We set off at around 10.40. The weather was a bit chilly with occasional showers and longer sunny periods, although a rain shower was just finishing as we left. We decided to do the ride planned for last week, to the new café at Harbertonford, so we followed the Google route precisely, up Dean Hill, through Rattery and across the Totnes Road. There was an interesting sign outside a farm near Tigley: “Alpaca Poo £1”. We wondered how much you got for your £1, and whether it was bagged up or you had to bring a shovel and a sack!

The route took us through Harberton for the first time in ages, and through the twisty lanes above and below the church. Dillan went to look at cakes for sale in a hole in the wall, but it turned out there was only one cake available. Both lads thought the village was expensive but nice, and Dillan liked the slate wall to the left of the road near the cake hole.

A dark cloud was chasing us as we rode the final mile to the café, and sadly it overtook us and sprinkled us nicely before we could park up and get inside. The Nkuku Lifestyle Store and Café was an interesting place with lots of unusual items for sale, but we headed straight for the café which was smaller than we had imagined from the photos. The cakes looked good, but they were ridiculously overpriced - £3 for the burned Pain au Raisin that I had was way too expensive, although it did look nice and tasted pretty good in the middle. Dillan’s £3.50 carrot cake was very moist, however, and he loved it. Coffees were £2.80, or £3.40 for the “large” which Michael ordered, but he swapped the order back to the standard size when he discovered the cups were still the same small size for the larger ones - they just had 2 espressos instead of one, and consequently less milk. The café was all wooden and brown and rustic, so a pleasant place to stop, although we couldn’t help laughing at the salt and pepper tray which was simply a couple of dents in a wooden block, leaving the salt and pepper to collect dust and whatever else it wanted from the environment. There were also two carved wooden salt spoons that were way too thick to pick up any salt.

We browsed around the shop afterwards, the sun now out, took some photos upstairs and found a few interesting if expensive items for sale such as a marble chopping board, a wooden stapler (well just a metal stapler mechanism encased in a pair of wooden blocks) and some wooden toys. The place was definitely worth the visit, and as Jude said, it was unusual to find such a place in the middle of nowhere.

We left there around 12.40 in bright sunshine and rode down past the garage to the shop, where Jude bought some lunch and Dillan and Michael bought a half price veggie pizza for £1.65 which was enough for two. We ate it by the river, where there were now some copper-topped tables for our pleasure. It was a lovely spot for a picnic.

Jude fancied returning via Dartington as he likes it around there, so we took the lane up past the memorial and down into Totnes. On the way down we found Leechwell Lane and followed it to the Leech Well, which Michael had not visited for many years: The lads didn’t seem to think it was particularly special, but they did want to know what it was used for, and it was unusual.
We rode down the main street since the boys wanted to buy some sweets, but the sweep shop was closed until 2 with a sign saying “Gone for lunch”, so we took the riverside path and followed it back to Dartington, stopping to look at the river that was in full flood with both turbines working. We stopped again a little later so that Dillan could clamber up the bank to see what was beyond the fence at the top – it was just a field as it happened.

In Dartington we called in to the Food Shop to buy three tasty-looking flapjacks that were well priced at 99p - Jude ate half of his there and then. We left there around 3.25 and headed home via the cycle path and Colston Road. We stopped to eat the remainder of our flapjacks at the top of the steep hill (Cumming Farm), at which point Jude headed off to meet his mum at the garage as it was 2.59 and he had to be collected by 3. Dillan and Michael meandered home at a slower pace, enjoying the lovely sunny weather and getting back by 3.25.

The last time we visited the Hunters’ Path at Fingle Bridge was in June 2014. Dillan had fond memories of it, as it was his first ever car-assisted ride, so he was keen to visit it again today.

The forecast of light cloud from 10am proved accurate as we assembled in the Steps Bridge car park at 11.15. The Dunsford Wood bridleway along the River Teign was a delight as always, although we had chosen a time of the year that was between flowers – the daffodils were mostly gone and the extensive carpets of bluebells were still a few weeks away. From Clifford Bridge we followed another riverside path to Fingle Bridge which was today swarming with visitors – probably something to do with Mothers’ Day. We quickly abandoned ideas of coffee in the Fingle Bridge Inn when we saw the queues, but nevertheless enjoyed some home-brought pastries by the river before continuing onwards up the valley.

