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Many thanks, first of all, to those members of the Plymouth Section who were able to support this run: Bryan Richardson, Anna Bryant, Caroline, Julie, Graham Black and Graham Reed, George Sandford, Andy. We were due to meet the Launceston Section at 9.15am and elevenses had already been arranged at the Green Inn, Week St Mary.  But what a day for it!

After a week of glorious sunshine the start to Sunday was miserable. There was continuous rain from about 8.00 am till 12.00 pm, and when Graham Reed and I arrived at the car park in Launceston the other members of the Section peered at me dismally from beneath cagoules and cycling helmets with pleeding in their eyes, rain dripping uncomfortably down their necks. Only four members of the Launceston Section had turned out, not surprising under the circumstances: David Byfield, his wife, Ann, and Paul and Dominic. All youngish, fit  riders with serious riding machines, who set the pace for the day. Apparently some of the other riders were taking part in a local running event and it was also the day of the South Hams Audax.

David Byfield - Secretary of the Launceston CTC Section

Bryan Richardson decided not to join us at the Green Inn. He returned to Plymouth after stopping at Tesco for a cuppa. After some hum-ing and ha-ing, we decided to brave the weather, seize the day and set off - against our inclinations - in the pouring rain. We made for Egloskerry along the lane south of the River Kensey. R at Egloskerry and first left to North Petherwin along a fast flattish road and on to Week St Mary via Copthorne. Tea, coffee, cream teas and tea cakes came to a grand total of four pounds fifty each, which we thought was a bit steep, but the service was very friendly and we were all glad to dry out a little before the next leg of the ride. Anna, who found the pace just a bit too fast for comfort, was soaked through and decided to return to Launceston with Caroline. They got back to the car park at 1.30 pm, which I thought was pretty good going, though Anna did say that there were a few nasty hills.

Graham Black enjoys an ice cream on the quay

Well, you can never have enough of a good thing, they say!

The rest of us made for Bude via Marhamchurch and thence along the cycle track and the quay, where we had lunch. By this time there was a noticeable improvement in the weather  and by late afternoon the sun made an appearance and the roads dried up. There were plenty of tea rooms on the front, so all of us except Dominic (who had to leave us) enjoyed another cup of tea/coffee before the return journey. We were entertained briefly by a well-spoken young boy on a BMX bike, who was interested to see our bikes and who proudly told us he had spent all of 80 GBP on repairs to his bike. When he was a little bigger, he’d be getting a mountain bike, he said. Future CTC member, I wondered?

At elevenses David had suggested a different route back to Launceston, avoiding Week St Mary and the very steep hills on the way. We went through Bridgerule. North Tamerton, Boyton.

Graham Black discovers, much to his surprise, that evidently beer comes from cows. 

At Wilkie Down Farm we stopped briefly. A small herd of cows rushed to the edge of the field to greet us and Andy clambered onto the hedge in a kind-hearted bid to say hello, at which the cows rapidly ran away. “Even ugly cows run away from me,” he observed bitterly with typical candidness. We did not carry straight on past Wilkie Down Farm, which is my usual route, but descended to Ladycross and then joined the A388 on the otherside of Launceston, passing through Werrington and Ham Mill. At the garden centre we took a left and made our way back to the short term car park by a slightly less hilly route than it would otherwise have been.

46 miles on the clock.

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!

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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.

 15.8.10

 Anna

Sue came with Bryan W. from Norfolk, who used to cycle with us years ago, so 8 at the start, but no George.We soon found him at the start of the cycle pathwith the railway station tea lady.

We made our way to Knightstone tearoom, where we enjoyed our coffee in the sunshine. Iris returned home, we continued via Crapstone to Horrabridge, along the back road to Grenofen and on to Whitchurch Down. Most had not been along that lane, so something new.

