Sunday 12th June gave us ideal weather for a trip to the seaside, so five of us wished Colin “Bon Voyage” on his trip to Canada and headed out of Totnes for Batham. Two father/son teams, consisting of Fred and Martin and Phil and Matthew, and myself “grockle-ised” in the best tradition for one and a half hours, then it was ice-creams and a following wind to push us through familiar roads homewards.

(Robert Spence)

Five of us set off on a warm, dry morning from Marldon on 19th June for Hamel Down. At Bickington we picked up two more, one of whom was Thomas, aged 14 and from the Plymouth Section, who had ridden all the way up the A38 to join us. From Bickington, the obvious next stop was Kevin’s where we were offered (and enjoyed) morning coffee and games of badminton. Nobody took up the offer of a swim, even though the day was rapidly getting hotter! We finally pulled ourselves away and got as far as Haytor, where we stopped for ice-creams. We managed to make it as far as Bonehill Rocks before lunch.

After lunch the boys found great amusement in spying on a young, topless lady who was sunbathing amongst the rocks. We finally managed to drag them away from the spot when she turned over to do her back! From here we took the track running below Chinkwell Tor, which is very rideable except for the final step, rocky descent.

We approached Hamel Down by way of the bridle path from Natsworthy Manor, towards Grimspound. This seems to be the best way to reach the Down, being rideable all except for 200 steep metres to the Aircraft Memorial Stone. From here we headed south along the ridge. Thomas left us at Broad Barrow, heading back towards Grimspound, Postbridge and Plymouth. We continued south along the ridge and down the long descent to Southcombe. This was all rideable and I would recommend this route to anyone attempting Hamel Down. Any approach from the south end would requite a lot of pushing.

We were all ready for ice-creams again by now but riding back through Buckland-in-the-Moor and Ashburton we missed all the ice-cream vans and could not find an open shop. Meanwhile three eager riders rode right up to Pudsham Down, only to have to come back down again, and minor repairs had to be effected to stop Glenn’s chainrings falling off!

As we ascended from Ashburton to Combe Cross, still ice-cream-less and nearly waterless in the heat, we all felt pretty shattered. But we called in at the Rising Sun where two sunbathing young ladies allowed us to replenish our water bottles – with water I hasten to add! This kept us going through to Park Hill where we got the long-awaited ices at the garage. The ride home was then a formality.

It had been a smashing ride - sorry you missed it Colin. I expect it will be raining when you make it to Hamel Down!

(Phil Burrows)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

It only remains for me to say a few words about the Wednesday evening runs which have been very well supported during the month. For as long as I can remember, Dave Eyre has been suggesting Bovey Tracey as a destination every Wednesday evening, so on 22 June we tried to satisfy his craving. However, we took the pretty route through Park Hill, East Ogwell, Highweek and Seale Hayne and only made it as far as Exeter Cross before having to head for home.

At least it was agreed we had been somewhere different for a change.

(Phil Burrows)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

The BCTC was cancelled due to lack of interest.

(Phil Burrows)

On 29 June we once again attempted to find some little-used roads by going down to Berry Pomeroy and Littlehempston, then riding north through Broadhempston and Denbury to Wolborough. Most of the Old Hands agreed we didn’t go anywhere new, but some of us newcomers rode on as many as nine lengths of road we had never been on before – not bad, considering we were never more than five miles from Marldon.

It turned out to be a slow run since over half the group obliged when Matthew wanted to compare bottom gears at Littlehempston and then continued in first gear for the remainder of the ride. Dominic even rode an extra four miles from Kingskerswell to Shiphay and back just to prove that the Babbacombe team had cheated on the way home. But he couldn’t prove he did those miles in first gear!

(Phil Burrows)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

I arrived at Five Lanes for the July afternoon run to find only Martin Chesterfield and Glenn Powling in attendance. Glenn decided not to ride after all, so Martin and I rode off towards Chudleigh via Kingsteignton. We stopped at Bradley Lake to see if the fish were biting and then moved on to Bovey where ice-creams were consumed.

John Babbage was in the café and he rode with us as far as the A38, from where we rode home through Newton and Stoneycombe.

(Dave Eyre)

The first three Wednesday evening rides in July were unusual because Michael came, and brought his map! (He had three consecutive midweek breaks from his temporary residential job near Gloucester).

The first took us along the Dart from Totnes and then around Dartington grounds.

(Dave Eyre)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

On July 10th Totnes saw us turn up in an optimistic mood for the Lannacombe Beach run – what a day for swimming we thought. After sorting out the Highwayman (magazines, not Totnesians) we plodded up the High Street, through Harbertonford, Moreleigh and other such places, eventually arriving at Sherford, although we were never meant to go there.

Nearing the top of the hill there was a cry of, dare I say it, “Puncture!!!”, and who could that have come from apart from myself. Now Phil decided to time me, and this proved somewhat regrettable as I rushed the job and tied my chain into the most amazing knots. Luckily, I was the only one with a camera, and I was too busy with the chain rivet extractor!

We then proceeded with all speed to Lannacombe, only to find that a fog had descended. So only Mark and I faced the sea, and Mark got considerably wetter.

After lunch we turned tail and rushed – well, plodded – for Torcross and the café. We returned home via Strete and Harbertonford to end an over-energetic day’s cycling.

(Kevin Presland)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

[2 photos to follow from Kevin Presland]

The next time, the second Wednesday, was to Michael’s for ice-cream (without wafers) and drinks.

(Dave Eyre)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]

Hot sticky weather for our run on Dartmoor on the third Sunday in July, and after meeting up at Bickington we had the long hot climb to Haytor. A very necessary stop was made at Kevin’s to replenish bottles, and ice-creams were the order of the day at Haytor.

The through of Widecombe’s crowds and the hills between there and Dartmeet encouraged a change of plan and we turned to Cold East Cross and then towards Buckland. A shady spot for lunch, then on to Buckland and down to a very crowded Spitchwick for a few folks to have a swim – and all to have more ice-creams.

A lane route home through Broadhempston with a pause for a puncture and not surprising rumbles of thunder.

Stephen had been out for this, his first run.

(Colin Brierly)

[The attendance list for this event is currently incomplete]