Sarah, Niq, Hannah, Paul, Dave, Ian, John, Jude, Ros, Paul and Grant left the

Drummer and headed over cobbles to Pydar Street and up the Idless turning.

Despite vowing to avoid the valley until next summer Dave led the group over

mud-concealed potholes to the turning for Goonhavern, where Grant left to pursue

his own objective.

Crossing the road and turning left we soon reached Allet and enjoyed the relatively

mud-free joys of the main road through Chybucca to cross the A30 and A3075.

Shortly after we turned left towards Silverwell and more mud. Passing around the

back of Chiverton Cross we followed the oft-travelled route to Skinners Bottom (or

is it Concord?) where Jude was so surprised to take a left turn that she lost her

chain and came a cropper. Fortunately the only damage was to her mirror, so we

continued on to arrive at Smokey Joe’s. Niq was kept under close observation to

avoid a reflex stop for a bacon sandwich and we crossed the A30 again and

enjoyed the views from the road past Kit Bartley, Cox Hill and then the long

descent to Twelveheads. Level ground rewarded us through Bissoe and on to

Devoran. Some took the main road via the roundabout while most of us went

cross-country on the Mineral Tramways trail.

More delicious scenery on the road along the creek to Point and we were then

rewarded with a gentle ascent to Feock by way of what some refer to as “a hill”

(attributed to Harris, apparently.) At such time we were well late for luncheon but

we shortly arrived at the Punchbowl and Ladle PH.

Following re-fuelling we were on our way again. Ian departed shortly for the road

back to Truro and far beyond, while the rest de-caloried© by taking a route which

was not entirely dissimilar to our outbound journey, being briefly: Bissoe,

Twelveheads, Chacewater, Blackwater and Two Burrows. Some had not had

enough mud and elected to return home through Silverwell while others tried, Kea

Downs, Penstraze, Greenbottom, Threemilestone and Treliske.

My machine read: distance: 60km, average speed: 17.5kph and a power output

that would put an old-school light bulb to shame – these being well within Club

ride parameters.
Ride Leader: Dave Bennett