Dillan, Jude and Michael met Tao at 10.30 at Starcross for the second of our special Easter rides on a lovely sunny morning that really felt more like June. We rode the short distance to the ferry for around 10.45, in plenty of time for the 11.10 ferry as advised by the ferryman on his Facebook page. Loads more cyclists came after us, and somehow most of them managed to get on the small ferry. The charge was £6 per person including bikes, and the ferry left at 11.14. We had good seats on the top deck and photographed a seal basking on an old barge as we neared Exmouth, pointed out by the ferryman.

We rode to the square in Exmouth, then Tao bought egg rolls while Dillan and Michael got cheese and onion pasties and Jude got a Meal Deal from the Coop. Michael bought a takeaway coffee as well, from the Crusty Cob bakery, although it took way longer than it should have taken. It was quite funny really. He was served by one woman, who took his order for a latte, then the lady behind him gave her order for a cappuccino to another woman. Michael’s woman spent an age heating up the milk for his latte, then gave it to the other woman to make the cappuccino and started making more milk for Michael’s! So the woman behind him somehow managed to jump the queue and his coffee took seven minutes! We drank our coffees in the square, and Jude ate his meal deal right away even though it was supposed to be for lunch – he just said he wanted it then, but the truth is he can’t bear not to eat a Meal Deal that is just sitting in his pannier! Tao had brought his own coffee as usual.

We left Exmouth at around 12.05 and set off following Michael’s printed map sheet to Phear Park. We followed the cycle route, which sometimes went through estates, onto the old railway path, and it really was delightful all the way to Budleigh. There were lovely shaded sections with avenues of trees that sheltered us from the worst of the sunshine, and we had some interesting conversations about vegetarian food.

At Budleigh the path had been moved since our last visit to avoid a dip, and soon we were at the cherry trees where we have taken photos before. It was a lovely spot, and Michael took some more photos there. We then continued down to the bridge where two children were wading around an island, then Michael took more photos on his favourite little lane to Otterton. It was 1.23 and Michael suggested we should stop if we found a nice place for lunch, so Tao found a glade quite quickly. As it turned out, the Green at Otterton would have been even better, but it was shaded and peaceful where we were. Dillan was not too pleased with his Exmouth Eccles cake, which was a bit short on fruit and a bit dry inside, but Michael’s blackcurrant and apple Danish was pretty good.

We pressed on through Otterton and followed the cycle route to Newton Poppleford, which was fairly flat, and until we were nearly there Google said the easiest way to Starcross was still to go back to Exmouth! Now, however, it found three routes moving forward, so instead of following the usual route over Woodbury we took the northerly route via Aylesbeare. That proved excellent, except for a short track near Southerton that had three very muddy, wet sections that gave us all a few problems. It is marked as a yellow (maintained) road on the OS map but in fact it has been abandoned by the council for many years. We could have easily taken the parallel road just north of it, but it was a bit of fun I suppose.

Our route was a gentle climb that was easy, taking us past a rather fancy-looking park with magnificent trees and open spaces, and a very high fence to keep something in. We found out later that it was called Tekoa Manor, although there were no signs to that effect near the entrance: it looked a bit like an animal park but appears to be just a private residence.

It wasn’t long before we neared the top of this gradual climb, and we wondered why we had ever chosen the route over Woodbury Common! This was an excellent route. It continued on past Aylesbeare and down the main road for four miles - which was easy, but I think Tao would have preferred to take the lanes through Aylesbeare. The road wasn’t too busy though. Tao then took us on a short-cut before the roundabout to Clyst St Mary where we went into the Spar to get water, drinks etc as there was no café.

Tao looked at the Google route for the next stage and thought he could do better, so we took the lane from Clyst St Mary, then Old Rydon Lane, then a cycle path to Topsham that went along a railway line behind an estate and past a station whose name could only be seen from the platform - Newcourt Station, which is on the Exmouth branch line. Tao then wanted to find the underpass near Aldi, and Google had that sorted, so he was pleased to find the way to get to that – over the bridge at Newcourt Road, then turn right and around – a nice path.

Then we were in Topsham and heading for the Exe path to Starcross. We took some nice photos on the bridge at Countess Weir, then we meandered back to the cars for around 5.15, passing a car that had been parked really badly with its wheel off the ground. Tao had not seen the new cycle bridge at the Powderham end before, and as we crossed we saw a trainspotter bloke photographing the approaching train. There were loads of deer in Powderham as we rode past the estate.

This had been an excellent ride with good timing and lovely weather to the last. We said farewell to Tao, then on the way back we dropped Jude home as his Mum was out all day, getting home at around 6.55.