Trevor Bradshaw - Staverton railway station

I arrived at the Hunting Lodge to start my ride and was met by a new rider, Bill Tuft a CTC member from Ivybridge who I had never met before but was glad he could join us. The riders or should I say rider arrived from Plympton, Graham Black. I did recieve apologies from Graham John & Andy Easton who could not make it. Andy Prideaux said he was coming but with no sign of him we set off. I took a course to Wrangaton then through Owley onto Shipley Bridge, from there onto a new back road I had discovered to Dean Prior. Here I decided to go onto the cafe at Buckfastliegh railway station rather than the farm shop, a bit cheaper there. While sitting there enjoying our coffee I had a call from Andy Prideaux asking were are you, he had missed Graham Black at Plympton but was nearby so he joined us there. You will notice from my photo published, Graham and Bill had a go at driving one of the steam trains.
We set off again now four riders towards Ashburton and crossed over the A38 to Pridhamsliegh and the back lanes to Staverton skirting Landscove and Woolston Green. The railway carriage cafe at Staverton railway station is closed in winter so we went just up the road to the farm shop and sat outside overlooking the river Dart, very scenic. From there we went via Dartington, Cott, and the back lanes to Avonwick and Ivybridge.Here Graham had a puncture in his new back tyre he had just bought, after much cursing he fitted a new inner tube and we where on our way again.
Had a good day lots of sunshine an I clocked up 40 mile, Graham and Andy about another 10 to add, and a great day was had by all. Hope to see Bill tuft on some more of our rides, a thoroughly nice chap.

Trevor Bradshaw