No report available.

Sunshine was the order of the day for our Lustleigh Cleave run, though there were patches of ice to look out for in the lanes. The Marldon starters were augmented by the Buckfastleigh contingent at Drumbridges before finding a few hills (up) past Pullabrook to Lustleigh Cleave and a place in the sunshine to sit and have our picnic.

The “inner man” satisfied and the sun still shining we decided to see a bit more of the moors by going past Hound Tor to Haytor before a long cool descent through Ilsington to Bickington and home.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

Bigger and better patches of ice, including one section where we could hardly walk up a hill, on our next run to Curtisknowle, which is near Gara Bridge. The ground however was not frozen and the track from Curtisknowle down to the river Avon and Bickham Bridge proved to be rather muddy – it may be as well that Frank wasn’t out!

The day stayed sunny although it got very cold when the sun hid itself in a rather fine sunset over the moor.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

We used our only level road up the Teign Valley before finding some uphill going past Kingsford to work up an appetite for lunch at our destination of Holcombe Burnell on another sunny day at the end of January. The run along the top of Haldon from there isn’t quite as easy as it seems either – it seems to climb all the way to the Belvedere – but the views are worth it.

A fine tea, including Jelly Babies and Custard, at Don and Grace’s in Dawlish, followed by an hour or so’s chat, completed a happy day.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

Our Afternoon Run at the beginning of February was well and truly in the “monsoon season”. I didn’t think anyone else would be mad enough to venture out, but went up to Five Lanes just in case. There were, however, three other candidates for an institution, and with the odd diversion to avoid flooding, we did a circuit beyond Denbury where John left us for Buckfastleigh, and back to Stoneycombe. Numbers were then reduced to two, Stephen departing for Newton Abbot and Mark and I returning to Marldon.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

A very different day for Bowerman’s Nose, with sunshine to temper a cool breeze blowing over the moor when we had overcome gravity enough to get from Bickington to Haytor. There were fourteen of us at The Nose at lunchtime, finding it rather difficult to avoid the breeze and enjoy the sun, but we did succeed to some extent. After food and an assault on the rock by the more energetic, we decided that we had time to look at North Bovey and Lustleigh before heading for Liverton and home.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

Pleased to have Julie Lewis out with us for part of the day on the Hembury Castle run – it may be as well that Colin (Lewis, Julie’s father, owner of Colin Lewis Cycles in Paignton) didn’t get the message right that it was a day run, in view of the rather muddy stuff that the local lads found during the afternoon. I’m not too sure whether the other two newcomers, Anthony and Stephen, appreciated it but we all appreciated the Downies’ hospitality for tea and scones afterwards.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

Another new rider today for a wander along the route of the Harbourne River. The lanes follow the river from Ashprington to a couple of miles beyond Harbertonford but then there is a bit of up and down stuff before finding the river again, at Harbourneford, and then a distinctly up bit to the moor at Gidley Bridge. We all survived the rather unexpectedly sharp bends in the lane down to Deancombe, although loose gravel and twigs sticking out of the hedge didn’t help. I think that David found the last few miles through Staverton rather hard, but he enjoyed the day and will certainly be out again.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

The March Afternoon Run brought two new faces and a prodigal return of Stephen Marks who was out quite a lot in 1978. We decided that Stover Lake is always attractive in sunshine and warranted a visit on such a nice day. We found time to stroll along the lakeside, admiring the pair of swans and seeing quite a lot of other birds before taking to the bikes again through South Knighton and Denbury.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

As usual we had a superb weekend at Crowcombe for the annual slide competition. The hostel was just about bulging with cyclists, not to mention a few walkers who must have wondered what had hit them. Bristol had the biggest contingent, but our numbers were into double figures, and the Wessex folk included the CTC President Arthur Moss and Elsie, his wife.

Mr Harold Knight, the secretary of the South Devon Photo Colour Sociery was the judge, and his comments had been put on tape to be played on the night. The judge though standards were high and found difficulty in picking out individual winners, but he did award a slide of Graham Brodie’s in the cycling class 10 out of 10. Eight slides were given 9 points, with Don Hassall being given first prize in the pictorial class. Second in each class went to Bristol (Jack Cotton and Reg Porter), and on total points Bristol managed to beat us by 145 to 142, with Wessex getting in 130.

Thanks are due to Len and Alice, the wardens, for again making the weekend another good social and cycling event.

(Colin Brierly)

[Attendance verified]

[2 points: Jean Brierly]
[3 points: Noel Downie]
[4 points: everyone else]