The Lone Barn – pop-up café, Catherington.

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The Lone Barn, pop-up cafe, Catherington

Last month on Moonroast Coffee’s Instagram page there was a post about The Lone Barn pop-up cafe which was to be held that weekend. Unfortunately that particular weekend we had plans but vowed to go the following month, October and signed up to their mailing list so we wouldn’t forget.

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Alex Prewett Illustration

We didn’t forget, we were looking forward to it and even Helen joined us. When Geoff and I arrived we couldn’t find the entrance, we ended up going into the farmhouse kitchen where there was a fierce and rabid dog who made me quickly retreat and shut the door! Some walkers suggested a door which originally I thought was padlocked but then saw that the lock was actually open. When Helen arrived I asked her if she too had difficulty finding the entrance …she didn’t, it was just us thicko’s then.

A cosy looking corner

Being a barn with a high thatched roof and the fact that it had certainly turned a lot, lot colder within the last couple of days it was obvious it was going to be a little chilly inside. We’d worn layers anyway but blankets and some portable heaters helped.

The sun streaming in

We received a warm welcome from owners Mel and Paul. They run the B&B at The Lone Barn – which looks lovely – and these once a month pop-up weekends which run from Friday through to Sunday are just a side-line along with craft events such as Festive Foliage Creations or Wooden Wonders, both including a supper – you need to book these.

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Mel makes all the food and cakes herself and Moonroast Coffee are the coffee roasters, so you can pretty much guarantee that the coffee is going to be awesome.

Carrot & apple soup served with sourdough

We each ordered soup. Soup-of-the-day was carrot & apple and came served piping hot in a large bowl along with sourdough bread – buttered if you wanted it. The soup was very tasty.

Spinach, pepper & feta frittata

So too was the spinach, pepper & feta frittata. Geoff had ordered himself a slice but after Helen and I took a bite we ordered another which we shared, it was delicious.

There were lots of things to look at around the barn – and take photos of – they’d certainly spent a lot of time making the place look fab. Even inside the toilets! Helen said they were ‘an inspiration’, she’d love to have something like this one day along with a small holding with a few animals.

Outside was a Park Tool station with all the tools required for some bike maintenance if needed, a wash area with brushes – in case you’d been cycling off-road – and a clever bit of carpentry, a man with a helmet on holding a bidon with a needle in his arm and marker pen saying it was ‘a shot of espresso’.

There was a good bike rack outside where you could hang your bike simply by the seat.

Orange & polenta cake

Geoff and I shared both the orange & polenta cake and the carrot & pecan sponge. We were asked if we would like the polenta cake warmed and served with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of the orange syrup. Geoff said no but I said yes and boy oh boy was he glad I over ruled him. It was divine!

Carrot & pecan

The carrot & pecan cake was good too but we did prefer the polenta cake. Helen had to dash back to the farm so she took with her a Tiffin cake which she said was ‘so yum’.

Around the barn were bits of bike, frames, wheels, inner tubes but also as it was Hallowe’en there were several carved pumpkins, gourds and apples on the tables along with fresh flowers. Fairy lights were also hanging around the place which made it look very pretty and cosy.

As you can tell by the many photos I took I loved our visit. I wish it was open all the time, I’d be cycling over at least once a week.

I also love The Lone Barn’s logo’s and lovely little illustrations which are by Alex Prewett Illustration, they’re great!

We’re looking forward to the next pop-up weekend which will be the 23rd, 24th, 25th of November and then the 28th, 29th,30th of December. Maybe we’ll see you there…

Ambience 8
Quality 8
Service 8
Value 8
Return? Definitely!
Overall 8/10

Living life, loving the pop-up cafe!

A x

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