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Extra Mile Books is a Bristol-based independent publisher. Need a gift for a foodie? Shop books now. Out now!

Home of #1 best-selling guides to British farm shops, independent cafés, coastal cafés, and memorable spots to eat near motorway and main-road junctions. http://www.centralbooks.com/extra-mile-the.html

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The journey is part of the adventure. Unless of course that journey involves soulless, expensive motorway service stations, bland food, restless children and a six-mile tailback. Motorway

services are boring – motorways are boring – but they’re a necessary and convenient evil when you need to break the journey, especially when travelling with kids and pets. The Extra Mile is an easy-to-navigate guide highlighting the best places to pause - within easy reach of arterial routes - for a more enjoyable and rewarding break. For us, that means good-quality local food from makers and growers, space for children and pets to let off steam, and attractive surroundings no more than 15 minutes’ drive from a junction. Eating and resting better and supporting local businesses without adding much to overall journey time.

12/01/2026

Planning your 2026 trips? Adventure properly, by detouring to Betty Berkins in Flintshire, one of the fab independents featured in The Extra Mile Guide, delicious alternatives to motorway services.

Bunting-draped Betty Berkins could hardly feel more welcoming if your own favourite aunty ran the place. Owner Fidelma loves to greet her visitors personally and tells a great story to boot. Catch her when she's not serving up generous slabs of cake or piling colourful salads into arty ceramic bowls and you're in for a chatty treat.

It's not all about the fresh bakes and scones, quality coffee, classy afternoon teas and seasonal specials here - though the goats' cheese and blueberry open sandwich really should be sampled. This bright, teal-and-white themed café also offers Welsh and art classes, to quell cravings both cultural and calorific. Neighbours on this small rural site include a gift shop and a hairdresser, should either be in demand.

Relax indoors or enjoy your lunch outside in the sheltered area, 'The View'. Those with dogs will appreciate the separate dining area with its dog menu and local walk ideas on the wallpaper.

Grab your copy of THE EXTRA MILE GUIDE from Betty Berkins or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

10/01/2026

Taking your tastebuds on a tour in ’26? Then swing by Over Farm Shop in Gloucestershire, one of the many places featured in THE FARM SHOP GUIDE.

The tall, Dutch-roofed barn at Over Farm is filled to the rafters with Gloucestershire produce, from squash, sausage rolls, pies, and preserves to homemade brownies, quiches, and cakes. To try the farm’s own flavours, look for the rhubarb, asparagus, soft fruit, courgettes, sweetcorn, and pumpkins. Don’t miss the coleslaw in the deli counter – it is a local must-taste.

Carnivores should head to the Meat Cave where Keith and Anna will select the best
rib-eyes, lamb chops, and herby sausages they can find. The farm-made ready-meals are also fab. Kids love the adventure play area (ticketed) with its bouncy pillows and up-close animals; adults can relax with a coffee and weighty breakfast bap.

Grab your copy of THE FARM SHOP GUIDE from Over Farm or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

08/01/2026

Carving out some coastal adventures in 2026? Then swing by The Lass O'Gowrie in Perthshire, one of the many places featured in THE COASTAL CAFÉ GUIDE.

If going from Perth to Dundee, pencil in a detour to Errol. This pretty little village sits alongside the Tay, a river whose setting attracts rare-breed warblers and walkers alike. In the town’s handsome bricked Victoria Hall sits The Lass O’Gowrie, a pleasingly gourmet café that does everything very well. The original ‘lass’ of the name is a type of apple grown in the fertile Carse of Gowrie nearby.

Our lass is owner and baking supremo, Ali, a woman who returned home to Errol to invigorate its food and drink scene. A relaxed and quirkily decorated place, the café specialises in feeding anyone and everyone, with staff unphased by dietary needs; the gluten-free offerings are excellent. Come for fresh bread, coffee and cake served all day), and colourful platters served with a genuine smile.

Grab your copy of the COASTAL CAFÉ GUIDE from The Lass O'Gowrie or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop.

06/01/2026

Planning your 2026 trips? Adventure properly, by detouring to the Angel & Harlequin, off the M1 in Derbyshire, one of the fab independents featured in The Extra Mile Guide, delicious alternatives to motorway services.

