Date: Tuesday 5th April 2011
Route: WP, Lake Lane, Yennadon Down, Burrator railway, Leat, Shaggers Van, Leat, Gate, Leat, Aquaduct, Black Tor, B3212, Dartmoor Rescue Car Park, Routrundle, Davytown, Badger Alley, Merrivale, Cox Tor Car Park, West of Pew Tor, Sampford Spiney, Huckworthy, HQ.
Riders: Paddy, Glen, Colin, Rob, Alex & Ady.
Depart: 19:45
Arrive HQ: 22:30
Distance: 15 miles-ish but no-one had a GPS or bike ‘poota
Weather: Mild & misty.

After last weeks record attendance apathy once again kicked in and the weather was looking dicey. After brief discussions Colin and Rob cobbled together a route off we toddled and the usual frantic pace led out by Rob.

So, up to Lake Lane/Iron Mine Lane and at the Private Road we went straight up the small track onto the bottom end of Yennadon and up into the mist. Then, across the bottom of Yennadon to pick up the Burrator Railway bearing right along the lower side of the leat for a change. Crossing the road and continuing along the leat provided some slippery tree roots, with the only option of a fall being a wet one, to challenge us.

Then straight across the Lowery Cross/*******Van road into the woods which became very sticky in the caterpillar vehicle tracks. We popped out onto the upper Burrator road and then on to ******* Van, picking up the leat further on and then aiming out through the plantation to the gate, except the phrase “what plantation” came to mind it having been given a thorough hacking by the foresters.

Robs plan to continue up the leat to Black Tor was executed quickly although in the dark it was not until a third of the way across the aquaduct that one realised that there was no way back and a 10 foot fall to the right and a wet one to the left. What a dilemma Nick!!! A VERY stiff climb up to Black Tor was completed with Rob barely breaking sweat and Colin huffing and puffing at the rear. From Black Tor we crossed Tussock City to pick up the Princetown road and headed quickly for the Dartmoor Rescue Car Park and a lovely run down to Routrundle where Colins previous climb caught up with him and he turned left and headed home breaking Glens spirit in the process who joined him and leaving the rest of us to complete Colins suggested route.

The 4 remaining standing went straight across, past the farm and steeply down towards the road where we then headed up to Davytown, Badger Alley and Merrivale. It being 2130 a brief discussion about how to return to HQ was held yielding the route to Cox Tor Car Park, out into the mist towards Pew Tor and then down the mist clad meadow west of Pew Tor. Picking up the roads we belted down the road, hard left to Sampford Spiney where Rob and I waited for Alex & Ady who simply disappeared. Finally, however, we got below the mist and being men of Willowby we shrugged our shoulders, knew they were big boys, and buggered off for HQ. Walkhampton claimed the third victim of the night, Alex, who couldn’t bring himself to cycle past his front door (Alex, take a lesson from Steve B) to the pub and back again.

Rob and I arrived at HQ at 2230 to find a sad and lonely figure fiddling with his smartphone. Ady appeared about half a pint later and disgraced himself by drinking Guiness. Routemeister, who couldn’t join us having injured his shoulder falling from his bike at the weekend showing off to his 8 year old, at least made it to the pub, got through about 3 beers before the call of his bed and lack of company was about to break his spirit when we arrived.

A great route, Robs first ride out without Keith being present and well earned beer.

Reporter: Paddy