May 16th was the date of the BCTC Heat at Bovey Tracey. All those who managed to get up early enough made their own way to the start for 9.15, ready for the day’s activities. Eight Torbay members rode the event, including new rider David Incoll who has recently moved to the area from Oxfordshire. There were many other members present on and off during the day, helping with marshalling and catering or just spectating, so all in all there were 20 of us at the event.

Whilst we were chatting outside the village hall in the afternoon we heard the church gate creaking just opposite us. There was a deathly quiet as everyone looked up. Frank Boyes, whom no-one had seen for nineteen weeks, was emerging from the graveyard with his bike! When we were all fairly confident that he wasn’t a ghost he was given a very warm welcome, and our minds were put at rest when he told us that he had merely taken a short-cut through the church grounds. Thanks for making the effort to come Frank – it was good to see you.

A full report on the course is give below, and it only remains for me to say thank you to Colin and Jean for a great day out. I know that everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event, including the three Plymothians who attended.

(Michael Jones)


The Devon BCTC heat on May 16th was blessed with warm sunny weather, and after a rather chaotic session at Bovey Tracey car park, where most of the entry forms were written out, riders started with a warming climb through Brimley. There was a pause just beyond Brimley for Cliff and Win Charlton to ask a few questions before a rough section to Liverton where many other cyclists congregated for “Mont’s Road Race”, causing minor confusion.

Time for another cup of coffee and another quiz near Blackpool school, then brains in gear to decide how long it’s going to take to ride to Fosterville, which is about six miles away. The brainwork was obviously pretty good because six riders were within two minutes of their estimate.

From Fosterville it was over Chudleigh Heath to Bovey and an early lunch to compensate for the early start; another quiz and four “observation photographs” didn’t seem to spoil appetites.

Afternoon map-reading clues were dished out and, with varying degrees of success, solved, before being checked and corrected as necessary. Following the route in practice didn’t seem to create too much problem, although I think a fair number kept their eyes on where Pete Luxton was going! Oh well, it didn’t affect the result and we didn’t have to send out search parties.

There was lots of activity back at Bovey where Jean, Sue, Doreen and other helpers were coping magnificently with preparing a superb salad tea, for (due to lack of bookings until the day) a completely unknown number of folk.

The results are listed below, and I hope the few entrants enjoyed their day’s riding, but it would have been nice to have had support from the DA’s strongest Section. Possibly members don’t want the event, in which case I hope they will attend the AGM and tell us.

Many thanks to the thirty-odd folk who turned out to marshal etc. - it was nice to see you all.

On the quizzes by the way, not many knew the colour of Jacobs Sheep (brown and cream patches), the owl that hoots (Tawny) or the other end of the Fosse Way (Lincoln), but nearly all can tell a grass snake from an Adder.

Position - Name (Penalty)

1 Pete Luxton (8)
2 Michael Ward (16) First Junior
3 John Pope (18)
4 Mark Morton (20)
4 Robert Spence (20)
6 Dave Incoll (23)
6 Kevin Presland (23)
8 Colin Downie (25)
8 Adrian Parkyns (25)
10 Martin Clarke (41)
11 Bernard Shapland (42)

Nigel Wilson and Phil Benstead did not finish.

(Colin Brierly)

Mark’s Bridge was the destination the following week, and the person from whom the bridge’s name is derived could not attend because of exams! Never mind, there were still twelve Torbay members out, and our numbers were boosted at Avonwick by the presence of Plymouth Section who had wandered our way.

Everyone was surprised to see Philip Wrigley out on his bike again – the last time we were so privileged was in August! Furthermore, after the completion of Ten Tors the previous week we were pleased to see Andrew Winstanley with us again – he tells us he completed the course easily!

We took the lanes through to Ivybridge and after a wrong turning into a private estate at Fardel eventually reached Mark’s Bridge. It turned out to be small and ugly – no reflection on the person of course! The area was very pleasant and we had a relaxed lunch hour under the shade of the trees. The route back took us through Ermington, where we stopped for ice-creams. Thanks to Michael and Kevin for again taking the lead – a very interesting route.

(Michael Jones)

[1 point: Mark Morton]
[3 points: everyone else]

The last ride of the month was to Challacombe Down, near Postbridge. By this time revision was really beginning to take its toll, but on and off we saw thirteen people, plus two from Plymouth. Frances came as far as Ashburton, Phil Wrigley as far as Ilsington, Colin, Jean and Matthew as far as lunch, Iris as far as “just after lunch” and Phil Benstead as far as Ponsworthy!

We made it to the destination via Widecombe and sampled the beauty of the area by walking the footpath around the Down. The return route was through Poundsgate to New Bridge, where ice-creams were again the order of the day – we also had a chat with Walter Pearce, who looks after the National Park Information Centre. There were refreshments at Redmount yet again for those who made it that far.

(Michael Jones)

[1 point: Frances Lofty, Philip Wrigley]
[2 points: Colin Brierly, Jean Brierly, Matthew Tewson, Val Farrell]
[3 points: everyone else]