With the usual badminton group absent, probably due to half term, Jude and Dillan still played a few games while Michael watched rather than joined in, resting his elbow. A quiet evening, defined by persistence over numbers.

Relentless rain scuppered the planned ride to Hembury and Holne; with the downpour heavy by the start time, we called it off. The day’s sole achievement was Jude quietly finishing his maths homework in the morning before we conceded defeat to the weather.

Michael’s new forms turned our badminton at Ashmoor into a smooth round-robin with proper scores; Will topped the table, Jude was runner-up. Beforehand, three of us warmed up with a low-key computer games session at Crofters.

With the planned morning ride to Dartington and Totnes cancelled, the day became a Computer Science social after Dillan left his homework to the last minute; Jude, who had planned to join, opted to work at home instead.

A social badminton evening defined by exceptional play throughout. Dillan Edwards took the overall win, with George Rogers a very close second.

With Jude unwell, just two set out from Buckfastleigh to Dartington, where the former Venus site has become a temporary café. We warmed up from the chill November air over excellent coffee and a teacake before self‑timer photos and a quiet return via Staverton Bridge.

Four of us played a compact round-robin so everyone met everyone; Dillan Edwards won all his games. A straightforward evening, with his clean sweep the talking point.

A steady run to Fermoys via Ipplepen revolved around food: a surprisingly good vegetarian nut roast and, happily, much faster service than on our last visit. A quick call at the Ipplepen Co‑op for blueberries—and a comparison with Buckfastleigh’s—added a small, personal touch.

A lively badminton evening was defined by Michael, hampered by tennis elbow, bravely switching to his left hand; as the games went on he improved and even took points off right-handed opponents. Dillan won, with Jude second and George third.

Damp drizzle and low enthusiasm sent the ride off course to The Grange café, where the real test was the bill: two tiny gluten-free flapjacks at £2.95 each. Michael's "I love gluten" retort and a shared two-mouthful protest made the day, before a short roll home.

Six returned for a focused, good‑spirited evening as standards continued to rise, with three players each taking four wins from five. With no time for a tie‑break, Dillan and Mark finished level on 102 points and were named joint winners, Harry just one point behind.

A late start after the weather eased led to a short ride to Ashburton and an hour’s badminton, with George running beside the bikes back into town. Our first visit to Taylors brought excellent drinks but cakes that arrived long after them.