Explore + Roam

We are in a guidebook! Flick to page 350 to see us described as a happy hubbub...!

Motorway services are boring – motorways are boring – but they’re a necessary and convenient evil when you need to break the journey, especially when travelling with kids and pets. Enter The Extra Mile, here to steer you away from mediocre, expensive motorway service stations and garage forecourt food and into the arms of the UK’s best farm shops, independent cafes, and cosy pubs, all within striking distance of motorway junctions and main A roads.

Why go the Extra Mile? After yet another in a long line of bland ‘lattes’ and limp sandwiches next to the thundering motorway, we asked ourselves if there wasn’t another way. In rejection of soulless, expensive services, we set out to celebrate local alternatives, uncovering places that offer impeccable local food – some direct from the field – space for children and pets to let off steam, and beautiful surroundings. 

The Extra Mile offers a dependable list of independent and brilliant outlets, gorgeous countryside and delicious food worthy of a short detour. They’re all hand-selected and no more than 15 minutes’ drive from a junction, so you can add a bit of magic to your journey while supporting local businesses. 

Introducing Indy Coffee Guide! Discover over 150 top-notch speciality coffee shops, cafés and roasteries from Cornwall to Essex in this newly extended edition of Indy Coffee Guide England: South.

Browse the maps, get details on the venues and discover the highest-quality independent coffee businesses approved by a committee of leading industry experts.

We are page 192, number 119, go check us out! And our lovely coffee roaster friends at River Coffee Roasters are also featured. 

Next to us, as well, is Fig and Fox, in Romsey! 

Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Little Guide to Wildflowers offers a fresh perspective on identifying the flowers around you. Featuring 40 of the most beautiful flowers from around the world, including the common wildflowers we know and love, as well as the rare and interesting.

Each flower has been delicately illustrated by printmaker Tom Frost to capture its individual characteristics, and is accompanied by information about the plant family to which it belongs and where it can be found, plus associated facts and fables. There is also an interactive spotters guide at the back, where you can check off each flower you find.

This informative, practical and beautiful guide is part of a new nature series designedto encourage creativity through exploring the outdoors.

Dive into the fascinating world of coastal wildlife with this holiday pocket guide. Featuring 40 beautifully illustrated pebbles, shells, crabs, small sea creatures and more, discover more about life between the tides with The Little Guide to Shorelines.

Each entry has been delicately illustrated by printmaker Tom Frost to capture its individual characteristics, and is accompanied by associated facts and fables. There is also an interactive spotter's guide at the back, where you can check off what you find.

This informative, practical and beautiful guide is part of a new nature series designed to encourage creativity through exploring the outdoors. An activity for adults and children alike, enjoy The Little Guide to Shorelines on your next trip to the sea.

A stunning coffee table book for DIYers, interior design lovers, as well as vanlife and tiny homes enthusiasts, This Old Van is the complete how-to guide to plan, renovate and style your own vintage van to give it a second life.

Much-loved couple from The Block, Carlene and Michael Duffy, have received countless emails from keen renovators around the world asking for advice on refitting a vintage van or RV. They have compiled their tips, tricks, and the wisdom they have learned on their own projects and distilled it into one helpful and beautiful book. Learn what to look for when purchasing a second-hand van, follow detailed information on planning and construction, and discover plenty of design and styling tips, alongside beautiful photos of Carlene and Michael's many van conversions to help provide further inspiration.

For many, a van or RV is much more than just a holiday home – it's a vehicle for freedom and adventure, or might even be your permanent home. Carlene and Michael address every consideration from budgeting and spatial planning to colour palettes, so you can create your dream home on wheels.