A pleasant ride to Shipley was dominated by wild strawberry picking, sparked by Rohan’s sharp eyes; the return across the open moor from Avon Dam was exhilarating.

Our mid‑summer Plym Valley special was washed out by torrential rain, so the Princetown plan was shelved; a few still rode to the Avonwick pick‑up before abandoning the attempt.

An ambitious evening run to Haytor rock saw the youngsters climb strongly, rewarded by a dying sunset in layered greys and blues. The only hitch was Paul and Jamie’s puncture at the outset; despite a message left with Faye Skinner, they never caught us.

Threatening skies and a few absences couldn’t spoil a shorter, lively treasure hunt around Buckfastleigh, with teams unpicking clues—the ‘date on the bridge’ revealed as today—and a travelling blacksmith handily providing horseshoes; the scores were close.

Despite the threat of rain, Matthew excelled on the steep climb to Bigadon. Progress slowed only by Andrew and Michael picking wild strawberries, and we were still back via Colston by 9pm for chips.

An evening of exploration began well on the bridleway from Lower Combe, opening into rolling fields with fresh views, but the follow up towards Barkingdon Manor proved a scratchy tangle of brambles and nettles—Simon’s mistake. We were glad to regain tarmac, even via Colston Road.

With rain looming we traded Posbury Clump for a short loop near home, coincidentally via Lustleigh and a spirited Cream Tea vote at the Primrose cafe. A thicket-like track to the Hennock reservoirs left scratches, then a fast haul through Lustleigh Cleave to Bowerman’s Nose made for an unusually energetic return.

A tough pull to Cross Furzes tested the newer riders, but it was repaid by a fast sweep off the Lud Gate moor to Chalk Ford, an oasis of calm in the wild, before a long stony descent to Scoriton.

A bonus, unadvertised holiday evening ride, arranged after Tuesday’s superb outing, made the most of the sunshine with a steady climb to the Chuley Cross transmitter and a relaxed return through the scenic lanes near Landscove.

With several regulars on the reliability ride, a small group pressed on through oppressive heat to Torbryan and took tracks home; Alan’s slow puncture was the only incident, slow enough to see us back without a stop to mend it.

Under hot sun, the South Dartmoor Explorer proved a true test: early derailleur troubles and a slow first half via the Walkhampton track and Yelverton had four riders withdraw by 5pm. Revived at Erme Mill, Philip H, Mike G, Michael J and Jeremy W completed the 100km with broad approval for the route.