Four of us played a compact round-robin so everyone met everyone; Dillan Edwards won all his games. A straightforward evening, with his clean sweep the talking point.

A steady run to Fermoys via Ipplepen revolved around food: a surprisingly good vegetarian nut roast and, happily, much faster service than on our last visit. A quick call at the Ipplepen Co‑op for blueberries—and a comparison with Buckfastleigh’s—added a small, personal touch.

A lively badminton evening was defined by Michael, hampered by tennis elbow, bravely switching to his left hand; as the games went on he improved and even took points off right-handed opponents. Dillan won, with Jude second and George third.

Damp drizzle and low enthusiasm sent the ride off course to The Grange café, where the real test was the bill: two tiny gluten-free flapjacks at £2.95 each. Michael's "I love gluten" retort and a shared two-mouthful protest made the day, before a short roll home.

Six returned for a focused, good‑spirited evening as standards continued to rise, with three players each taking four wins from five. With no time for a tie‑break, Dillan and Mark finished level on 102 points and were named joint winners, Harry just one point behind.

A late start after the weather eased led to a short ride to Ashburton and an hour’s badminton, with George running beside the bikes back into town. Our first visit to Taylors brought excellent drinks but cakes that arrived long after them.

Full turnout for badminton saw eight players rotating through seven planned games, but time beat us after five—some squeezed in a sixth. The clear highlight was Jude Norris, unbeaten in every match and taking the win.

Rain on the climb from Michelcombe put paid to Venford and Dartmeet, sending us to the quiet Holne café for snacks, drinks and intelligent conversation as the downpour set in. After nearly two hours we braved it—and were rewarded with a dry spell through Hembury Woods on the way home.

With Jude stuck in Ilsington, only three made it to Ashmoor for badminton; Michael played left-handed as his elbow healed, and Dillan won two of his three games to finish top.

With rain blowing in at Paignton, the ride became a drive to the Edgemoor Hotel, where a private room and an excellent Christmas lunch turned the day into a relaxed social. Coffee-fuelled chat of a summer tour to Switzerland and a marathon game of Risk rounded it off.

With only Michael and Dillan available, the planned car-assisted day ride to the Exeter Ship Canal was cancelled.

Curiosity finally drew us into the South Devon Chilli Farm, where chilli crept from cakes to mocha and a tasting bar ranged from mild to explosive. A joyful detour down the Avon river path revived old Section spirit; later, Dillan’s spill near Diptford brought prompt kindness from passing drivers.