Skirting Ashburton we climbed by way of Hele Cross and Ausewell Cross to a mist-shrouded Buckland Common. The mist thickened as we passed Rippon Tor but we shook it off as we crossed Bonehill Down and dropped into Widecombe, where tea, toast and cakes in the Wayside café restored morale and fortified us for the homeward leg of our journey.

Regular readers will know that there is a certain member whose inability to complete a ride without falling off is semi-legendary: he duly obliged, Ponsworthy Splash being the scene of today’s tumble.

At Leusdon Common we forked left to pass the church and Lower Town. While descending the delightful lane to Spitchwick, John Stuart’s front tyre was found to be in a zero-inflation situation. A new tube was quickly inserted and just as quickly deflated, so having arranged that we would telephone John’s father we left him in the gathering gloom and returned to Buckfastleigh via Hembury Woods – hope you got home alright John!