An early start for those who felt fit enough to ride all the way to Instow, while Graham, Jean and I cheated and took the car as far as Stoke Canon.

Not a bad morning, although the forecast was ominous, and at least we had a nice bit of sunshine while the three of us sat outside the church at Sandford eating our lunch. By the time we got to Copplestone, capes were called for and the mass of very dark cloud foretold lots more rain to come, so we decided to stick to the main road instead of our original Winkleigh plan.

It didn’t rain continuously, but the road a lot of the way resembled an extension to the river, however the sky relented a bit when we joined the rest of the Section and took to the lanes to Newton Tracey and Instow. Quite a lot of stuff to pile in the drying room, but after an excellent evening meal it was nice enough for most to go for a stroll down to the estuary.

(Colin Brierly)

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

A fair amount of fiddling about in the cycle shed next morning to get a better position for one of our newer members, and before long we also had a puncture problem which proved to be due to a brake block carving through the wall of a tyre. The very good coffee stop at Rockford (Brendon) provided us with shelter to carry out the necessary repairs, and sample their excellent cakes etc while the heavens did their best to flood the valley.

We did, however, have a dry period for our picnic lunch and even some sunshine especially for the photographers at Robbers Bridge. There were, however, plenty of wet feet before that, not due to the rain, but the ford at Malmsmead. Once again wet and messy afterwards, so we were waiting on the doorstep for the door to open at Exford, and luckily there had just been one male cancellation, so Graham was able to get in.

Supper somewhat delayed by the late arrival of a large bunch from West Kent who had found that the track over Dunkery became more of a stream bed when the rain belted down.

(Colin Brierly)

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

Jackie Lofty had her car at Exford to drive back to South Wales, and Jean was able to borrow her cape, her own having “fallen abroad”, but the wet weather didn’t deter people from riding through a couple of fords at Winsford and making a detour to Bury to find an even deeper one, although John was foolhardy enough to try riding that one!

Late coffee / early lunch at the Black Cat with another later picnic stop just short of Bickleigh in another allocation of sunshine before the last thirty-odd miles over the more familiar Teign Valley route.

(Colin Brierly)

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