With a plan in mind of a 24-mile ride via Bovey Tracey and Haytor we set out along the old Ashburton road, meeting Gavin on his way back from a training ride. He decided to ride with us out to Caton before heading back for a Mother’s Day meal, but now Jude was feeling a bit ill and needed a rest. After ten minutes he said he was fine again, so we pressed on through Bickington and Blackpool, offering him a couple of options for shortening the ride which he repeatedly rejected.

By the time we reached Cummings Cross at Liverton he was feeling ill again, and after a long rest on the bench he decided it would be best to divert the ride back through his home town of Ilsington. This gave us an opportunity to ride lanes we rarely use, although the steep climb through the woods to the village was challenging. John stopped on the way up for a call of nature, and when he took more than ten minutes to re-join us at the top Dillan surmised, cheekily, that it was probably due to his age! The truth, of course, was far less colourful – a phone call from home about a certain son not pulling his weight on Mother’s Day!

We arrived at Ilsington village shop just before 1pm as Jude’s mother was about to close the store. The shop offers coffee and cakes as well as the usual provisions, and Sue very kindly took pity on us and kept the shop open so we could buy some very tasty refreshments and eat them on the table outside.

Jude went home to recover while the rest of us continued on through the village and down through the delightful lanes of Sigford to Ashburton and home.

On a wonderful sunny morning five of us rode along Colston Road to Staverton Bridge where the river was high and spring was bursting out everywhere. The riverside path towards the island was busy with walkers today so we only stopped long enough for a photo before crossing the steam railway line and heading back to the Hill House nursery at Landscove. Here Neil and Phil (Michael’s cousin) had arranged to meet us for refreshments, and they had already secured the sunniest spot in the garden.

We whiled away a very enjoyable hour chatting over our drinks and food, with nothing spoiling the idyllic surroundings except perhaps a few too many rooks in the enormous fir trees. When all had been said that had to be said Jude decided we should follow Michael’s optional detour on the way home via the track from Higher Penn. The first part, down the edge of the field, turned out to be very muddy in places, and whilst the woodland section was tranquil and scenic John decided Michael’s name should still be Mud for the afternoon.

We returned home by 2.20 and ended the ride there as Michael was busy with his relative during the afternoon.

Today was the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures reaching 24 degrees at one point. With Tao joining us it seemed like a great day to visit Fermoys garden centre at Ipplepen, so we headed out via Caddaford and Staverton. Tao came up with what he thought was a clever detour as we rode through Ipplepen, via Dornafield Road, but it just added half a mile and a few extra metres of climb!

Arriving at 12.10 we settled in the garden area outside to enjoy good drinks and tuna Paninis which George rated nine out of ten. Then when Tao had finished checking out the herb seeds we left at 13.10 and returned along Tao’s preferred route, via the Rising Sun and Ashburton. Along the way we came across a junction that boasted no fewer than 34 manhole covers, at Bramble Oak Cross near Denbury.

To conclude an excellent ride we returned along the railway path and the old Ashburton road, getting home for 2.45. This suited John just fine as he had to be back for 3pm to prepare fish and chips for a special train from Buckfastleigh station.

Our 2017 Easter Tour began at Totnes station at 9.30. The train was on time at 10.07 and the bikes spaces were available as booked, so the journey to Liskeard went without a hitch. The Stoke area of Plymouth looked rather depressing from the train but the Tamar Bridge made up for that with impressive views up and down the river. From our vantage point on the train we could see just how dangerous it was for the people working on the road bridge.

We arrived on time at Liskeard just after 11am and then followed an interesting route to Golitha Falls that avoided the hills we had encountered on our last tour to the area. We stopped for a moment at Drayne’s Bridge, near the Falls, to explore the nature reserve by the river and to check out the new café in the car park – it looked very interesting, but we had already told ourselves not to stop until we reached Bolventor.

The quiet road to the centre of Bodmin Moor followed the River Fowey all the way to Bolventor, so it wasn’t too challenging. By the time we reached Bolventor at 1.05, however, we were all ready for lunch. But we had that covered, as lunch was waiting for us in the Jamaica Inn.

The Jamaica Inn, dating back to 1750, was made famous by the Daphne Du Maurier smuggling books and the subsequent Hitchcock movie. It’s not as remote as it used to be these days, with the A30 passing quite close, but it retains all the original character both inside and out. The food was exceptional, with large portions and as many vegetables as you could fit on your plate for £8.95. We made good use of the opportunity and finished with some games of darts.

We left soon after 2pm but had only gone a mile when Dillan realised he had left his new gloves at the Inn. We waited by the A30 while he rode back to get them in double quick time and we soon on our way again, eager to get off the busy dual carriageway as soon as possible.

