Today, after weeks of unseasonably warm weather, the north wind moved in to make our March morning ride more challenging. An early shower drenched us with icy water and hailstones as we rode to Dean, and since Alex hadn't brought a coat (he had apparently left it at school) he decided to head home even though the sun was emerging as he left.

The rest of us tackled the climb past Nurston farm, where the dogs came out in force to greet us but thankfully were not in biting mood today. The cold wind made the climb harder, but eventually we reached the top where a horse rider warned us of the bitter winds on the open moor. Since Osian was out with us for his first ride in more than a year we decided to head to Skerraton Down instead of the intended Avon Dam.

When we had negotiated the narrow track and reached the gateway to the moor we stopped for a chocolate break and some respite from the strong headwind. The final climb to Skerraton Down was painful, both from the gorse bushes that seemed to block every path, and from the two short hail showers fired at us by the powerful wind.

The view from the top was indeed magnificent. We were turning away from the wind, and soon we were heading downhill with the wind and bright sunshine behind us. Dennis and Sam found a grassy bank for shelter before we tackled the descent to Cross Furzes and home. There were several cold fingers when we arrived at Crofters and everyone looked forward to an afternoon of computer games in the warmth of the clubroom.