with Mark Davison
Ockham Bites Café, Old Lane, Ockham, near Wisley
O N A return trip from the garage the other sunny afternoon, I was feeling quite peckish. I was on the A3 near Wisley and remembered seeing signs for the Ockham Bites cafe, just off the main road on Ockham Common.
I had not been here for years and happily the little establishment just across the lane from Wisley lake was still thriving, as I was to discover.
I parked the motor under some tall pines swaying in the lively spring breeze under blue skies.
After ambling up to the cabin servery, I joined a small queue of people who were waiting to order snacks.
"Two bacon burgers, please," said a man who was with a work colleague.
A young man appeared behind the counter and enquired of my order. He was remarkably cheerful and served me with great alacrity.
"Good afternoon, could I order a brie burger, please?" I said.
"Nice one, man," he replied, darting off to prepare it. "Good choice!"
He turned and asked: "Anything to drink?"
I requested a hot chocolate and also picked up a flapjack to have later.
After settling up, I made small talk with him.
"I thought it was meant to be wet and cold today but it's turned out quite nice."
He smiled and said: "It was like that yesterday here."
A lady placed my burger and cheese on a hot-plate grill.
My eyes wandered to a poster advertising a Star Wars Day at the cafe on May 4 and 5, raising money for the Surrey Wildlife Trust.
"Come and meet Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers from 10am," said the flyer. "Free entrance, Star Wars merchandise stall, face-painting and Star Wars tattoos, a charity raffle and lucky dip".
In addition, I gleaned, there was a Wookie in the Woods treasure hunt and competitions.
I took a seat on a picnic table in the spring sunshine.
On the next table were sitting a middle-aged couple. At their feet was a black and white spaniel which kept jumping up at the table, straining on its red lead.
I gazed at a sandwich board displaying the prices of some of the snacks on offer.
"Breakfast in a box – Two rashers of bacon, one sausage, one egg, beans and mushrooms (£4.95).
That would have been nice, I felt.
The spaniel sipped from a plastic bowl topped with water. Its owners barely said a word to each other and gave the impression they were staring at me.
I tucked into the brie burger. Very tasty.
An aged rocker sauntered up to the servery. He was wearing a wide-brimmed hat and leathers.
Nearby, a man in a smart business suit turned up and joined the queue for food. After a few minutes he took his fast-food to a picnic table and sipped from a bottle of mineral water.
The incessant roar of cars and lorries on the A3 detracted a little from the otherwise peaceful setting of this place.
Another menu was displayed on a peg board behind a plate glass window at the front of the cafe.
Baguettes – one item, £3.25; two items, £3.75; three items, £4.25; four items, £4.75.
Above the din of the traffic, birds sang cheerily in the branches of the trees.
After polishing off the flapjack, I took a short stroll towards the lake. Pinned up on a gate was a notice about a missing dog.
"Bella – female Saluki lurcher cross (neutered). Bella went missing between 4 and 5.30pm on February 7th 2014 from a dog-secure garden along the Clandon Road. We have walked and driven the local area and there have been no sightings. Bella is white and tan, very thin build with large dark, brown eyes and is affectionate. If you see her I can be contacted by mobile, 07527801231."
Another notice warned walkers to be aware of ground-nesting birds.
"Please help us to reduce disturbance to them by keeping yourself and your dogs on the tracks, and out of the heather and grass for this period."
People enjoying strolls over the common were advised that the Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower has open days throughout the year.
Sadly, the dates displayed were only those for 2013. Last year's teddy bears' picnic at the tower was also advertised.
There was an open letter, written in December, from Gemma Hayes, Surrey Wildlife Trust's Wisley and Ockham ranger.
"The heathland is looking truly spectacular at this time of the year, with amazing sunsets and frosts contributing to some of the most stunning countryside scenes that I have ever seen – many of which I just can't stop taking photos of."
On my return to the servery to deposit some litter, I picked up a leaflet from the Wisley Action Group announcing: "They're planning to build a new town on Wisley's Green Belt at Three Farms Meadows, the former Wisley airfield."
I was alarmed at this news.
"Say 'no' to a new town at Wisley," it continued. "The former airfield would be concreted over to accommodate up to 2,500 houses – some five storeys high – along with an array of commercial buildings and a travellers' site on 300 acres of agricultural land, meadows and wildlife habitat."
