Saturday 30th July was the beginning of our joint camping/Fernworthy weekend. Only four members were able to support the camping, as many were involved in Scout camps, and they met at Buckfastleigh at 3pm.

It was nearly 4.30 by the time we had bought our food and other items in the town, and then it was simply a matter of cycling up over Hembury and Spitchwick in the sweltering heat. We made it in the end and arrived somewhat belatedly at Dury Farm, Postbridge, shortly after 7pm.

Supper was a long-drawn-out affair, hampered by our choice of food – soup, beef burgers, potatoes, peas, beans and rice – which was not ideally suited to preparation on a single stove. When we had finished washing up it was quite dark and time for bed, so we gave the evening drinks a miss.

(Michael Jones)

[1 photo to follow from Kevin Presland]

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

The night was fairly peaceful apart from a number of strange and initially worrying noises which later proved to have been caused by a dog and a horse roaming around outside the tent. Whilst Kevin was frying his breakfast in the morning, a chicken wandered up as bold as you please and began to eat out of the pan! Such is life on the farm.

The rain began shortly afterwards, causing consternation not only in our tent but also back at Bovey, where the Sunday mob were meeting. We stayed under cover until 11.30 when things brightened up a bit, and then set off for the Warren House Inn and the footpath to Fernworthy.

The others weren’t there when we arrived shortly after 2pm, so we headed back towards Haytor via Hound Tor in the hope of seeing them. Unfortunately, however, they were circling back the other way, having decided not to proceed to the reservoir, and we didn’t meet up until 4pm when we all arrived at Kevin’s for tea and a swim.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The rain held off until everyone had been in the pool, and then we settled down inside for a most delicious spread of tea. As usual we would like to thank Kevin’s parents for their hospitality, which nicely rounded off a good weekend’s cycling.

(Michael Jones)