With showers forecast for the morning and rain for the afternoon we set off up Wallaford Road with a plan only to make up a route as we went along. It was still dry after a brisk climb to Cross Furzes, so we headed through Combe to Holne with the idea of possibly going to Venford or Ashburton. Stopping outside the café we had just decided not to stop there when a rain shower began, so we did the sensible thing and spent an enjoyable half an hour sampling the cream of carrot soup and other tasty refreshments. Dillan seemed reluctant to break into his notes – we think he is saving up for something – but in the end he bought a toasted teacake.

The sun was shining again as we left, but as it was nearly 1pm we were now forced us to head more directly home via Hembury Woods so as to avoid the later rain. Only Lawrence rode the ‘Slalom’ track through the woods, although everyone rode around the fort. The rain began as we reached Buckfastleigh, almost exactly as we had planned.

Our planned weekend to Bellever YH had to be cancelled since many of our members are revising for exams. With just Dillan and Michael out today, Dillan was able to select whatever ride he wanted, which turned out to be a thorough exploration of the blue and red tracks at Haldon Forest Park.

We got back to the car by 1pm and finished the day with an all-day breakfast fry-up at the Route 5 restaurant on Haldon and a visit to Tesco at Newton Abbot.

Stan Ford joined us for our 30th anniversary ride to Dartmoor, and we received several good wishes from ex-members who were unable to be with us. Stan’s trusty Raleigh Randonneur suffered a broken chain on the first climb up the shortcut near Peartree, but Michael got his hands oily to ensure we could proceed up Ausewell Hill with the minimum delay.

We took the unsigned path across Welstor Common to Buckland Beacon, a fire beacon still used to celebrate royal events, and after hauling the bikes over the stile Michael took the group to the pair of granite slabs that together form the Ten Commandments Stones. Most of the group had never seen them before, and in Stan’s case that was not for want of searching. The stones, which were inscribed in 1928, have become somewhat eroded over the years so you really have to know where they are to be sure of finding them.

When we had finished taking in the breath-taking views across Southern Dartmoor Dillan found one letterbox and Will found the other. The boxes don’t seem to contain ink pads and stamps these days, but we left our comments in the books using the pens provided and continued on our way.

Will was ravenously hungry for some reason, so after taking the path down to Cold East Cross we decided against looking for more letterboxes at Bonehill Rocks, instead proceeding down the steep descent to Widecombe. Here we were in for a surprise: the famous Green Café had been gutted and completely refurbished inside by new owners. The old kitchen and serving area was gone, replaced with a new eating area complete with old fireplace; there was a brand new kitchen and serving area on the car-park side; the cloakrooms had been completely rebuilt; and new tables and chairs both inside and out completed the conversion to a café that finally seems appropriate for such a popular tourist village. We enjoyed a range of tasty food from the excellent menu and gave the new proprietor full marks for what must have been a very expensive enterprise.

Next stop was the ice-cream hut in the village which boasted very generous helpings of delicious ice cream topped with clotted cream for just £2.50. Refreshed for the return journey we headed onwards via Ponsworthy at a good speed, diverting through Leusdon in the hope of seeing our favourite white ducks. We were not disappointed: they seemed to have brand new fox-proof quarters next to their refurbished pond, so hopefully they will survive until Christmas at least!

We returned home via Hembury for around 4.10 after a very enjoyable ride. For those who couldn’t make the ride we will be running a 30th anniversary get-together at Christmas.

Dillan overslept this morning and woke up just as Tao and Michael were leaving in the car. We had soon collected him, loaded his bike and headed off to Bodmin through cloud and light drizzle. Heavier rain this side of Bodmin gave us some cause for concern, but once we had parked up by the Trail conditions were nearly dry.

We had planned an early stop at the Boscarne café, so it was somewhat fortuitous that Tao got his puncture just outside. He forecast the fastest repair we had ever seen, but when his tight tyre beading broke one of his plastic tyre levers the repair time got extended to about 12 minutes.

After an enjoyable café stop we set off with good speed through Wadebridge, passing countless families on hire bikes. We were looking out for dogs in hired dog trailers, but on the outward journey the intended occupant of the only trailer we saw was sensibly running along behind getting some exercise.

As we approached Padstow we ran into drizzle that was more like light rain. The narrow streets were heaving with visitors, no doubt due in part to the bank holiday weekend. Michael wanted a cheese and onion pasty, but the assistant in the only pasty shop without a queue managed to drop the only pasty she had, so he decided to join Tao and Dillan in trying Rick Stein's fish and chips.

Tao's scampi and chips were apparently the best he had ever tasted. Dillan's chips were good although apparently not as good as John's from Buckfastleigh. Michael wanted fish, but all the fish was cooked in beef dripping so he had the vegetarian option which was halloumi - very tasty, but not quite the fish he had hoped for.

We headed back with great speed, the rain stopping once again as we neared Wadebridge. On the final section to Bodmin we were finally rewarded with the sight of a trailer with two dogs in residence, although the large one seemed to be leaving little room for the small one. Tao embarrassed himself as we passed a lake with some rather loud sea birds: he made a joke about seagull noises but was told in no uncertain terms by two passing youngsters that they were actually geese!

This had been a busy and interesting day that proves just how much fun cycling can be even when the weather isn’t 100% ideal.