A long-held belief at the Angel and Harlequin is that good food and good company are two of life's simplest yet greatest pleasures. So, when this local pub was at risk of closure, the villagers of Spinkhill rallied round to rescue it. With Chris and Jean at the helm, it metamorphosed into this cracking and very welcoming bistro that's both a huge asset to the local community and an ideal pit-stop for those escaping the M1 (three minutes' away).

Tasty dishes appear from breakfast onwards, with seasonal ingredients at their core. Try the eggs benedict or roasted vegetable soup, or fill up on sweet potato curry or scallop and prawn ravioli. The bar has local artisanal drinks, alcoholic and less so. If debating a coffee and sweet treat from the in-house pastry chef, the coconut and rum cake is this writer's favourite. Sink into a Chesterfield for a chat or call ahead to order a stone-baked pizza for collection - perhaps to enjoy in the 750-acre Rother Valley Country Park nearby.

Grab your copy of THE EXTRA MILE GUIDE from the Angel & Harlequin or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

04/01/2026

Taking your tastebuds on a tour in ’26? Then swing by Willow Brook Farm Shop near Peterborough, one of the many places featured in THE FARM SHOP GUIDE.

The Morton family has proudly farmed Scotsman Lodge since 1938, with three generations calling it home and a fourth eager to continue the legacy. Over time, the farm has evolved from horse-and-cart to modern machinery, yet, at its core, it remains a traditional family farm. In 2003, Rosemary envisioned a farm shop. After
years of success at local farmers’ markets, and with growing customer demand, the family converted a building at the farm.

Provenance has always been crucial to the Mortons (you won’t find beef fresher than the home-reared cuts in the counter), so the range of milk, cheese, veggies, and plants can be traced to local suppliers.

The Granary Tea Room was a natural extension and serves popular breakfasts, light lunches, and cream teas overlooking this beautiful slice of countryside. There are bike racks for cyclists and lovely footpaths go right from the door.

Grab your copy of THE FARM SHOP GUIDE from Willow Brook Farm Shop or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

02/01/2026

Carving out some coastal adventures in 2026? Then swing by The Salty Dog Cafe near Scarbough, one of the many places featured in THE COASTAL CAFÉ GUIDE.

Cayton Bay is something of a ‘secret beach’: loved by locals yet overlooked by the hordes heading north to Scarborough and south to Filey. The soft spot of many a surfer, the bay has a cliff-backed swathe of sandy beach with woodlands toppling down almost to the tide. Park elsewhere and walk down the short sharp hill: where the view stops you in your tracks, The Salty Dog and its delights await.

Elizabeth’s recently renovated beachfront takeaway is just off the 175km-long Cleveland Way. It greets its guests with slices of scrumptious, freshly baked cakes and popular double-smash burgers. Enjoy ice creams, cold drinks, and aromatic ground coffee in the dog-friendly outdoor seating area. With that ocean to ogle, who needs to be indoors. Survey the sea for seals or simply roam, rockpool, and relax.

Grab your copy of the COASTAL CAFÉ GUIDE from The Salty Dog Cafe or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

30/12/2025

Planning your 2026 trips? Adventure properly, by detouring to Beetham Nurseries, one of the fab independents featured in The Extra Mile Guide, delicious alternatives to motorway services.

Beetham is a beautiful, narrow-laned, Postman Pat-styled village of stone houses on the Cumbria-Lancashire border. Its modern nurseries are awash with fresh air and floral scents and the Garden Café is blissful, with a focus on local flavours. Its wide, table-scattered patio is drenched in colour and glorious plants.

The café is a hit with the lunch crowd who stop by for roasted pepper and feta sandwiches or smoked haddock baked in Mornay sauce. The in-house bakers work wonders with cakes, scones and brownies - perfect with a fresh-ground coffee or Lancashire tea. The Food Hall sells local cheese, deli treats, fresh pies and homemade cakes and the Wood Fired Kitchen opens in 2023: grab a gourmet pizza or a local gift from the lifestyle shop before you go.

If you can reach the top of the local Fairy Steps without touching the sides, it's rumoured that the fairies will grant you a wish: "Please make cake calorie free!" Dogs are welcome outside.

Grab your copy of THE EXTRA MILE GUIDE from Beetham Nurseries or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

28/12/2025

Planning your 2026 trips? Adventure properly, by detouring to Broom House Farm in , one of the fab independents featured in The Extra Mile Guide, delicious alternatives to motorway services.

