The best places for a tea and cake pit stop

Here at The Carter Company we love a good cup of properly brewed leaf tea and a slice of cake. Earl Grey and Keemun are regular favourites in the office (excellent complements for a Battenberg or Lemon Drizzle), but we've also been branching out to more unusual blends recently... Artichoke or Roasted Rice Green Tea anyone? Naturally if we can combine tea with a cycling or walking trip we are mighty happy!

Having spent hours on our bikes figuring out route directions and scouting the best itineraries for our trips in each area, we have built up quite a bit of knowledge and gathered lots of tips from locals on the best places to go. Of course this has resulted in some 'research trips' to a fair number of establishments. Which was very arduous for us (hoho).

So without further ado, the following are The Carter Company's top tips for a cup of tea (and luckily you can visit them all on our cycling and walking holidays):

• Dorchester Abbey Tea Room - A stunning setting and delicious home-made cakes make this a personal favourite of Wendy's (founder and director of The Carter Company). Plus all the profits go to charity. Our Thames Source to Sea ride winds right past this one, as do most of our Thames biking and walking trips

• Rumsey's Chocolaterie in Wendover - Luckily this one is on our not-so-gentle Chiltern Challenge, so you can burn off the irresistible hand-made chocolates you will no doubt struggle to resist following a visit to this local favourite! The place has a quintessentially English charm to it, and the staff are really friendly. Plus, the glass wall that separates the cafe from the kitchen means you can watch the magic happen and see first-hand the care and attention to detail the chefs put into making each and every chocolate. Rumsey's also run courses and workshops for those wanting to have a go themselves. See their website for more details

• Langass Lodge on the Isle of North Uist - Set on the edge of Loch Eport and overlooking Ben Eaval, you can't get many landscapes more breathtaking than this. But more importantly, the tea at this family-run establishment is one we highly recommend. Take our Highlands and Hebrides guided cycling tour for a chance to visit