Tim's Coffee Adventure - Hebden Bridge.

I hate rest days! I'd much prefer to take on a grueling run or a big gym session. Anyway, this Wednesday was not only a day off from work but also the dreaded training rest day.

I walked out the door before my predictable brain could find an excuse to train or work (or both). I headed towards the train station with precisely no clue where I was going for the day. Anywhere with good coffee and a place to read my book.

Manchester, York, Bradford, Slaithwaite, Knaresborough, Halifax? I considered all of these on my slow amble from Hyde Park into the city centre.

I looked at the boards at the station, Hebden Bridge flashed up and my decision was made. 

What a day I had.

Even the period train station at Hebden Bridge is beautiful. I had my first coffee in the old parcels office on platform 2, 'The Coffee Station'. As soon as I walked in, you could feel this was a well-loved space run by passionate people. I hope this is the vibe my customers experience in my  coffee shop.

I walked along the canal, quickly realising that I made this impromptu trip at the perfect time of year. The leaves were gently falling over the water with every breath of wind, with the backdrop of the Calder Valley’s trees changing colours. The reds, yellows, and oranges still have their green canvas behind them, highlighting their vibrancy. Magical.

I wandered the length and breadth of the high street trying to plot how and where to spend my caffeine budget. I was not struggling for choice. Loads of the indie shops were getting their windows ready for Hebden Halloween Window Trail.

I had multiple coffees, but I found the best coffee at Good Neighbour on Carlton Street. I was engrossed in my book at this stage and forgot to take a photo. Sorry guys. My rule of thumb has always been: to make great coffee, you need a skilled barista, great coffee, and great equipment. My flat white was beautifully made using North Star beans and the same La Marzocco machine we have in my shop. :-)

For lunch, I tried Squeeze Cafe and had a life-changing chorizo scramble, which they'd incorporated Parmesan into as well. It was divine, and the Darkwoods coffee I had there tasted great too.

I'd spotted a superb-looking wine merchant on my recce through the town. I thought, sod it, if not today, when? I'd  committed to having one, but as soon as I entered  Remedy  and looked at their wine menu I thought I may as well have three, so I ordered a wine flight. Coffee tasting is so much fun, but I always equate it to work. When I get the opportunity to do wine tasting, it's pure, unadulterated joy!

I left with a vanilla-cherry-tasting Californian Zinfandel, which I paired with a Gorgonzola Piccante Agrigon cheese from Goo Cheese next door. With my mementos from the day safely in my backpack, I took the short walk along the canal to Mytholmroyd to get the train home.

Once on the train, I continued with my book, Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha. By the time we pulled into Leeds City Station, I was thinking about the most effective methods of learning and sharing information: to be taught or to experience? My conclusion: You won’t know how good Hebden Bridge is until you go!

A great day.