• Home
    • Van Life
    • Cycling
    • Hiking
    • Sweden
    • Product Reviews
    • Events
    • Fitness
    • OCR
    • Running
    • Guest Posts
  • About
    • Who Is The Person Behind Fat Girl Fit?
    • Privacy and Cookie Policy
  • Collaborations
  • Interviews
  • Get in Touch
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • Twitter

Fat Girl Fit

Be fearlessly unapologetically you

Category: Cycling

Where to Ride For Cake in Essex

Why do you ride?  Earlier in the year as part of the British Cycling campaign One In A Million, a campaign trying to get one million more women on bikes by 2020, I shared a number of stories from inspiring ladies I knew who cycled.  Whilst doing this I got to understand the main reasons why some of them cycled.  The three main reasons that kept coming up were the sense of freedom, personal challenge and the social aspect and I think it is safe to say this is not just limited to women either!

When looking at the social aspect I could relate to this personally.  I like to ride with others, I enjoy being part of a club and I, like many others, am more than happy to ride for cake!

Cycling for cake!
Cycling for cake!

I am based in Hornchurch in Essex and so my rides are all to destinations I can get to from close to home and I thought I would share some of my favourites:

  • Blue Egg – Great Bardfield – this is super popular with cyclists in the area and the place itself is made up of several different companies but the cafe is Knead Food.  The route I have for this ride is around a 90 mile round trip and a stop here could be breakfast, lunch, snack or cake.  The full English is fab and I can recommend the carrot cake  and the quiche too.  Sadly closed on bank holidays.
Knead Food Bakery at The Blue Egg
Cake selection from Knead Food
  • Andrewsfield Airfield – Great Dunmow – not too far from the Blue Egg (is actually about 2 miles on the route I take).  They do a nice breakfast and also lunches and main meals.  Take cash though as they do not accept card payments.
  • Bakehouse – Chelmsford – this is a regular stop for many cyclists in the area.  There is also one in Maldon though I have not yet been there.  Again this is a popular stop for cyclists especially in summer months.  Both indoor seating and a pretty courtyard to seat in too with lots of bike racking available.  I can recommend all the food – been her for breakfasts, lunches, cakes and more!
  • Blackmore Tea Rooms – Blackmore – this is another regular stop and another popular choice with many a local cycle club.  It is not that far from the Bakehouse.   Really lovely scones, cream and jam.
Tea stop at Blackmore Tea Rooms
Tea stop at Blackmore Tea Rooms
  • Tiptree Tea Rooms – Tiptree – famous for their jams and really tasty homemade cakes.  They also sell mini bottles of tiptree gin (not for when riding obviously but small enough to fit in a cycle jersey!).
  • Paper Mill Lock – Little Baddow – the tea rooms are on the canal and popular in the summer with lots of outdoor seating.  And after you have eaten you then have the delight of North Hill to cycle up!
Papermill Lock Cafe
Papermill Lock Cafe
  • The Snug – High Easter – really tasty freshly baked cakes and super friendly staff.
  • The Booking Hall – Rayne – great red velvet cake!  Such a quirky little place that used to be an old train station.  Lots of bike racks here too as it is another popular choice with cyclists.
  • Hanningfield Cafe on the Water – Hanningfield – it is as the name suggests with the cafe overlooking the reservoir.  Lots of bike parking and large area on the decking to sit and eat.
  • Pete’s Place – Ramsden Heath – the first time I visited here I cycled round the back to the garden area and it was full of pink, black and grey as the Rapha club had cycled out to here.  Food is always great and staff are brilliant.  Freshly made cakes and yes in the picture that is a cadbury cream egg, wrapped in chocolate cake and dipped in chocolate – need I say more?  This cafe is now under new management and renamed Pete’s Place – I am yet to visit it since the change so will update once I have been there!
Hall & Co Cafe
Hall & Co Cafe
  • Butts Green Garden Centre – Chelmsford – found this little gem when on an organised Specialized ride and honestly I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of stopping at a garden centre and yet they have the best cafes, just like this one!
  • Nerissa & Claires – Ongar – great hot chocolate!
  • Norton Heath Cafe – Norton Heath – delicious all day breakfast though limited where to leave bikes.
  • Owls Hill Tea Room – Terling – the cutest little cafe with seating inside and outside under gazebos, bike racks and lovely surrounding country lanes popular with cyclists.
  • Peterboat – Leigh on Sea – note a cafe but a pub that has become a firm favourite especially after the London to Southend bike ride.  Loads of seating outside with plenty of space to leave bikes and a huge menu.
  • Liana’s Tea Shop – Hornchurch – this is a little gem I discovered only recently, recommended by some friends.  It is not far from where I live so tends to be a stop at the end of a ride and something nice to look forward to.  All the cakes are home made and the flavours differ from one week to the next.  I am a sucker for nice china and a teapot and this place did not disappoint.  Very welcoming and as it is in the courtyard on Langtons there is ample space to leave bikes too, with seating both outside and indoors.

