A low-key celebration after the Scotland jaunt saw us head to Plymouth for ten-pin bowling to mark Callum’s upcoming birthday. The night was lifted by Julian’s surprise return and Ash’s personal-best 152, before the customary Tesco stop for snacks.

Poor weather saw the morning ride swapped for a social. We watched the first instalment of Michael’s Scotland tour video and rounded things off with some network PC games.

With sore knees and legs all round, we still enjoyed a sunny spin to Staverton, the riverside path at its best. A search for the new Staverton Bridge Nursery cafe went comically awry, and Michael felt a bit foolish on a too-small bike before a chocolate stop.

An evening detour past late campers led into a climb through Holne Woods as darkness fell, full beams cutting the spooky stillness while an owl called, making the ride feel surreal. Back via Hembury, we marked Zac’s birthday in his absence with a shared chocolate cake.

A gentle morning loop to Landscove’s garden centre café defined by a relaxed pace and a colossal slice of coffee cake shared at a new outdoor table; the return added a touch of farmyard drama as the field path was heavily occupied by cows before a breezy woodland descent.

Our final evening spin of the season felt fittingly special: a torchlit climb past burnt gorse to Skerraton Down, then a pause among myriads of South Devon lights for chat and photos before the cold set in. Only mishap was Michael’s pump vanishing on the ascent, likely snagged by gorse.

In crisp sunshine, Hennock surprised us: the rear of Tottiford lay dry, exposing stone remains, and Time Team had been to investigate. We even walked the grassy reservoir bed before a short ride down to Lustleigh to find the café still open.

No badminton or squash courts were free, so our season opener switched to the PC network: Lord of the Rings, a trip to Lee Mill for good-value snacks, then Call of Duty.

Despite a forecast of rain into the afternoon, the skies cleared just in time, leaving torrents along the lower Hembury track and Holy Brook in full flow. New rider Jack coped well as we dropped via Gallant Le Bower and Holne Woods past freshly felled timber to River Dart Adventures, now empty of campers.

Bowling plans fell through when Plymouth Tenpin was fully booked, so we switched to pool and made a night of it; after two tables swallowed our coins the staff put it right and the games flowed, and a Call of Duty match on the PCs rounded things off.

A late start after Jack forgot to phone led to a relaxed ride along Colston Road to Staverton Bridge and the riverside track. In the park came the day’s highlight: Jack, keen on pushing his brothers high on the bucket swing, discovered he didn’t like the height himself.

A late slot at Coombeshead School in Newton Abbot gave us some lively badminton, with clear signs of improvement across the group. We warmed up with computer games in the clubroom, but the extra £1.40 racquet hire for three players may rule out a return until we’re better equipped.