Broom House Farm sits at the top of a hill looking out over the dip and roll of the countryside towards Durham cathedral. The coffee shop is cosy in winter with a wood burner and gleaming domes of cakes. In summer there is seating outside where you can enjoy a Broomy breakfast, overlooking a grassy play field and the farm’s organic meadows stocked with sheep and cattle. During the warmer months there’s nature-based family action in the Forest Adventure (buy a ticket at the coffee shop) – let off some steam here before heading back inside to enjoy home cooked snacks and freshly ground coffee.

Ingredients sourced from the farm and surrounding area are whizzed into irresistible bites, such as bacon butties, beef burgers and sandwiches. Traybakes and cakes are summoned daily from the oven. Fill your bags in the farm shop and butchery next door on the way out, where there are over 50 local suppliers stocked on the shelves: our picks include Durham honey and Broom House chutney.

Grab your copy of THE EXTRA MILE GUIDE from Broom House Farm or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

26/12/2025

Taking your tastebuds on a tour in ’26? Then swing by Welbeck Farm Shop, one of the many places featured in THE FARM SHOP GUIDE.

Welbeck is a traditional, 15,000-acre estate in the heart of Sherwood Forest. The Farm Shop and Harley Café are part of Welbeck's community of artisan food producers, with the shop's low food mile delights served by attentive, knowledgeable staff.

At this well-established foodie hub, the team is proud to say that two thirds of its products are grown, raised or made right on the doorstep. There are meats from the award-winning butchery, raw milk and Stichelton blue cheese, with craft ales from Welbeck Abbey's microbrewery. Heritage seasonal fruits and vegetables are cultivated in the Walled Kitchen Garden.

Welbeck's diversions can fill a day or a week with a gallery, museum, activities for kids plus a sleek and seasonally influenced café. The excellent coffee needs its own CV. Stash some snacks and forge a route through the ancient woodlands and prehistoric gorges of this vast rural estate.

Grab your copy of THE FARM SHOP GUIDE from Welbeck Farm Shop or online at https://theextramile.guide/shop/, or your usual online bookshop. 😀

20/12/2025

Make someone's 2026 delicious with these two chunky slabs of independent food joy, for just £30, saving you a tasty £5.98.

THE FARM SHOP GUIDE is the passport to Britain’s freshest foodie spots — farm-to-fork cafés, butchers who know their beasts, bakeries that smell like heaven, and shelves stacked with things you absolutely didn’t need but will definitely buy anyway.

THE COASTAL CAFE GUIDE takes you to the edge — literally. It’s all about beach shacks, seaside gems and cliff-hugging cafés worth a salty-haired pilgrimage. Perfect for anyone who thinks a cuppa tastes better with a sea breeze (it does).

Wrap up both for £30 and they'll love you forever.

*****Grab them at https://theextramile.guide/shop/ *****

19/12/2025

Make someone's 2026 delicious with these THREE chunky slabs of independent food joy, for just £42, saving you a tasty £9.97

THE COASTAL CAFE GUIDE takes you to the edge — literally. It’s all about beach shacks, seaside gems and cliff-hugging cafés worth a salty-haired pilgrimage. Perfect for anyone who thinks a cuppa tastes better with a sea breeze (it does).

THE EXTRA MILE GUIDE is your escape route from limp service-station sandwiches. Indie cafés, farm shops and charming pit stops just minutes off major roads.

THE FARM SHOP GUIDE is the passport to Britain’s freshest foodie spots — farm-to-fork cafés, butchers who know their beasts, bakeries that smell like heaven, and shelves stacked with things you absolutely didn’t need but will definitely buy anyway.

Wrap up ALL THREE for £42 and they'll love you forever.

*****Grab them at https://theextramile.guide/shop/ *****

18/12/2025

Make someone's 2026 delicious with these two chunky slabs of independent food joy, for just £30, saving you a tasty £3.98.

THE COASTAL CAFE GUIDE takes you to the edge — literally. It’s all about beach shacks, seaside gems and cliff-hugging cafés worth a salty-haired pilgrimage. Perfect for anyone who thinks a cuppa tastes better with a sea breeze (it does).

THE EXTRA MILE GUIDE is your escape route from limp service-station sandwiches. Indie cafés, farm shops and charming pit stops just minutes off major roads.

Wrap up both for £30 and they'll love you forever.

*****Grab them at https://theextramile.guide/shop/ *****

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Bristol

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http://www.theextramile.guide/

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