Many place names in Cornwall begin with the letter Tre, and now we started seeing plenty of them in every direction. Approaching Altarnun there was Trewint, Tresmaine and Tredaule, then after photos on the bridge there was Trekennick, Trelawnym, Trelyn and Trecollas. We thought it must get quite confusing for those living here. We almost missed an impressive, well-camouflaged treehouse up in the trees at Trekennick.

Near Tresmeake we thought we would try out a promising-looking shortcut recommended by Google Maps. Unfortunately it turned very muddy and overgrown once we got around the first corner, so after bad experiences in the Lake District last year we decided to retrace our steps and take the road instead.

We continued the long, gradual climb on to Davidstow Moor, noticing wind farms in every direction that were taking advantage of the strong winds for which the area is famous. Once we reached the Moor itself the wind was very powerful and very chilling, making the ride past the old disused airfield rather unpleasant. At the far side we stopped briefly at the RAF museum, sadly closed until the coming weekend. Just a little farther along was the Dairy Crest factory with numerous Cathedral City lorries parked outside.

The last few miles to Tintagel were tiring after a long day, especially as we were racing against the clock to reach Granny Wobbly’s Fudge Pantry before it closed at 5.30. We arrived just after closing time but fortunately the proprietor was very willing to open his doors so we could buy a selection of fudges and ice creams.

Those who had not brought provisions for supper called in at the local supermarket, then we headed down the main street towards the hostel. Michael, who was looking out for his cousin who had arranged to meet us later at the hostel, was certain he saw her walking up the street, but when she looked at him blankly he assumed she must have just been a pretty good look-alike!

The hostel is situated a mile out of the village, nestled into the top of a cliff overlooking the sea. It really is a prime location and it was great to return again to what has to be one of our favourite hostels. The interior had been extensively refurbished since our last visit, including new washrooms and showers, but Michael and John were not too impressed with the hot water store which seemed to have only been sufficient for the youngsters’ showers!

Michael’s cousin and her friends arrived at 6.30 as planned, apologising for not recognising him earlier. They had brought some packed food and kept out of the kitchen area, but the volunteer warden still didn’t seem too happy about them being here. We had a good chat, then at 9.00 when they were ready to leave he seemed very pleased. We don’t often entertain visitors at hostels, but they really weren’t affecting anyone.

Sadly it was too late for a walk to Tintagel Castle, but John and George had already seen it on a previous visit to the area.

After a good sleep and a good breakfast (well Jude only had two cereal bars but it seemed to be all he wanted) the wardens allowed us a peek at the famous front dorm, partially sunk into the ground with windows overlooking the sea. In years gone by this was always allocated to our group, but now it has been divided into two smaller dorms and a larger washroom and is allocated, perhaps unfairly, exclusively to females. It still looks like a great place to sleep though.

After a final look over the cliff at the sea views we headed back up the track from the hostel, pausing only so that George could pump his tyre. We then allowed Google to find us a good cycling route to Wadebridge. It took us through Treven, Tregatta, Treknow and Trebarwith, only narrowly missing out on Trewarmett. The double-arrowed hill out of the valley was so steep that a car suffered major wheelspin at the bottom until he found the right angle. We, of course, all rode the hill with no difficulty.

After some more quiet lanes and gentle climbs the second part of the ride was nearly all downhill, to St Kew and on along the main road to Wadebridge. We were heading for a recommended coffee shop called Relish Food and Drink. It turned out to be very busy, which presumably is a good sign, so we settled on a table outside and ended up very impressed with the top quality coffees and cakes. This is the first tour that Michael has selected specific cafes in advance for each day of the tour – it certainly seems like a good idea so far.

The Camel Trail cycle path took is along the Camel Estuary to Padstow in speedy fashion, offering some great views and taking us past many hundreds of cyclists who had all hired bikes from the cycle hire shops at each end. At Padstow, Rick Stein’s fish and chips café had the usual long queues so we went into the village and bought pasties from one of the three pasty shops adjacent to each other on the main street. Michael was happy because they had an apple, rhubarb and custard one left. We ate our lunch on a bench overlooking the picturesque harbour, watching seagulls annoying the visitors. Some drizzle appeared while we popped into a bakers shop for some cakes, but it soon dried up again.

After getting some provisions from the local Co-op we headed on up the hill and over to Harlyn Bay. We had half an hour to spare so everyone got barefoot and had fun on the superb beach. John successfully negotiated a mini-rapids in the stream and we checked out a nearby cave.

When sand had eventually been removed from toes and feet we headed on to Constantine Bay and then followed the coast path the short distance to Treyarnon Bay. Arriving at the youth hostel the warden remembered Michael from previous visits and was eager to show us around his newly-refurbished hostel, opening today for the first day of the season. It really was all very new, the smell of fresh paint wafting around everywhere. He wanted us to give us our feedback when we left, so we made a point of marking everything carefully.

