They even do gluten free pizza bases, and if you order a 'Billy the kid' without cheese it's vegan friendly!

 3 min walk as right on Quay

Poole Quay Stable: 01202 661471              Visit the website for more info & locations www.stablepizza.com

PH choice:   The 'Durdle Door' pizza - herb roasted potato, Dorset Blue Vinney, roast Spanish onions, spinach...... and a pint of Dorset Nectar Wildcat

The hike - Poole Quay to Parkstone Bay 3 miles
Now for the hike - not very strenuous this time. Set off east along the water front following a clearly marked path, shared with cyclists, that takes you along the waters edge around Parkstone Bay, it is part of Sustrans Route 25. 

Map of Poole Quay

When you cross the large play area at Whitecliff you will see a small marina ahead with many motor boats ashore - this is Parkstone Bay. Your destination is on the right, the low slung shed that is Deep South Cafe. 

The review
This is a very popular meeting place for locals and those about to zip round the bay in their sports boats. It's been pretty full whenever I've visited and the team are friendly and efficient. Owned by Stéphane Rondos who has brought some of his Belgian favourites to the table
But it's the small shed opposite that beckons me, with aromas of fresh bread and baked plums wafting through the chain curtain - they have their own micro bakery on site - heaven!
Alena Dostalova learnt to throw dough around when she helped her grandfather bake in the Czech Republic, but extended her skills in the UK as patisserie chef, she now bakes all the cakes, pastries, breads and deserts for the cafe, fresh from the oven.

Now, to lunch, I had been told that moules was probably the most popular dish, so was glad to see they came as a starter, at £4.50, great value and stops you getting bored with what I'm told is our best farmed protein with the smallest carbon footprint! They were good, and served with Alena’s breads of course. Followed by sea bass on ratatouille and my pal had the Belgian meatballs, with a sweet onion gravy. The sea bass was fine, with a good crispy skin, but the meatballs a tad disappointing in taste, though the skin-on-chips were very good. 
There were a lot of happy faces around us and I liked the mix, families, sports boat pre doughnut riders and quieter couples. It was busy but the food came quickly and there is plenty of room for people to spill out beyond the decks.

40 min walk one way, about 3 miles. Return walk - try and go through Poole Park and admire the fun on the lake from dinghy sailing to model swan pedallos, a wonderfully traditional boating park

• the setting, bakery and relaxed attitude  - a limited menu

Website: www.parkstonebay.com      Cafe Tel: 01202 733155

PH choice:    The moules or haddock fish cakes, all fresh baked stuff and the coffee's good. 

Exterior of the Deep South Cafe

Deep South Cafe

Baker Alena Dostalova

The bike - a choice of 3 piggy routes
Now you have a choice of direction here, as bike hire is scant around the Poole area, with the Academy down at Sandbanks being closest, but quite a hike from the Quay. 
If you rented here and crossed over on the chain ferry to Studland the whole of the Purbeck opens up to you, but for a lunch stop try heading up to Wareham on cycle route 2, at least half of it off road, and the quaint town, a favourite of many smaller vessels, or bilge keelers has a great choice of pubs, cafes and restaurants.

10 miles from Sandbanks ferry.

PH choice:  The Ginger Pig, deli come farm shop, try the quiche, and take some sausages back to the boat.

If you have bikes on board you can nip onto Route 25 which takes you north on smooth tarmac paths out of Poole and then wiggles out to the west, avoiding the main road into Wimborne Minster, here you will find Pig 2 of the Tickled variety - very popular restaurant with a loyal following that have a great outside catering van that I have seen at several food shows and particularly like their hanghi lamb - worth travelling to try!
The Tickled Pig at Wimborne Minster.

8 miles via Route 25

The Tickled Pig at Wimbourne Minster

And Pig No 3 is the newly opened Pig on the Beach, at Studland.
As this is right on the beach you have all three choices of how to get to this one, by boat, moor off in Shell Bay and dinghy ashore, or by foot or bike.

3.5 miles 30 minutes by bike, or walk the coast path and it will take you about an hour.

Tel: 01590 622354

Enjoy!

Contacts:
Guildhall Tavern, Poole Quay         01202 671717
The Stable, Poole Quay                 01202 661471
South Deep Café, Parkstone Bay         01202 733155
Salt Pig – Wareham                 01929 550673
The Pig on the Beach, Studland         01590 622354
The Tickled Pig, Wimborne Minster        01202 886778
Bike hire: thewatersportsacademy.com 01202 708283 hire = £20 per day
Cycle routes www.sustrans.org.uk

www.pooltourism.com

PSP Southampton International Boat Show 2014

Petit Dejeuner anyone?

Top tip for those going to the PSP Southampton International Boat Show, starting Friday 12th Sept.

If you get to the show early and fancy petit dejeuner to gird the loins before the show, why not wander up the main road from the traffic lights opposite Margaritas until you see Victor Hugo on your right, opposite La Lupa, where you will enjoy a genuine French breakfast – and they are open from 6 am!

Breakfast Menu

Interior

And in the evening leave the show at Gate F - next to the Pier/Kutis and walk towards the Old Walls where you will  see this white Georgian gem set within the stone walls, dangling it's golden piggy sign.

They are running a casual barbeque outside for weary show goers from 5 - 8pm each day, a perfect pick me up after a long day looking at or selling boats....

The PIG’s Burger
Owtons Finest Handmade Steak Burgers 6oz
~ £5.00

The PIG’s Hot Dog
Owtons Finest Pork & Herb Sausages
~ £4.50

Grilled Flat Mushroom Bap
~ £3.50

Nice to see the team getting everything ready for the show ..... or perhaps Bestival?