Ken was showing off his new hand-built child-back tandem today. The child on the back was Paul, but Ben was also in tow, on the trailer! The team coped well with the many hills from Buckfastleigh to Hexworthy, but when the rest of the group turned onto a moorland track at Dunnabridge, Ken decided to take the longer tarmac route via Two Bridges and Postbridge. They finally arrived long after the others had checked in and settled down to the serious business of bed-making and washing.

Much of the evening was spent enjoying supper and playing games, but growing demands for a torchlit walk eventually bore fruit. It was pitch dark except for the few cycle lights. The boys, being boys, took great delight in running on ahead, hiding just off the edge of the road and then bursting out on the main group as they came close. It was during one of these little forays that Eliot ran ahead and off to the right down a little path. His excitement was such that he didn't hear the sound of running water: he ran straight into the river and fell flat on his face in the icy darkness! There was great hilarity when he finally emerged, dripping wet and freezing cold - poor Eliot!

After a night of open windows and noisy Keirs we were not ready for the sound of rain. And just as we were leaving, the warden broke the sad news of his imminent retirement and the proposed "improvements" to the hostel. Jim has been warden of Bellever for about 30 years. Things will never be the same there without him, and we won't have quite as much fun when the dormitory is divided into little boxes.

The rain turned out to be mainly showers, but one of them was so heavy and cold that we all decided to head homewards to Widecombe rather than outwards to Chagford. The rain stopped shortly afterwards but we didn't change our course. After an extended stop at Widecombe we proceeded to Leusdon for lunch in the sunshine and then homewards via Spitchwick. The ride had not been very long, but everyone was tired when they got home - this always seems to be the way!