Happy cycling and if you know of anywhere else I should visit on my cycles please let me know.

Tweet
Share
Pin1
Share
1 Shares

Related posts:

  1. Suffolk Sunrise bike ride
  2. Why Do Cyclists Do That?
  3. My Winter/Off Season Goals
  4. Exploring The Beautiful Nature Reserves In Sweden

About Lisa

Hi, I'm Lisa and this blog follows my journey to a healthier and happier me, discussing different events I take part in, training and product reviews. It’s an honest account of my journey – warts and all!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to Fat Girl Fit!

Welcome to Fat Girl Fit!

Be Fearlessly Unapologetically You!

About me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter

Level 2 Qualified Coach & Commissaire

Foher Class of 2026 Ambassador

100 Women In Cycling 2021

Recent Posts

When In Sweden, It Would Be Rude Not To Fika!

A Day Exploring Visingsö By Bike

A Wilderness Weekend At Glaskogen

Search

What a perfect autumnal weekend 🍂 🍁 🧡 . # What a perfect autumnal weekend 🍂 🍁 🧡.#autumn #autumnvibes #autumnweekend #weekend #swedishautumn #sweden #sweden🇸🇪 #östergötland #swedishliving #swedishlife #swedishlifestyle #swedishcountryside #expat #expatriate #getoutside #scandi #thisgirlcan #fatgirlfit
Foher Class of 2026 - I am so proud to be part of Foher Class of 2026 - I am so proud to be part of this amazing group for my 7th year with the FoFam 🩷 💙 💜 🧡 .I cannot wait for the kit 😍 it is always truly spectacular!.This years theme is ✨ EVOLVE ✨. As always super bright colours radiating growth, momentum and transformation, for breaking through the weight of old patterns and behaviours, and stepping into the best version of yourself. .2026 will be the year to fuel the brightest fire, chase the light, and create momentum that carries you forward. 🌅💥.#classof26 #kitthatconnects #foherfamily #fohfam #commitment #bright #bold #colourful #evolve #ambassador #fohette #foher #foherco #fatgirlfit
We knew of Swedish fika before we moved, but since We knew of Swedish fika before we moved, but since living here we now know it is a super regular thing!.It is essentially a break, but it involves coffee (or in my case, tea) and some sort of baked goods. But, in addition to that it is a social activity and creates a moment to relax and reflect..We are now fika’ing our way around the Swedish cafes - link in bio to a blog post about some of our faves 🍰.#fika #fikapaus #fikatime #swedishfika #sweden #sweden🇸🇪 #östergötland #swedishliving #swedishlife #swedishlifestyle #expat #expatriate#scandi #thisgirlcan #fatgirlfit
Well Stockholm you were a weekend well spent! 💙 good company 💛 sun shining 💙 cocktails 💛Good food .#stockholm #weekendvibes #sweden #sweden🇸🇪 #swedishlife #expat #expatriate #getoutside #scandi #thisgirlcan #fatgirlfit
When you’ve not been on the bike in a while and When you’ve not been on the bike in a while and go for a quick spin in the ☀️ .The out and back route got me good:🚴🏼‍♀️ easy and fast on the way out thinking ok maybe I still got this💨 and straight into a headwind on the way back thinking oh yeah I remember this feeling .Oh tailwind/headwind you got me good 😝..#sweden #swedishhome #roadcyclist #lifebehindbars #lovecycling #specialized #specializedaethos #bontrager #roadbike #wahooligan #cycling #cyclist #fromwhereiride #strava #cyclingphotos #choosecycling #roadcycling #morewomenonbikes #womenscycling #cyclistsofinstagram #outsideisfree #bikeporn #fohette #foherco #cyclingblogger #thisgirlcan #ridelikeagirl #fatgirlfit
I now know the secret to bike strength 🙌🏻 it I now know the secret to bike strength 🙌🏻 it’s not structured training or intervals, it’s these heavy bikes 🤣.I’m only half joking - I feel like whilst I love this bike, it is going to contribute to me getting some bike fitness back 😝.#swedishcycling #cyclinginsweden #cyclingculture #everydaycycling #shoppingbike #bike #sweden #borenshult #sweden🇸🇪 #östergötland #swedishliving #swedishlife #swedishlifestyle #swedishcountryside #expat #expatriate #getoutside #scandi #thisgirlcan #fatgirlfit

Copyright © 2025 Fat Girl Fit · Theme by Blog Pixie