For the next stage we climbed high through Drewston Wood to the Hunters’ Path, affording spectacular views along the valley. We stopped on more than one occasion to venture off the path to admire the scenery, and had to stop several times to allow walkers to pass. Once we reached the far end of the valley we joined the Fisherman’s Path for the return journey to Fingle, which took us close to the fast-flowing river. A flight of steep steps halfway back proved a bit of a challenge, but eventually we returned to Fingle Bridge for around 1.30.

Most people had bought their lunch by now, so we were able to order some soup and chips and settle on the best seats in the house – some comfy sofas around the wood-burning stove. We hadn’t realised just how chilly it was outside until we found ourselves falling asleep by the fire.

Michael really wanted to have at least one coffee out, so after returning to Steps Bridge again we drove to Canonteign Falls café, which was on the way home. This was nearly as busy as Fingle Bridge, but the cakes and service both made an excellent end to a fine ride.

Today was the first of our two Easter Special day rides, organised because Jude couldn’t get four days free for our usual cycle tour. Tao could not get all three bikes in the back of his Volvo V70 Mark 2, but Michael’s bike rack solved the problem. We left around 10.10 and drove over the moor to Tavistock where we parked in Bedford car park at 11.08. It was a lovely warm, sunny day, and it soon turned into the hottest Easter for a while.

Michael suggested buying pasties as he hadn’t brought a packed lunch, but Tao thought we didn’t need them as he was sure we would find somewhere along the way. He had planned the route today, which broadly followed the national cycle route, sometimes on stretches of the old railway line but many times not. The section after Peter Tavy was delightful – not far from home yet it resembled some kind of paradise. There was a lovely little bridge over the river too.

We lost track of the cycle route signing at the junction near Moorland Hall hotel, but soon we were riding through some lovely moorland scenery, with a good track over open moorland on the approach to Lydford.

We got to the Lydford Gorge National Trust at around 1.35, parked outside, walked through the shop and down to the café on the lawns. They had pesto, pea and mozzarella paninis that looked nice, so we had one each, but it turned out to be quite small, and the “salad” was just a few tired-looking watercress leaves huddled in a corner of the plate. Still, it tasted good, and the brownie and coffee Michael also had was good.

We sat inside near the counter as there were no vacant shaded seats outside. While Tao and Michael were talking, Dillan, who had a good view of the counter area, interrupted us and said the person in the queue looked very much indeed like Emma Watson. Tao and Michael each took a look and agreed that she did. She was with a woman who looked like she could be her mother, and a hasty check on the internet confirmed that it was indeed Emma and her mother. They both went outside and sat in the garden near the window. Emma was wearing a baseball cap and good quality clothing with brown boots. Nobody went up to speak to her and they left after 20 minutes or so. Dillan went to use the facilities and overheard people talking about whether it was actually her, and Tao followed her out and saw her leave in an Audi A6. What a very special occasion. We took some photos on the table outside the tearooms.

Michael was feeling a bit under the weather with a cold, but he was feeling a bit better as we left at 2.20 so we pressed on towards our intended destination, Okehampton, along the Granite Way cycle path, not really expecting to get to the end. The path was on a slight climb all the way to Okehampton.

We found what to Michael looked like the perfect café near Meldon Viaduct, and an ideal place to stop before heading home, but Tao was keen to go to the end “just to say we had been there”, so we pressed on for the final few miles. When we reached the road we went to the café in Okehampton station and enjoyed jugs of cold water, coffee, jaffa orange cake and a very welcome rest on the station platform.

It was 4.15 when we finally set off again for the journey back to Tavistock – way too late really considering how far we had come. Going back was easier, being mainly downhill, and google found an easier route back from Lydford that only required a 140m climb before a very long downhill. It was a lovely cool evening, which made things a little easier, and we got back to the cars by around 6.40. Michael was shattered as he had not really been well enough for a ride of this length, but he had made it back somehow, so achievement unlocked.

Tao and Dillan loaded the bikes up, then after getting meal deals from Morrisons in Tavistock Tao drove us home via Plymouth, getting us back extremely late at around 8pm. It had been a very interesting and memorable ride, and one that I am sure we will repeat in the not too distant future.

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.

Today’s planned ride to Dartmeet only managed to reach Silver Street before plans had to be changed: Jude’s chain jammed solid between the chainset and the chain, and Michael was unable to unjam it by the roadside. We returned to Crofters where a crank extractor tool did the trick, and when Jude had finished cleaning things, we reassembled the bike and finally set off again at 11.30.