The rooms, corridors and toilets were great but the all-new showers had fixed shower heads which made the showering process much longer than it needed to be. The cubicles were good, but we’re not sure why YHA are still wasting good money installing inferior shower equipment for new refurbishments.

This hostel has a café open to the passing public, so we had coffee first and then went down again after showers for the meal. This was another disappointment. YHA have introduced standardised “Metro” menus that are rather limited. Pizzas turned out OK, but John ordered a Chicken Tikka salad and ended up with much smaller Chicken Tikka skewers, which was a starter. He pointed out the error and the warden went away, transferred the skewers to a bowl of salad and presented it back to him again. John was not happy, feeling that he should have had a lot more Chicken Tikka for the extra £2.75!

To conclude a good day we set up Atomic Bomberman on Michael’s laptop in the dorm and played several games before retiring to bed at 11. Overall we liked the hostel refurbishment, but we really hope YHA listen to us about the showers.

When John had fixed George’s puncture and we had taken our group photos around the hostel we spent a little time watching the surfers on Treyarnon Bay. It was a cloudy and rather chilly start to the day and we didn't think it looked a lot of fun. We then set off towards Newquay. As usual Michael had thoughtfully planned morning coffee at the Carnewas Tea Room, Bedruthan Steps, and after a route that involved only one minor climb we arrived on time at 11.00.

When the excellent cakes and drinks had been consumed we discovered that access to the Bedruthan Steps was free even though the site is owned by the National Trust. Without further ado we dressed up warmly and headed along the headland, noticing several inaccessible beaches at the bottom of the cliffs, to the steep stone steps that lead down to Bedruthan beach. John decided to watch from the top while the rest of us descended the steps.

The steps have suffered coastal erosion at various times in the past, so on some previous tours they were closed to the public. Now, expensive thick netting has been installed to prevent the rocks from falling away either side of the steep steps. The beach at the bottom was fabulous, situated in a secluded cove. The tide was half in, preventing us from reaching the second series of beaches, but we were able to walk as far as Redcove Island. Here the sun came out making the whole scene perfect – John missed out on one of the most enjoyable locations of the tour.

Returning to the bikes we continued to Newquay, stopping briefly to admire the breath-taking expanse of Watergate Bay. Google took us up a path short-cut that brought us to Newquay Seafront, from where we rode along the main tourist street that was packed with cheap-looking trinkets shops. Dropping down the back of Newquay brought us quickly to Trenance Park and Gardens which, as on all previous tours, is definitely the best part of the town.

Sadly the pedal boats were not open for the new season yet so we parked our bikes under the cherry blossoms and headed into the Lakeside Café, our planned lunch stop. This turned out to be the best café of the tour, offering excellent value meals - several had enormous jacket potatoes with loads of fillings and salad for an excellent price.

Feeling very full we rode out of the park, scattering pigeons in all directions as we went, and after a short section of main road and a right turn towards Crantock we followed an interesting Google route through some delightful lanes and cottages. George’s tyre needed another pump near the Smugglers Den Inn but there was no phone signal to tell Michael who had gone on to the next hill, but eventually we were all reunited for the last few hills to Perranporth.

On many previous tours to the area we visited an attraction called Goonhavern World in Miniature, boasting outdoor scale models of many of the world’s most famous buildings. Today it was not on the itinerary as it closed several years ago, probably for being too boring!

We went straight down to the seafront where we discovered conditions were now cloudy, chilly and very windy. It didn’t take long to decide that café should come first, so we rode back to Chrissy’s Café, recommended on Google. She was about to close but stayed open for us to enjoy hot drinks and cakes, making it a very enjoyable stop.

Returning to the beach we parked our bikes and walked the very long distance across the beach to the sea, which was already lapping up to the rocky island in the middle of the beach. We watched some people kite-surfing, being pulled along by the very strong winds. We thought it looked fun, although it must be very difficult to control the kite. We climbed to the top of the island for some good views of the beach, coastline and hostel (located at the top of a cliff overlooking the beach). It was very windy, however, so we didn’t hang around for more than a few minutes.

As usual there was a long hill to climb to get to the hostel. As this is a very small hostel we had been allocated to a shared dorm for the first time in many years. Room 2 has been the male dorm at this hostel since it first opened, so it was no surprise that we were in there today. Only three other people were sharing it with us, so it wasn’t as bad as the youngsters expected. In fact one of them was a friendly young chap from Nottingham who was staying here to do some fishing.

