Our venue for Christmas Lunch rides has always been the Ship Inn at Starcross, until this year that is. Today we were going somewhere different - the very special Leusdon Lodge guest house on Dartmoor. Everyone had chosen their meals in advance from the menu and paid their deposits, so when we finally arrived (after exploring further new roads from Cold East Cross to Ponsworthy) everything was ready.

A huge long table occupied the mahogany-panelled dining room, and numerous staff were buzzing around the hall as we took our seats. Immediately the steaming soups were brought in, quickly followed by the excellent main courses and finally the Christmas puddings and other sweets. The atmosphere was perfect, and it seems certain that we will return again next year.

The descent to Spitchwick hardly provided sufficient exercise, but silly games on the common made up the deficit before we finally set off for home.