Bridleway Baristacrat.

The idea of lugging a small stove and kettle about on the bike, along with bottles of water and mugs and all the other guff I deem necessary, might seem a bit of a daft one. There are, after all, loads of places to grab a coffee while out and about on a ride, and I don't ride far/long enough usually to warrant a coffee stop anyway. I could just have a mug of Asda's finest instant before I potter off, and another when I get back, low caffeine levels/enhanced grumpiness would not be an issue.

But it isn't just about the coffee, it's about making a reason to go out for a ride, finding somewhere nice to plot up and brew up, and spend some time just taking in the surroundings, and hopefully, relaxing at the same time. Plus messing about with camping stoves and so on is fun isn't it, and a hot mug of coffee on a ride is most civilised at any time of the day. But the mellow start also, fingers crossed, carries over into the rest of the day too, so it's a win all round, even if some folk do think it a bit weird.

So it was that I set off yesterday morning heading for a popular location for an early brew up for me – beside the Tresillian River. There is a Bridleway that runs from Tresillian to St Clement, alongside the river the whole way, making for a flat ride – always a bonus down here in Cornwall, and a very picturesque one too.

The soft early morning sun and long shadows always make for a pleasant time to ride along the lanes, the manic early rush hour traffic (rush three hours is more like it these days) ploughing through Tresillian less so. But the road is wide so it's no big deal to tangle with the commuters, and it isn't long before the Bridleway appears anyway, and peace, the river, muddy puddles, nosey dogs (and their owners) and a mug of hot coffee beckon.

Beside the Tresillian River.

I'm not alone in my liking for carting a stove about on a bike and having a brew up somewhere out and about, quite a lot of cycling folk do it in fact, and most also get involved in proper filter coffee and all manner of grinding and filtering contraptions too. Me, well I go for 'three in one' instant coffees – they do the job well enough for me, and it's good fun trying out the various makes and flavours available. Today was a new to me sachet of Cappuccino, a box of which I picked up in the local pound shop. A good 7/10 that one, very nice indeed, but not as strong as the Nescafe Cappuccino sachets, top banana they are so far.

While sitting and chilling, I got chatting to one of the many dog walkers who pass by and who is also a bit of a bird song expert, and among the various noises to be heard apparently were Oyster Catchers, Ravens hanging around the tree tops, and also Kingfishers, a couple of which also put on a spectacular display of vibrant colour while flitting low across the water just yards away.

Tresemple Pond on the opposite side of the track to the river.

Luckily, the Bull didn't appear to be home, but I still made like Lance Armstrong on a double dose across the field just in case.

Far side the field reached safely.

A brief foray up another Bridleway followed before I headed back the way I'd come rather than make a loop which would involve heading into Truro and a whole world of busyness and motorised mayhem- beggar that for a laugh!

Most of the coffee I drink at home I hardly notice, so taking the time to savour a mug somewhere quiet is a small and simple pleasure, but one that really helps when it comes to being able to put the worries and stresses to one side for a while. For the Winter I'm already planning to stock a range of hot chocolates and cup a soups for a bit of trailside sustenance, lovely!