Graham John – Kingsbridge
CAR ASSISTED RIDE TO BUDE – SUNDAY 5 SEPTEMBER – START 9.15AM in LAUNCESTON
David Byfield of the Launceston section of the CTC has asked whether the Launceston section might join us this coming Sunday on our car assisted ride to Bude. We will park at the short stay car park on the right as you go down Race Hill into the town. (see map - bit confusing because the car park is not shown. Ignore the red arrow.) Directions: on approaching Launceston on A388 from Callington, at RAB at entrance to town straight over. Pass Tesco on your left. At next RAB follow directions for town centre. Go up Race Hill, along the flat and down the other side almost to the bottom. You will see the short term car park on your right. Free parking on Sundays. David will meet us there ready for a 9.30am start, so plan to be at the car park for 9.15am. I have arranged elevenses at The Green Inn, Week St Mary. Good job I rang: they’re opening an hour earlier for us!
Good turn-out: Andy Prideaux, Iris & Patrick, George, Grahams B & R, Julie and Bryan Richardson. Caroline sent her apologies. Anna and Sue were away.
The creek at Kingsbridge
The route took us via Ermington along the main Ughborough road to the junction with the Loddiswell road. Elevenses were at the Farm Shop by Endsleigh Garden Centre and Avon Mill. Bryan took us by a rather steep back lanes to Kingsbridge rather than along the busy main road. Andy returned home at Avon Mill. The rest of us plodded along a steep route suggested by Bryan and got to Kingsbridge shortly before 2.00pm. We had lunch in the central car-park area, listening to folk songs and bagpipes. There seemed to be some sort of concert in preparation. Something to do with Bank Holiday weekend?
Graham Black, clowning around!
I had to be home early, and Patrick wanted to be home in good time for tea. So the group split into those making a day of it (Graham Black, George, Graham Reed and Julie) while Bryan, Patrick and I set off back towards Avon Mill. Bryan preferred the main road. Patrick and I decided to go back along Bryan’s “easier route” because we wanted to avoid traffic. Unfortunately we took a wrong turn and ended up heading for Goveton. Realising our mistake we retraced and went back to Avon Mill, where we found Bryan admiring a Paganini bike (all carbon fibre) which the owner had picked up for £600 on eBay. Normal price £3000. We took a left by the cheese farm and made our way to Ermington via Mary’s Cross, down the hill we normally climb up on the way out, and thence home. The stiff head wind wasn’t too much bother. I got in at 6.00pm. 47 miles on the clock.
It remains for the rest of the group to add an account of their route back via Slapton.
September 1st, 2010 at 12:47 pm
Hi Graham, thought I would comment on last Sunday’s afternoon leg rather than post a report so as not to disturb your page layout and the notice re the forthcoming ride. Basically we rode from Kingsbridge through Chillington and on to Torcross, along Slapton Sands and up hill to Strete and Stoke Fleming where we turned off. We were only 4 miles from Dartmouth the sign post said but we didn’t fancy the uphill slog back out of Dartmouth at that time of the afternoon! We made for Moreleigh, Gara Bridge and California Cross passing Dartmouth Golf Club and Woodlands along the road. We were passed by an enormously long vehicle, think it was the Circus, (tractor unit and three trailers!) on the narrow road leading to California Cross. We stopped for refreshments there and Graham Reed decided to shoot off home alone at a faster pace. We left about ten minutes behind him and I think somewhere near Kitterford Cross (George to confirm!) we were motioned to carry on by George but we misheard his instructions and carried on to Ermington, waiting there for a good ten minutes but he never appeared! Graham Black and I then continued back via Ivybridge and home. I got indoors at 6.40 and just made it before the heavens opened for a really heavy downpour, felt sorry for Graham. However all was well with George he rang soon after to say he had carried straight on to Wrangaton and Ivybridge and home, and was only about 10 minutes ahead of us at the Smithaleigh over-road bridge. My mileage read 62 miles, and I really enjoyed the day!
September 1st, 2010 at 9:58 pm
Fairly typical end to a Plymouth Section Run – all over the darned place!. Glad everybody had a good day out, though. Keep looking for updates about Sunday. I reckied the route today and have decided to make some changes. We will give Otterham a miss for elevenses. Hopefully, we will find another good tea stop. Hope to see you Sunday. – Graham J