Our hard-grade rides are hardly strenuous, but today’s was more like an easy-grade due to the accompanying tail wind. Steven Hills and Jonno joined us briefly at Starcross before we took to the riverside path from Powderham.

The canal path from Turf Lock to Exeter proved to be a real obstacle course, lined as it was with literally hundreds of fishermen. They were neatly spaces with one man every few metres and of course a number of them had rods lying across the path, thinking only of pedestrians. It may have been difficult for us to make our way up the canal, but we couldn’t help but feel sorry for any poor fish that happened that way. Still, perhaps they’ve found a way of choosing the tastiest and least firmly secured bait without being caught – there were certainly no signs of catches while we were there!

Return was via Alphington, Shillingford St George and the delightful lamb-filled meadows of Dunchideock and Ashton. Richard Burge somehow managed to break his derailleur (that boy really is an accident black spot) but he hobbled home with a little help from his friends. And we still got home by 17.45!