The summer was showing signs of heating up as we rode the climb from Bickington to Haytor. We stopped at the top to enjoy ice creams, chatting briefly with a visitor from Cornwall who was interested to see Michael's Mercian cycle. Next stop was the track from Bonehill to Natsworthy and the rapid descent to Widecombe, where we enjoyed an excellent lunch in the garden of the Green cafe.

Before leaving the village we called into the village store and bought half their stock of home-made chocolate brownies and rocky road - recommended if you're ever passing! Our return route then took us at good speed down Leusdon hill, past Spitchwick and home via Hembury.

27/3/25: Updated (photo enhancement & upscale, photo time correction)

Our final junior evening ride of the season took us through Buckfast and up the long climb to Cross Furzes. This was Josh's request, and it proved a good choice: the deer on the other side of the valley made an impressive sight as we avoided the bumps and dips on the exciting descent to Chalk Ford.

This was a perfect evening for cycling. Having climbed to Skerraton Down we couldn't resist the opportunity to sit down and admire the extensive views from Dartmouth to Haldon.

With just Tao and Michael on the ride again we decided to tackle a really ambitious ride, despite the unpleasant heat. First stop was the local store at Chudleigh for cold drinks. In what seemed like no time at all we had ridden to the top of Haldon, crossed the newly-closed central reservation and descended the long hill to Starcross. Normally we would have stopped on the path for lunch overlooking the estuary, but today we had other plans, so we pressed on past the Turf Lock hotel and along the newly-improved path alongside the canal. The path was good of course, but somehow we liked the narrow tree-lined nature of the old path a little more!

Soon we were riding through the continental bustle of the quayside area of Exeter with its interesting shops and boats, but we pressed on to our chosen lunch destination - Pizza Hut at Exe Bridge. Perhaps we chose it because of the unlimited refills of ice-cold 7-Up, or perhaps simply because we knew Joe had wanted to do this ride for the last 12 months and we wanted to make him really envious that he missed it! Either way, we enjoyed an excellent meal in the cool restaurant and then enjoyed half an hour relaxing in the shade of a tree by the nearby canal.

Eventually we set off for home, trying Tao's suggestion of Longdown rather than our usual route through Underdown. It proved a good choice: the drag to the top of Longdown wasn't brilliant, but it was easier than Underdown, and once at the top the ride was pretty much all downhill right through the Teign Valley to Chudleigh Knighton! We certainly kept up an impressive speed.

We had time for refreshments, and the Riverside cafe at Bovey Tracey provided us with just what we needed - well priced refreshments and a well-earned rest in the shady garden. We rode home through Blackpool and Bickington, congratulating ourselves on a job well done!

27/3/25: Updated (photo enhancement & upscale, photo time correction)

The absence of slower riders this evening meant that we reached Spitchwick in record time, even though we included Hembury hill in the route! We were enjoying the fast pace so much that we decided not to stop at Spitchwick, pressing on at top speed up the long wooded hill to Buckland-in-the-moor before returning home via Ashburton.

Our first afternoon ride for many years took us to one of our favourite destinations, the Avon Dam. The path to the reservoir was packed with people soaking up the fantastic weather - we even met ex-member Gage, out for a walk with his family!

Tao and Matt cleared out Michael's chocolate box while enjoying the view across the reservoir. Nobody wanted to leave, but Matt needed to get home by 5.30 so we dragged ourselves away from the soft grass and headed back across the moor to Cross Furzes. By way of a change we returned to Buckfastleigh via the long track through Kings Wood - an exciting ride, marred only by Michael getting a pinch puncture on the way down.

27/3/25: Updated (photo enhancement & upscale, photo time correction)

Today's ride was cancelled as all our riders were involved with other activities.

Today's ride was cancelled as all our riders were involved with other activities.

With just two of us on the ride today we set a brisk pace through Staverton to Littlehempston, approaching from the upper road that passes by the treatment works. After a stiff climb we explored the interesting network of tracks near Gatcombe, culminating with the descent of "puncture ally" back to Littlehempston: Michael was pleased to note that his brand new puncture-proof rear tyre coped perfectly with this ultimate test!