Great West Way Travel Magazine | Issue 08

conversations. The Apple Cart Café is a warm, welcoming place on the High Street, while The Charlton Cat has a seriously tasty selection of cakes (try the rhubarb and custard) and an outdoor courtyard with fabulous countryside views. And make sure you pop into Marshalls Bakery to sample their legendary Wiltshire Lardy Cake. Thanks to its handy location on the route from London to Bristol, the ancient town of Marlborough has always attracted tired travellers (and their thirsty horses) in need of a pick-me-up. Today it continues to cater to passing visitors with all sorts of interesting cafés. The Polly Tea Rooms is perhaps the most well-known. First opened in 1912, it has been ranked one of the best places to enjoy afternoon tea in the UK by The Telegraph. It’s also had some very high-profile visitors over the years, from John Betjeman to the Duchess of Cambridge, who used to pop in with her friends while a student at Marlborough College. Go all out with Polly’s Luxury High Tea, which is everything you’d imagined afternoon tea could be. Add a touch of romance to your tea break in beautiful Bath. Have a dreamy Tea with Mr. Darcy or perhaps some Crawfords Crumpets at The Regency Tea Room, part of the Jane Austen Centre. Or try some of the city’s famous Bath Buns at Sally Lunn’s - soft, sweet rolls created by a Frenchwoman attempting to create a treat reminiscent of the brioche she missed from home. For a more contemporary experience, there are lots of speciality coffee shops frequented by hip locals - Colonna & Small’s, Society Café and Picnic Coffee are current favourites. 44 <strong>Great</strong><strong>West</strong><strong>Way</strong>.co.uk

One of the newest tea shops to open in Bath is Sweet Little Things tea room and bakery, centrally located, just next to Southgate. Hard to miss, the café's 'instagrammable' window is bedecked with pink flowers, and is decorated inside with even more blooms, making for lots of aesthetically pleasing corners perfect in which to sit with a coffee and slice of cake. Take your pick from their extensive menu, including brunch options such as pancakes with a variety of toppings and acai smoothie bowls, quiches and toasted sandwiches for lunch, afternoon tea options ranging from classic to prosecco and gin, and plenty of hot drinks, from coffee to their own signature pink hot chocolates. This atmospheric village of Castle Combe is a destination in itself but also makes a lovely stop-off point for a cup of tea as you explore the velvety hills of the Cotswolds. The Old Stables, with its super spacious lawn, is popular among cyclists and ramblers looking for a place to stretch out and rest. Well-behaved pups are very welcome too. Elsewhere, Sweetapples Teashop is another perfect stop for cyclists located in the centre of the beautiful historic Cotswold village of Marshfield. Goring-on-Thames and Streatley are two places that sit on opposite sides of the River Thames, scenically linked by a bridge where many like to stop and soak up the view. Both have some wonderful tea options. Pierreponts Café is a favourite, serving up both a Goring and a Streatley themed afternoon tea. The Village Chocolate Cafe has a warm, community feel and was a favourite of the late pop star George Michael, who had a house nearby. Try The Royal Goring Cream Tea - a traditional high tea with hearty scones, strawberry jam and clouds of rich clotted cream and over on the Streatley side, by the water, The Swan and its Boathouse Deli & Cafe. Head to the charming Wiltshire town of Malmesbury on the edge of the Cotswolds for a relaxed break. This lovely town has plenty of welcoming cafes, alongside many independent shops and the stunning 12th Century Abbey. For a sumptuous, 3-tiered afternoon tea experience, the magnificent Whatley Manor is the → <strong>Great</strong><strong>West</strong><strong>Way</strong>.co.uk 45