When you’re relaxing on holiday, it’s nice to enjoy a change of pace. You get to do things you don’t normally have time for in your busy day-to-day lives, such as reading a new book, or going for a stroll. One of the nicest ways to while away a few hours is to visit a café or coffee shop, to have a snack, read the news and unwind with a coffee at your leisure.
The market town of Ellesmere and its surroundings are a lovely place to spend time. In addition to the picturesque Mere itself, which is teeming with birdlife and is very popular with visitors, there’s also the town, which has many interesting cafes and eateries. Not all the cafes in Ellesmere have a website, but most have a social media presence, or are included on review platforms such as TripAdvisor. Here’s a selection of some of the best places to spend some downtime when you’re staying with us:
The Boathouse Café
Overlooking the Mere, the Boathouse Café offers the best view in town. As you’d expect from its name, it’s positioned right on the edge of the Mere in the award-winning park in Ellesmere. It’s surrounded by gardens and woodland, and is a great spot for planning how to explore the area over a cup of tea. As part of your trip you can also visit the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, which the café is an avid supporter of. There’s also ample parking available on site.
The Mere Café
Into the market town itself and the streets have several cafes and takeaways. The Mere Café offers delicious vegan and vegetarian fare, using locally-sourced food and drink. It also features a used bookshop and the accent is very much on the reuse and recycle ethos which is so important today, to address environmental issues. The café provides an Environmentally Friendly Refill Centre and also makes picnics, to take out and enjoy on the banks of the Mere. This little gem also hosts a varied range of events, from a book club and live music, to themed meal evenings.
Pete’s Sandwich Bar
Another great local café is Pete’s Sandwich Bar, which is a small, friendly family-run business with over 35 years’ experience in the cafe trade. It was founded by Pete Vermeulen in 1975 and is now run by his two daughters, Christy and Annabel. It offers an array of really tasty fare, from sandwich platters and picnic boxes, to personalised brownies and tapas grazeboxes. You can enjoy a fresh sandwich, made to order, in the café itself, or take-out if you are going exploring. Pete also founded Vermeulens Bakery and Delicatessen which is situated right next door.
Cherry Tree Café
The Cherry Tree Café is another great place to visit for breakfast or a spot of lunch. This cosy, welcoming little venue offers everything from cakes to paninis, and all sorts in-between – from ‘quiche of the day’ to burgers. It’s a relaxing little spot that has garnered some great online reviews and is well worth seeking out on Scotland Street. It doesn’t have a website at present, but updates can be found on Facebook.
The Boat
The Mere Café, Pete’s and the Cherry Tree are all within a hundred yards of each other in the middle of Ellesmere, but if you fancy a trip a little further afield for a coffee, we’d recommend The Boat at Erbistock. This country inn and restaurant is the perfect setting for a relaxing cuppa. It’s just over six miles from our Woodland Park Lodges site and is a lovely drive down country lanes to this secluded riverside location. This Grade II listed property dates from the 17th Century and was originally associated with the ferry crossing of the River Dee. The ferry’s long gone, but the venue is still open and has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment. It offers a fantastic place to unwind with a coffee on the banks of the Dee, where on summer evenings fish jump and bats swoop.
Our lodges are the perfect place to stay to explore all that Ellesmere has to offer. Book your stay and enjoy 15% off on any 4 and 7 night stays, commencing on a Monday, during May and June!