Cycling, Stan's Bike Shack, Partridge Green, Downs Link

A cycle route is only as good as its refreshment stops, and the Downs Link has a fine one at Partridge Green. Stan’s Bike Shack sits just outside the village heading south, right after the trail crosses the B2135. For anyone walking or riding the bridleway, the position could hardly be better.

The café opened in 2015 and quickly built a following. On a sunny spring morning, arriving late in the day, the place was packed, which is always an encouraging sign. The building itself is a wooden structure on the edge of a farm field, with an outside seating area and plenty of room to leave a bike at the front or along the side.

Inside, there is a range of drinks and snacks. A coffee and a flapjack went down well before the ride back to Horsham, though there was a short wait to be served. Breakfast or lunch would be worth trying on another visit.

Friendly, welcoming and well placed, Stan’s drew a lively crowd of people talking and enjoying their food and drink in the sun. It is an easy stop to build into a regular summer route to Bramber and back.

Update, December 2021: Stan’s Bike Shack has since closed.