Jude now preferred some Dartmoor off-road riding instead of Dartmeet, so we rode up to Cross Furzes and then through Lud Gate and down over the open moor to Chalk Ford. At the upper end of the track on the far side we found a pair of friendly pigs, but just when we felt we had got to know them, the owner turned up on his quad bike and informed us that “unfortunately” they will be turned into bacon and sausages later in the year. We decided not to tell him we were all vegetarian.

After descending the stony track to Scoriton we checked out the Tradesman’s Arms to see if their noticeboard advertising “morning coffees” could be believed. Well they did have a coffee machine, but when we asked the lady if they did cakes, the answer was no. Did they do teacakes? No. When we asked if they did any bar snacks, she pointed to a box of crisps! We said we meant hot snacks, so did they do omelettes or beans on toast? No, nothing like that. She showed me her Sunday menu and the cheapest item was £7.95! We left.

Two of us really wanted a coffee, so we rode up the hill to Holne community café, our traditional favourite, only to find a big sign saying the café was closed “until further notice due to unforeseen circumstance”. After waiting to speak to the elderly gentleman serving in the shop, we discovered that the woman who was doing the cooking had left unexpectedly to do another job, and they had so far been unable to find anyone to replace her. Posters in the shop signified that a crisis meeting was being held in the village on Wednesday to review the whole financial basis of the tearoom. Apparently, the café had been closed for at least three weeks, so it all looked a bit worrying.

After exhausting all possibilities of a coffee, we headed home via Scoriton, calling in to Buckfastleigh co-op so that Jude could buy a meal deal. The ride finished just after 2pm.

With everyone in the group over sixteen we were unable to secure cheap train travel for our Lake District tour this year. Trains would also have been difficult as Cross Country have a limit of two bikes per train. So everyone met at Crofters, Buckfastleigh by 7.45 to load the bikes into Tao’s Volvo V70 and the luggage into Michael’s V60. We finally got away by 8.25, which we didn’t think was too bad.

Somewhere near Bristol there was a loud explosion in the back of Michael’s car which gave the four occupants a bit of a shock. Closer inspection revealed that George’s rear inner tube had exploded spontaneously, leaving George looking as deflated as his tyre.

We stopped for an hour’s coffee break at Gloucester Farmshop Services, then set off for stage two to Keele services. There was congestion on the M5 near Birmingham and Michael’s satnav suggested it would be about a minute quicker to take an alternative route around the east of Birmingham from Catshill. Michael hadn’t realised that there were toll roads in the vicinity and had forgotten he had unclicked the “avoid toll roads” option on his phone. Half an hour later Michael was driving along the relatively peaceful M6 toll road which cost him the princely sum of £6.60. Tao and Michael were both sharing their location, and Michael was certainly moving much faster than Tao over his longer route. When Michael pulled up at Keele Services, however, he only had to wait one minute for Tao to arrive, exactly as predicted at the start of the detour, and that of course amused Tao greatly. Jude helped George replace his inner tube before they both joined the others in the Services for excellent food at Harry Ramsden’s Fish and Chips restaurant.

The final leg of our journey started at 2.25 with some unwelcome rain moving in. Our plan had been to leave the cars in a National Park free car park near Kendal, about ten miles from the hostel, but when we arrived the rain was still falling and Tao really didn’t like the look of the people hanging around in the almost-deserted quarry car park. We drove on to our second choice, the car park at Crook church, but nobody wanted to ride in the rain if we didn’t need to, so we took the cars down to the Bowness ferry, crossed Lake Windermere and headed on up to Near Sawrey.

Arriving at 5.07 gave us twenty minutes for a quick look around Beatrix Potter’s house, Hill Top. Well actually we didn’t want to pay to look at the house, so we just looked around the gardens, imagining Peter Rabbit hiding behind the cabbages. We then drove the short distance to Hawkshead youth hostel. It had a group in this week so we had been unable to stay there, but after chatting with the warden we got permission to leave our cars there free for the week, so we agreed to bring them back tomorrow morning.

In Hawkshead we quickly found the Ivy Guest House, a rather imposing property with luxurious facilities and even a four-poster bed in one of our rooms. After good showers we wandered to the nearby Co-op for snacks and settled down in the TV lounge to watch Happy Feet and try out Michael’s new 4K camcorder.