There was a frost this morning, the first Sunday frost of the season, but it started dry and sunny, although turned cloudier later. John and George arrived by 10.25 but Will was late, so it was 10.50 when we set off for our Christmas Lunch ride.

Google took us down the Templer Way cycle path shortcut in Bovey Tracey, which brought us to the Edgemoor Hotel in plenty of time at 12.25. It was a very nice, old fashioned hotel, which we were visiting for the first time this year because the Ilsington Hotel could not accommodate us. We were directed into the lounge area to start with. Michael asked for the price of a pint of blackcurrant and soda, and was told it was £2.80! That is an absurdly high price when many places will do it for £1 or less. He later ordered two pints of water with ice, but the others asked for a jug of water on the table and Michael never received his iced water, so he assumed they had decided he wouldn't need them now.

There was a good range of food available and it was all very tasty. The soup was carrot with cumin, which was delicious. Then Michael had oven-baked cod, followed by plum and blackcurrant crumble to finish, which was all superb. Dillan had the brownie for his dessert.

But then we got the bills, and they had charged us full menu prices instead of the agreed discounted prices of £21 per person for three courses. Soups and puddings had been charged at £5.95 each! It took the guy more than ten minutes to sort everything out. First he asked why we had "thought it would be £21 each", and when Michael said we had agreed that by email, he had to go and ask the manager for approval. He still took ages to sort it when he returned, and then Michael found they had put some of John's drinks on his bill! All in all it was a poor show, but it was all sorted eventually.

We left at around 2.50, when conditions were quite chilly. Everyone opted to return by the same route, which was sensible in view of the fading light, and we just got home by 4.30 as darkness fell.

Julian had to leave just as many others were arriving, but we had a very enjoyable afternoon chatting and checking out some of the tour videos that Michael has recently edited. We also made plans for a reunion cycle ride in June.

This was Jude’s first ride with us, so we planned a gentle introduction to the club with a visit to the café at Holne. He found the ride to Scoriton very easy, so Dillan and George decided to take him up the steep hill to Holne rather than follow Michael and Tao on the recommended route through Michelcombe. He didn’t enjoy that so much, but still made it without too much difficulty.

We enjoyed a range of hot and cold snacks at the café, then left at around 12.35 to explore a track from Gallant Le Bower that Tao had discovered a while ago. It was a bit muddy at the start but soon improved, leading us eventually to the main track to River Dart that we frequently use. At least we no longer have to pass the bikes over the gate now!

Jude somehow managed to come off his bike in the Park, while he was at the back with Dillan and George, but there was no serious harm done and he had no difficulty at all in completing the ride back to Buckfastleigh.