Saturday at Mile Oak Farm cafe

Before I reach my cafe stop of the day I have around a six mile walk to do first. I enjoy climbing up towards the ridge of the South Downs Way from Foredown. I can feel my muscles stretching and the sun on my face as it’s a rare sunny May day. The ridge is busy with teenagers doing their Duke of Edinburgh award treks laden down with huge rucksacks on their backs but still heading strongly eastwards with the energy of youth.

There is a strong wind coming from the north so I manage to tuck behind some shrubbery to have my picnic lunch and read another chapter of the book I’m reading this week. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari has had me hooked all week. It’s a spiritual fable with many wise words on how to find a more fulfilling life. Some of the ideas include getting out in the outdoors to enjoy the natural world and to be vegetarian, so I can readily tick those two boxes though there’s plenty more ideas which I’ve yet to adopt.

The downhill towards Mile Oak is the easiest part of the walk with the glint of the Channel ahead of me all the way and of course the promise of a tea stop coming up soon. Mile Oak Farm cafe is housed in what is essentially a large shed. I order my pot of tea and take a seat at one of the tables and begin quenching my thirst. There are just four inside tables all covered with coffee themed table cloths. It’s first and foremost a farm shop though where the earthy smell of bird feed and dog biscuits mixes with the aroma of coffee and freshly baked scones to make the trademark bouquet that makes this cafe one apart. The Gran Stead’s ginger ale sits comfortably alongside the local farm chutneys which sit next to the wooden bird houses and the seed potatoes.

The cafe used to just consist of a small counter with a hot water urn and some takeaway cups changing gradually over the years to this heady mix of undisputed cafe and farm shop combo. Its busy with local families taking their kids to see the wild fowl, goats and donkeys which are just outside. I’ve decided to sit inside to get away from the glare of the sun and to finish reading the last chapter of my book.It’s been an uplifting book and a great day on the downs. After another five minutes walk I’ll be at the bus stop to catch the number one back home but it will take much longer to digest the insight to a life lived well from my charity shop paperback.