Hartside Cafe - Am I only the one who thinks its crap?

original_concept

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I seem to go over Alston Moor every week or two passing the Hartside Cafe.

Now, I've only stopped at the cafe once and that was with the family back in the Winter. We had sausage buns/cake/coffee and was crap, the toilet frozen up and generally the whole place look tired (bit like a lot of North County Durham's/Northumberland's roads).

As an example the rebuilt cafe/shop at Kielder does, IMHO, proper coffee and decent food.

With the amount of money Hartside must make am I only the one who thinks they should up their game and provide drinks/food worth paying for? - I tend to vote with my feet so I've never stopped for anything there since.

I don't think much of the coffee/food at the Wearside diner either, stopped once, never again.

You can get better coffee/food at BP/Shell garages...
 
I agree, because the road is so popular during weekends I tent only to ride that way mid week.
 
I've no problem with the food: It's a cafe and the breakfasts and sarnies have always been acceptable.

They have a limited season due to the weather and location - I'm surprised it's still open to be honest.

It's be a shame if it shut, but would you honestly take it on as a business venture?

:nenau

PS: I don't like Keilder Visitors Centre. It's expensive and it's closed most of the year.
 
They can't be doing that bad, everytime I've been past it, its busy enough.

Even during the Winter snow you get a fair number of people up there for the view, sledging etc.

I'm curious what they make in a year, it can't be that bad :-)

I'm kinda ranting, because I've not come across a biker's type cafe that does proper coffee and proper expressos... A mug of instant coffee or stale tea doesn't do the job.

I have a 'cafe for coffee' tour of the North idea brewing....
 
original_concept said:
They can't be doing that bad, everytime I've been past it, its busy enough.

Even during the Winter snow you get a fair number of people up there for the view, sledging etc.

I'm curious what they make in a year, it can't be that bad :-)

I'm kinda ranting, because I've not come across a biker's type cafe that does proper coffee and proper expressos... A mug of instant coffee or stale tea doesn't do the job.

I have a 'cafe for coffee' tour of the North idea brewing....
Click to expand...

Mmm .... I like a decent coffee too.

Re Hartside - I wonder what the expenses are like: Working for BT I know their phone line is off quite often in Winter and I wonder how they do for power or water/sewerage, let alone food deliveries and staffing....?
I mean, what hours would you open the place, if you had to pay staff and have the kitchen and heating on?
Not being funny..I just wonder..

:beerjug:
 
Location, location, location and the road there and the road the other side. Otherwise, it's just a caff.
 
six of us toured north england last november.we had a ride from durham to hartside moor cafe.pissed down all the way,fog,mist the lot.when we got there looking forward to a mug of steaming tea and a bacon butty.the place was closed,it was beeing painted inside.we stood around for ten minutes trying to thaw out,then the woman inside came out,took pity on us and made us all a cuppa and a butty and let us stand by her log fire for half an hour.theres not many places would do that nowadays.so for me its a ten out of ten.
 
i get to Hartside most weekends, never bother with the coffee go for a flavored tea instead :). If you don't like it try the Village Bakery in Melmerby or the Shepherds if its open, we pop up there on sunny summer evenings and the coffee is ok. Alternatively go to Number 15 cafe in Penrith, from A66 in towards town cventre, past Esso/shell, over mini r/bout and its a few 100 m on your left.
 
Ah, but it has great roads and the view from the top, much preferable than a shiny service station on a dismal motorway or A road don't you agree

For me the food / drink is secondary, I have even taken sarnies and a flask cos I'm stingy.

The only draw back I find is the popularity at the weekend. food / beverages are above transport caf standard (cakes are Ok in my book). It's got seats, its warm and dry if its cold and wet outside and a toilet, what more do you want :D

I get confused by all the choice mocca/latte/cappa/frappachino brigade. :rob
 
I don't wanna sleep-inducing hot chocky... I wanna a heart attack inducing coffee :-)

I'm probably going to head out West later today, so I might try one of Gizmo's recommendations.
 
I think its the Village Bakery in Melmerby I've been to in the past, nice place, walnut scones very nice too
 
original_concept said:
I seem to go over Alston Moor every week or two passing the Hartside Cafe.

Now, I've only stopped at the cafe once and that was with the family back in the Winter. We had sausage buns/cake/coffee and was crap, the toilet frozen up and generally the whole place look tired (bit like a lot of North County Durham's/Northumberland's roads).

As an example the rebuilt cafe/shop at Kielder does, IMHO, proper coffee and decent food.

With the amount of money Hartside must make am I only the one who thinks they should up their game and provide drinks/food worth paying for? - I tend to vote with my feet so I've never stopped for anything there since.

I don't think much of the coffee/food at the Wearside diner either, stopped once, never again.

You can get better coffee/food at BP/Shell garages...
Click to expand...

It's exactly the same with the Ponderosa Cafe at the top of the Horseshoe Pass in North Wales. The coffee there is abysmal. And it looks a little tired and grubby. Shame really because it's in a beautiful position. But while the hordes keep flocking there I don't suppose there's much incentive for them to try any harder.
 
Better cafe on the main street in Middleton-on-Tees (called 16/18,can't think why) and the road there,from Alston, is a corker. Or if it's a beer you're after,The George at Piercebridge and sit out the back on the river bank.
 
Tw@ Features said:
Better cafe on the main street in Middleton-on-Tees (called 16/18,can't think why) and the road there,from Alston, is a corker. Or if it's a beer you're after,The George at Piercebridge and sit out the back on the river bank.
Click to expand...

Middleton-on-Tees - I think that's the one on the corner?

The George does look like a pretty place to stop, everytime I've gone past it I'm rushing South to the A1 :-( or North to the A68 :-)
 
Grind my gears

What the hell are you crying about?
Its an old school caf' not a Cafe with a little french dash on the e.

It just a place to get a warm and a coffee or chips if your starving.
Anything above that is a bonus and should be tacken as such.

If your looking for a Michelin star on the wall your going to be looking for some time becuase its not f...ing there! You did ride there after all so if you want quality get back on your bike and go find it.

Ill get back of my soap box now. It does grind my gears when someone kicks a dog for barking.
 
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