It was ‘orrid’ on the day we were due to go to Cornwood, with a very strong sou’west wind making the drag from Dartington to Marley Head harder than usual. A couple of miles short of Marley we realised that Matthew, who had been tucked in behind Mark and me, was no longer there and, despite our slowing to a very gentle potter, he had still not come in sight by the time we met the Buckfast contingent. After waiting a while we headed back to look for him but concluded (correctly) that he had turned for home.

We decided to take the hills above Rattery and Harbourneford, keeping eyes open for a sheltered lunch spot which we eventually found about a mile short of Gidley Bridge. Capes were called for after lunch, but luckily the wind had died down and I don’t think Iris Buckler’s ride back to Plymstock, after we separated at South Brent, was anything like as hard as it would have been in the morning.

(Colin Brierly)