The Tinners’ Hut run was supported by fourteen hardy souls, four of them riding up from Plymouth to our pick-up at Avonwick. Up the hill we went to enjoy the ridge road and the drop to Bittaford, then on to Cornwood and vertical take-off to Torr, where we negotiated two locked gates in order to get onto our three miles of easy rough stuff – rough enough to hammer my 35-spoke rear wheel into an asymmetric shape!

During our lunch in this fine, unfrequented valley we had the noise of the fast-flowing river and a series of loud bangs and rumbles for company – most peculiar.

The onset of rain and a marked drop in temperature soon had us packing saddlebags and abandoning plans to wade the River Erme to the old tramway. Colin wished to locate his vanished cape, so we returned to Torr where the explosion from my back tyre had me vowing never to use Nutrak tyres again.

Snow fell as we made our way through tiny Harford and thence to Ivybridge, where the Plymouthians took their leave, and thoughts of the world-famous Jones teapot spurred us on via the back roads to Buckfastleigh from where we eventually dispersed in dribs and drabs.

Did Colin find his cape? Don’t miss next week’s thrilling instalment.

(Robert Spence)

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]