At lunch at Sampford Spiney, Sue wanted to know, if there was a reason for me wearing my t-shirt inside out. Well I had been a bit in a hurry in the morning and had not noticed. We were surrounded by meadows with alpaca, a range of colours and sizes. They posed for lots of photos, very cute. We left them eventually and cycled over Huckworthy Bridge to Walkhampton and back to Yelverton.Sue and Bryan returned home, as they had to look after Bryan’s dogs. We stopped for tea in Sonya’s cafe and then back on the cycle path. Slow progress, due to lots of people and loose dogs, at one stage only George’s extreme agility stopped him going down the bank. A lovely leisurely day out, thank to all.

Julies version of events - just something to accompany the snaps taken on the day.  Brian will probably submit his own write-up to the magazine.  A few of us gathered at the ferry, Brian had sent word that he would meet us there by car and park up at Torpoint.  George naturally was there first (sipping tea) when Sue and I rolled up, followed shortly after by Mike.  Nice sunny morn and I had my camera with me, Mike pointed to his new socks - I’m sure they were an omen Mike!

Luckily Brian was in the first and only lane of cars loaded on the ferry (three lanes left behind), we were told they had to rush, there was an ambulance at Torpoint waiting to get back to Plymouth.  After a group consultation we set off for St Germans, enquiring along the way to find a possible tea stop.

We found the Eliot Arms pub and believed the sign “open all day everyday” but on entering were told they were not open yet. However, a bunch of cyclists can be quite persuasive, we were ushered outside and served beverages in a somewhat haphazard/forgetful manner! After another consultation of map and group, we then headed on a circular route along Bag Lane, neared Trerulefoot, Narkurs, joining up with the B3247 along the coast towards Crafthole, and back through Antony to Torpoint.

Trying to find a lunch-time spot to picnic and all the unexpected traffic that suddenly came behind us in the narrow lanes was not easy. We ended up turning into an open meadow gateway on a T-junction after the village of Narkurs, the ground was hard as hell and Brian’s yellow jersey was a magnet to the bugs! We watched the traffic passing by bumper to bumper and learned they were being diverted because the road was closed near Polbathic due to the earlier fatal accident.  The jam got much worse as traffic was unable to pass, people were out of their cars jogging back and forth in order to attempt to sort themselves out! Our progress however, was not halted.

Near Crafthole Mike left us and we took early afternoon tea at the Liscawn Hotel, set in a beautiful quiet spot overlooking the valley, the building dated 1310.

We said “bye” to Brian who had to collect his car from the car park in Torpoint and boarded the next ferry back. Sue and I who had ridden from Plympton just fell short of a round 30 miles.

(And you thought you were having all the fun Graham J!)

Julie, Bryan, the three Grahams and I set off slightly late, everybody had expected George. In Ivybridge Bryan decided to take the main road to the coffee venue, he did not like the hills in my proposed route. Neither do I, but I like cars even less and ours was definitely the less busy.

On the way to Ermington there were four men with metal detector busy in a meadow with cows, I wonder, what they were looking for.

We continued to Sheepham, Mary Cross and Hangman’s Cross. Just as we reached the Loddiswell road at Coldharbour Cross, Bryan appeared as well, the timing could not have been better.

At the garden centre we found George and Iris there already.

Iris went back and George continued to Slapton, while we turned towards Hatch only to have to wait some time, while cows were herded into a field.

The road to Hatch Venn and Bridge End on the map looks flat parallel to the river, in praxis it is anything but flat.

As it was low tide, we took the tidal road. Now up the steep hill, I told the faster chaps that lunch would be at the picnic benches behind the car park at St. Anne’s Chapel.

The little lane was like a motorway and even pushing bikes up was a pain. I was covered in stinging nettles burs and little green seedballs, which attached themselves everywhere.

Graham J. waited at the top, he was off home, as he had marking to do.

At the picnic side there was no sign of the Graham B. and Graham R.

We had a leisurely lunch and as we headed towards Modbury the 2 Grahams came against us. God knows where they had been and where they were going.

At Modbury toilet Julie and Bryan tried to fill up their water bottles, but it was one of those units and the water warm.

A tea-stop in Ivybridge was much more refreshing.

Anna