One of our shortest rides became a tour of the Dart Valley Railway at Buckfastleigh after Jude discovered the station for the first time. The old maze has gone, replaced by a play area, to Dillan’s disappointment, and we ran out of time to ride.

Heavy rain cancelled the planned ride; Dillan and Jude spent the afternoon practising guitar instead, turning it into a low-key music social.

With the heat too much for distance, we kept it brief: a short ride up Green Lane to the Hill House garden centre and an hour cooling off in the shaded gardens before heading back. A gentle outing defined by the weather.

Skipping Holne, we took Colston Road to the café at Dartington Shops, where Gavin’s family joined us for coffee. Group photos in the sunshine set the mood before a relaxed ride home via Staverton Bridge.

Pressed for time, we swapped Fermoys for a gentle café hunt that faltered at Broadhempston—‘coffee machine off’—and a missed turn that looped us back to a local’s amusement. Landscove redeemed it with excellent coffee and cakes in the garden before a punctual return.

On a gentle ride to Holne to test Dillan’s new drivetrain, the day turned reflective as Michael announced the end of the club’s regular rides after 34 years. The Community Cafe was open at last, though without hot food or coffee, and we caught up with John, George and Ziggy.