We left at about 9.30 next morning. There was a biting cold wind despite the sunshine, and we had to pedal hard to keep warm. Colin included a track en route to our coffee stop at Clovelly, which pleased everyone! After some refreshment we descended the steep, cobbled street to the harbour on foot for a few pictures.

When all were reassembled we followed the Hobby Drive around the coast. The superb views and the dappled sunlight coming through the trees made us all feel good. A sheltered grassy bank was found for lunch, and it was here that we were privileged with the presence of “Superman”, alias Pete Luxton, who was caught changing into his shorts by Gordon’s camera. There then followed a pleasant ride to Instow hostel – apart from Don moaning about having no cream tea.

The hostel was a nice one, above the town and overlooking the coast. After dinner some of us walked down to the beach, and when we returned Jean and Ivy very kindly made us all some hot drinks (as they did every night). Many thanks from us all. By this time the Exeter-Torbay relations had greatly improved, and everyone was getting on very well.

(Mark Morton)

Sunday morning and what was this? The sun was still shining as we set off for Lynton. Under persuasion from Don we entered Barnstaple for coffee, but we soon realised that this had not been such a good idea after all: when we had finished, the one-way system caught us and we only managed to escape with the help of a local cyclist!

Out of Barnstaple and part way along a beautiful river valley we turned off and climbed up to the top of Exmoor for lunch overlooking Wistlandpound reservoir. Colin faced a bit of mutiny after lunch when he found another track, as the Exeter bunch and a few Torbay members took the road route. The track turned out to be a fairly good one at first, but then it deteriorated to a steep hill covered by large rocks and loose dirt – riding down it was very eventful!

And so on to Hunter’s Inn, arriving half an hour later than the others, and again there was a choice of route – a long 1 in 4 hill upwards or Colin’s coastal footpath. Again just a few Torbay members and Adrian took the track, and the road people missed some fabulous views, including a gorse-covered valley and some dramatic scenes of the river at the bottom, dropping into the sea. After the coast path there was a long drop and then a climb past Lee Abbey and the White Lady Rocks.

Lynton youth hostel was, of course, on top of the longest, steepest hill in the town, and when we arrived we were surprised to see the road brigade had not yet turned up. Later we found they had stopped for cream teas!

That evening we were warned by one of the hostellers that there was a phantom snorer in our dormitory. During the night, at about two o’clock, this hosteller got out of bed, turned on the lights and threw the supposed snorer out, mattress and all! I personally never heard any snoring, and the overall effect seemed to be to wake everyone else up!

(Mark Morton)

Next morning we said goodbye to the Exeter Section and set off towards Torbay. Taking a gamble, Colin led us on a track over Exmoor which would either save a lot of time or waste it. As it turned out we were an hour late at South Molton, so we bought some provisions for tea. From there it was down the Mole and Taw valley, with lunch about fifteen miles from South Molton. Continuing on the main roads until Crediton we took the lanes to the top of the Teign Valley for tea. Val decided to leave us there, and at Chudleigh the Buckfastleigh contingent left Colin and myself to pedal back to Paignton and Stoke Gabriel.

All in all it was a very pleasant tour, and the weather gods, for once, smiled on us, so adding to the enjoyment. It was good to see such an improvement in the relations between Exeter and Torbay.

(Mark Morton)