This map shows the stopping off points in Sam Mellish's book of photography of layby and roadside cafes in East Anglia (and a few further afield). - click the link to see a portfolio of these photos.
These are everyday places of respite and refreshment for those who spend their day on the road, and many of us drive past them - not perhaps thinking of them as places to stop despite the good welcome and food that you will get there.
I've had the book for some time now since it first came out and it features some cafes that I drive past regularly and others that disappeared one day - perhaps moved to a new pitch. There was one called Snax on Trax which used to sit in the layby by the bridge at Hilgay where the old A10 used to go through the village. I drove past it for about 6 years and then it disappeared one day. I remember the Sit In cafe near Wisbech where the owners did a sit-in when they were threatened with removal... it's no longer there, and I'm also familiar with several ladies' 'big baps'....
There's the farm shop near Sleaford which has amazing displays and militaria, and of course the Cheerio Cafe (me ducks) on the A17 near RAF Cranwell where we always used to stop off on the way to the Yorkshire Dales with the 6th form.
Check out Sam's other work here.
What's your favourite roadside cafe? Let's have some recommendations.
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