Cafe Dharma
Steyning Tea Rooms
The weather in Britain has been so dreich recently, a Scottish word meaning damp, grey and miserable, that when one sunny day comes along you’ve just got to get out in it. We took the number two bus to Steyning, a bustling ancient village listed in the Domesday Book, with its main street lined with mainly timber framed buildings. It’s tucked just behind the South Downs so it is a great place for walks. We headed west along Mouse Lane out of the village and then on to the footpath that cuts behind Wiston Estate.
You never know quite what you’ll come across when out walking. We’d been along this route a few times over the years and were fairly familiar with it so we weren’t expecting to see anything unusual. However, we came across an old carriage sitting in the long grass, which on closer inspection we discovered to be an old tram car. The notice on the window explained that it was the last surviving Brighton tram car and the owners are hoping to renovate it and bring it back to its original condition. We had a good nose around and found the vehicle intriguing and rather incongruous just sitting there in the countryside. I wonder where the owners found it, got it here and what inspired them to undertake such a venture.
“There were white and blue fields of linseed flowers and the Channel sparkled in the distance”
The wooded chalk path that takes you up to the ridge of the South Downs Way is steep and a good power walk will take you to the top in about ten minutes. Now out from beyond the trees the land opened up and we were on the ridgeway with fantastic views as we turned round to walk back eastwards. There were white and blue fields of linseed flowers and the Channel sparkled in the distance. All the recent rain had brought out the green of the Downs and the views around us were archetypal Sussex calendar shots. Walking on ridges is probably my favourite type of walking as the path is easy to follow and you get a sense of accomplishment at being up on the highest point.
A few miles later we took the descent down to the village for tea and something to eat. Steyning Tea Rooms is one of the many cafes and tea rooms that dot the main roads through this pretty village. One of my favourites is the Tea Rooms to the easterly end of the high street. It’s on a slightly raised pavement with gorgeous flower boxes and hanging baskets with summer flowers of pink, red, white and purple. Inside its got a retro feel with its rose patterned wall paper, original fireplace and colourful bunting. Food and drink are served on a variety of floral patterned bone china. The small counter heaves with giant locally made cakes and its hard to make your choice.
As it was so busy inside we opted for sitting out at one of the few pavement tables and were quick to order the special of home-made rhubarb scones with rhubarb jam and cream along with the prerequisite pot of tea of course. The sun was still shining and what a braw day (a Scottish expression for a lovely day out) it was turning out to be.
