Having taken the easy B3210 from Avonwick to Ermington we soon found ourselves at the five-land cross-roads near Alston Hall. The alternatives were simple: a steep climb to the lane route, or a short-cut along a muddy track that followed a stream down to the sea. One look at the hill prompted everyone to vote for the track.

Some of the earlier sections were still frozen after the overnight frost, but the remainder turned out to be every bit as muddy as Michael remembered it. All those without mudguards were plastered by the time they reached Membland. Charlie wasn't particularly amused, but he didn't complain too much (t'old lad).

Dave Robinson had rung Michael the previous night suggesting that he might bring a Primus for the purpose of brewing tea for the group. Michael thought this was a good idea and agreed to bring his camping stove with some cans of soup. Unfortunately, Dave didn't turn up, but the rest of us enjoyed the fruits of his idea, by the water's edge at Bridgend.

We returned through Noss Mayo and the south coast route past Mothecombe. As we neared South Brent we were greeted with the first and last real snow of the season - enough to cover both the bikes and ourselves before it stopped a few minutes later!

Our reward for calling in at the Copper Kettle cafe at South Brent was a chance meeting with Rob Spence of Torbay Section, apparently drawn to the same honeypot.