Showers were OK here, the kitchen was a little cramped for cooking our meals but the common room overlooking the sea was spacious and cosy. Some families were staying at the hostel with young children which added to the happy atmosphere of the place. After playing some games of Atomic Bomberman in the dorm we headed for bed early as tomorrow would be an early start.

On Easter morning we had an early breakfast so that we could leave by 9am for our longest ride of the tour. As we were getting ready to leave the young children were running excitedly around the hostel on an Easter Egg hunt. Michael was amused to hear the warden explaining to them that their excitement was a result of too much chocolate.

On previous tours we have followed the hilly coastal route to Portreath, but on those occasions we didn’t have to ride all the way to Lands End. So today we took the easiest route as recommended by Google, which included the interesting track shortcut from Trevellas to Mithian. There was plenty of fine country scenery and a great downhill to finish, bringing us into Portreath by around 11 as planned.

The Portreath Bakery was the first food establishment we saw. It was not really a café so we didn’t stop there, but it turned out to be the best bakery of the tour, selling large slices of hot tasty pizza for just £1.50 and some fine-tasting Danish Pastries. We pressed on to the sea front area, checked out the two possible cafes on Michael’s list and settled on The Hub, a very modern-looking café that sold excellent Lattes and delicious cakes.

There were lots of local cyclists by the sea front, apparently waiting for some event to start. When we started up the hill several set off after us and overtook us, including some youngsters, so evidently they were doing some kind of hill climb event. They had no panniers of course and we did give them a good run for their money.

We continued along the coast road to Hayle, passing another great-looking refreshment stop called the Hells Mouth café near Gwithian along the way. By now the weather was very hot and sunny, so it was a relief to pull into Warrens Bakery in Hayle for our planned lunch stop. This turned out to have indoor seating so we sat down to enjoy our very large pasties in comfort.

Our plan to buy lunch at the enormous new Asda superstore opposite the bakery fell flat when we realised it had to stay closed on Easter Day because of trading regulations, so we continued around the Hayle estuary towards St Ives. We had planned to follow the main road but the boys noticed a cycle path that turned out to be quiet and attractive even though it was nearly a mile longer.

The youngsters were desperate to visit a Costa café for some reason, so we let Google lead us to one that was located in Carbis Bay. Sadly it turned out to be inside a Tesco superstore, so it too was closed. Instead we rode down the hill to the busy town of St Ives with is narrow, bustling streets and many cafes. After checking out a few we ended up at the Scoff Troff café which offered good value refreshments in a pleasant environment. George, while heading for the washrooms, somehow managed to get Michael to order him a Latte when he actually wanted a different drink, so we ended up spending a little more than we had intended.

The afternoon was wearing on and we still had 14 miles to go so there was no time to explore the harbour. We pressed on up the steep hill out of St Ives in sweltering heat for the final stage of the day, following the coast through mining country. The road had a lot of ups and downs to start with but had plenty of interesting twists and turns. Gorse featured heavily in the landscape and cameras came out when we came across our first real tin mine, Carn Galver.

We were getting quite tired now and should really have stopped for another break, but even when we saw a delightful looking café, Rosemergy cream teas, we didn’t stop because we thought we should not have three café stops in a day! Well a few miles further along we ran out of energy and had to stop by the Yew Tree gallery, just past Morvah, and since its café was now closed we ended up eating chocolate on the roadside.

Eventually we arrived at Pendeen and Trewellard and decided, even though it was approaching 6.00, to do our optional detour to the mines used in the filming of Poldark. The first beam engine house we came to was Higher Bal, which was impressive enough. Further down the lane however we came to a whole series of engine houses, chimneys and workings, including the famous Levant Mine: it had just closed for the evening so we couldn’t look inside, but there was plenty to see outside. This building was used as Tressiders Rolling Mill in the TV series.

We now followed the track along the coast to Botallack where we found many more derelict buildings and chimneys as well as the Botallack Mines themselves by the sea, used for Wheal Leisure in the series. The whole area looked like a different world, a piece of history from Cornwall’s past preserved for ever. The rich evening sunshine bathed the scene in surreal lighting making this one of the most interesting places we visited on the tour.

It was now approaching 7pm so we headed off, rather late, for the final two-mile ride to the hostel. Google once again found us an interesting route that took us through St Just and then down a lane that seemed to be going the wrong way. Then we found there was a concealed path that took us through some woods and came out just below the hostel.

We had a nice room in the hostel but it was a kind of attached annexe to the main hostel with a rather poor shower. We needed a passcode to get into the main hostel, but several of us did so to use the better showers upstairs, so powerful it would take off a layer of skin if you gave it the chance. The pizzas available from the YHA menu were fairly good here, but after supper we didn’t take long to get to bed after such a long and tiring day.