Sadly, no report was written for this ride at the time.

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]

No fools out on April 1st, well only the two who went off on the hard run in the morning snow!

(Graham Brodie)

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]

Nine turned up at Five Lanes for the Afternoon Run including the “Burrows Brothers” – Matthew and Martin – and Sue Shepley making her 1984 debut.

After a gentle run through the lanes to Newton Abbot we negotiated a busy town centre and turned off at Whitehill towards Teigngrace. We overshot the turn off to the Stover Lake plantation, as it looks something like the driveway to a house, but a shout from the read from someone who recognised the phone box soon had us bumping along the wide track to the lake. Matthew and I got slightly damp after riding through a one-foot deep puddle far too fast and had wet feet for the rest of the run.

We all stopped at the Lakeside and the “younger” ones amused themselves by skimming stones and dangling from bridges! After about forty minutes we left the lake and crossed the A38 (admiring the freshly written-off signpost) and rode through Bovey Tracey where Richard left us to “nip up” to Haytor to see the snow. Leaving him to his peril we pressed on through to Kingsteignton via the claypits road.

Sue’s legs were running out of steam going through Newton Abbot so we took the more level main road home to Torquay.

(Graham Brodie)

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]

Yet another good attendance for April 8th, but of course with me as leader, this is not surprising!

The “emergency rations” shop in Totnes was empty; thankfully we were all fully equipped with Mars bars so off we went on the back road to Harbertonford and then chose the main drag to Stanborough Hundred for a change. Back on familiar lanes until Chillington and then from Cousins Cross we enjoyed the delicious ever-deepening and twisty valley road that took us through South Allington to Lannacombe Beach.

We did not have this to ourselves as the motorists had beaten us to it, but they seemed almost human, and our lunch was a mixture of high jinks and relaxation, with the weather improving all the time.

Back on the bikes for 2pm and a long climb to turn off at Mattiscombe for the back road to Torcross which had such a great view over the entire Ley.

Ice-creams were consumed in the village then onward to the café at Blackpool Sands. The three bikes already there turned out to be a curly Hutchins, a Bates Cantiflex and a Flying Gate replica! Some of us departed for Totnes, most of us headed for the Lower ferry in Dartmouth, finding out that another 5p had been slapped on the already extortionate 40p.

On dry land at Kingswear we went mountaineering via the back road to Boohay. This was Richard Wiseman’s idea and he does have a minus 12-inch bottom gear. We reached Hillhead somewhat out of breath and said our goodbyes ‘til the next ride.

(Robert Spence)

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]

The run to Cotley Castle on 15th April turned out to be very memorable. It was well attended, full of incidents, but best of all for me, was one of those rare days when the views are clear for miles.

The comfort-lovers joined up with the camping contingent and others at Chudleigh Bridge and headed up the Teign Valley. We took a different exit by riding up through Trusham towards Lawrence Tower. In between light showers we slowly followed a flock of sheep being led by a Michael Jackson impersonator! When he eventually guided us past the flock they naturally turned and headed back down the hill!

As we approached the summit, Michael decided his knee, which he had been nursing for several weeks, had had enough excitement for one day and turned for home. We cycled on through showery lanes to Cotley Castle, where the sun obligingly came out and stayed out for the rest of the day. The view at lunchtime, which included Exmouth, Marldon, Denbury and Haytor was marvellous.

The general wish was to tackle the canal towpath on the way to tea at Dawlish, so we headed that way as Colin and Jean left us for another appointment. Richard had been having trouble with Michael’s second bike, which he’d borrowed after wrecking his own two days earlier (yes, Friday 13th). Having effected more repairs at lunchtime the front tyre expired with a loud report just two miles later! The brake block had rubbed through the cover.

We eventually continued with more views, this time of East Devon, before dropping through Ide to the old A30 where the youngsters delighted in riding over the curly footbridge. The towpath ride was only marred by me and two others insisting on trying the other side of the canal between Topsham and Turf dock. They warned us it was overgrown but they didn’t tell us it was like riding the Giant’s Causeway! We continued on to Cockwood where we met Don, and Dawlish Warren where the café was unexpectedly closed. We therefore relaxed outside a select tea room opposite the down in Dawlish.

There were more incidents. Martin’s crank was dropping off – easily remedied. Matthew’s back wheel, which had started out with one broken spoke, now had three. Bad-tempered repairs were effected, but I only had two spare spokes! On returning to the bikes after tea the rear tyre was flat. Guess why! More bad temper.

Just for a pleasant change we avoided Teignmouth in favour of the steady climb over the top, through the golf course and down to Kingsteignton. The effort of riding to the top was well rewarded, both by the avoidance of that awful switchback main road and of course by the views in all directions. Since there were no complaints, we’ll use that route again.

(Phil Burrows)

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]

No problem from British Rail on this tour, our 8.14 train on Good Friday morning got eleven of us swiftly up to Cheltenham. Without further ado we rode up to Cleeve Hill for a nibble and the view, then plummeted down into Winchcombe followed by a meander back to Cheltenham for “eats” at Richard’s Mum’s house. She did us proud, and the sun shining on the front lawn nearly made us forget about riding bikes.

Back into the traffic for a main-road climb up the A435, though not until Jamie scored the first puncture of the tour. It was so pleasant to get into the lanes at last - the Burrows’ may not agree due to puncture number two.

It was walkies up the long steep hill to Elkstone, then easy riding, once across the A417, as we headed towards our first night’s hostel at Duntisbourne Abbots. We were amazed at the number of bikes already there - suddenly everybody and their dog are cycling! We settled in, met Jackie Lofty who was joining us for the tour, enjoyed a fine vegetarian meal and then strolled off to look around this typically pleasant Cotswold village – and also to reconnoitre the rather long ford through which we were to pass through the following morning.

(Rob Spence)

Rain greeted us on the Sunday morning and three of the party were not feeling very well and elected to take a train to Cheltenham and meet us at the third hostel, Cleeve Hill. For the rest of us, an unpleasant stretch of busy main road in wind and rain was necessary in order to reach Great Rollright and eventually the Rollright Stones, which are not a rock band but a bunch of Stonehenge / Avebury thingies on a smaller scale. They possess an air of peaceful timelessness.

On into Stow-on-the-Wold for coffee and gateaux and the buying of picnic food, and from Upper Swell we wandered through woodland lanes to arrive at Snowshill. All villages are picturesque hereabouts, but Snowshill is one of the best.

After lunch we moved on for the views from Broadway Tower, then overtook cars down the A44 into Broadway itself, which is always crowded. Stanton is quieter and Hailes Abbey never gets too packed. The tiny church opposite has very ancient wall paintings that are being painstakingly restored.

A couple of us lingered here before riding into Whinchcombe for tea followed by the grind up to the hostel. Very windy up there but what a view!

(Rob Spence)

Sadly, no report was written for this ride at the time.

[We have been unable to find attendance records for this period, so the attendance list for this event is incomplete]