Devon TRF Group Forum

Gavin and Kevin from Surrey TRF have visited a few times before and word has obviously got about that we have plenty of lanes worth riding as they bought the rest of the group with them this time around. A dozen riders made the journey along with eleven machines, one of which came with a chair attached.

Bombx3 and Schoee000 joined me in volunteering to lead on Sunday after Doug and JT had shared the honours on the Saturday. Teamwork had extracted the outfit from a narrower than usual lane and another Husky has been washed and dewatered along the way with no ill effects, which is more than can be said for the rider who opted out of Sundays ride due to an excess of beer the previous evening.

We set off in drizzle which cleared fairly soon for us, heading east to avoid the weather forecast to come in from the west,  but probably affected Ray and Nicks groups for longer as they were heading that way. Barely into the first lane we paused for an elderly dog whcih waddled over to its owner as we passed by along the dog walking track that is 192-211. We were treated to a slow motion display of reversing on our way to 112, barely a splash in the ford and no stray free range chickens today. A fallen pine perpendicularly across 207 had us diverting around through the wood, glad that the wire between the concrete fence posts rotted away long ago.

The long sweeping bends with interspersed with drainage channel ramps took us down past the ever more broken tarmac of 206. The washed out section of 205 has been repaired and the freshly laid concrete on 203 is slick with cow poo. We missed out 231 for fear of getting the chair wedged. Bright sunshine reflected off the wet surface of 277 and the ford on 276 was surprisingly shallow, as were the puddles on 202 after the rocky climb. In no time we were at the top of 215. Our only badger was encountered on the road down to bottom of 198 when I met a horse and rider going the other way and stopped on the steep tarmac slope causing the rider behind to run into me and end up under his bike next to me. The horse had to be urged by but passed without further drama. We stopped far a breather atop the dead end 198 and discovered on setting off again that I had a flat rear tyre. While I got on with chnaging the tube a horse riding NIMBY accosted us complaining about us riding on the 'bridleway' and was told to check his facts. He didn't believe me but I told him that the OS map shows the way to be a route with public access, and not a bridleway. I invited him to go, as I have done, to County Hall to view the List Of Streets in the Land Charges office where the road is recorded as maintainable at public expense in the same way as all other roads in the area. I urged him to go to Luccumbe House, as I have done, to view the Definitive Map which does not show the road as a bridleway, but in the way of bigots everywhere his ears closed over. He rode off complaining that 'I have the greatest respect for the Trail Riders Fellowship, but you never put anything back', while I told him about how we had cleared 231 for his and every other users benefit, falling on deaf ears again. I took him to task when he rode by again shortly afterwards and pointed out that while we certainly had a right to be on the public road he most certainly was breaking the law by riding his horse along the footpath which leads to the common. His selective deafness was once again demonstrated. I should report him.

The next horse rider we met was a breath of fresh air in the form of fellow TRF member Mareth on her one horse power model, and we exchanged greetings again as we passed her once more having returned down the hill and around while she rode over the common. Just after the second ford on 232 we encountered the second of several fallen trees and turned around returning by the wet part of the highway, missing out the last 50m of the dead and lane.

The chair straddled the slippery ruts on 250 as I slithered along. We missed out on 230 at the bottom of 251 for width reasons and went down the sinuous deep track through the farm along 197. The grassy off camber ruts on 229 can't have been easy for the three wheeler but the muddy patch wasn't too sticky and swallowed nobodys bike. Everone skirted the puddles on 285 and I was impressed at just how quickly the passenger opened the gate out of 323 before I could even get my sidestand down. Deep sand is something we get little practice at riding but the visitors are obviously used to it and had no problems on 324. I advised the outfit to await our emergence from the hedge while the rest of us rode 317, after removing the branch laid across the entrance to camouflage it. Btween 188 and 190 we met another friendly horse rider who thanked us for our patience while she rode her steed into 257 so we could pass. We skirted the harbour before ascending 195 and returned down 194. The ruts on 192 seem easier these days and cars regularly use 252. Sticky mud churned by hooves makes 253 interesting and the grass wasn't too slick on 191. Everone agreed that 251 was more fun coming back up after enjoying the wall of death style corner at the top.

The wonderful sea views showed how 196 earned its name The walkers we met on 200 were pleasant. I heard the deep husky baritone of the outfit booming as it struggled through the water at the bottom of 199 and the passenger must have got her feet wet shoving it over the bank. Wacky had judged to perfection just how much to take out of the middle of the fallen tree mid lane when it was cleared and the chair fitted, just, but no 4x4s will sully this lovely lane. Nobody was caught out by the concrete ford on the way to the lovely climb up 208. People standing chatting next to a car on 210 were thanked for giving us a little more room.

We refuelled machinery and took the sandwiches purchased at the same time across the brdige and up 202-299 to the trig point on 329 where we took lunch and enjoyed panoramic views of South Devon. A lady walking her dogs looked a liitle bemused by us but replied cheerfully when spoken to. Passing two futher groups of ramblers also enjoying the spectacular views to be had from 022 we went on down 021. A 'field bike' was spotted in one of the adjoining fields and I wondered whether its owner knows of its whereabouts.  Yet another fallen tree, this time a windfall unlike most of the obstructions we find on 388, was encountered and this one was small enough for the hand saw to carve us a route through, but he lobsterpot effect of the branches may make getting past from the direction of 020 tricky. 

We took 387 as 020 would have been a struggle widthwise. Barely a splash in the usually deep puddles on 019. The rocky climb up 343 was tackled with aplomb and we took 015 because my favourite 017 has bollards at either end. There is no legal reason for these as DCC confirmed in reply to my FOI request recently. The climb to No Mans Land up 016 and 018 goes on and on. Width again prevented us enjoying 029 but went down 030, forked right after 347 and 033 was desribed as the best lane of the day yet. Only because we hadn't yet done 031 though and there were big grins at the far end of 032 where we were reunited with the outfit who had detoured around 030 again. Partly because of the lovely rocky climb, but a dumped pink scooter and a comical green garland sported by one rider played a part. Ducking under the high fallen trees balanced above we descended 061 and I saw double takes when the scooter was spotted parked at the field entrance near the bottom. Diagonally across the 062 on the bottom corner a tree trunk was just possible to squeeze underneath, but it didn't look comfortable.

Tribey had cleared this since after seeing my post on the forum warning people about the tree.

Further width problems stymied our attempt to go up 053 as the tractor at the bottom had left insufficient room for a sidecar. Which is why we tried to go up 404..... I squeezed under yet another tree and encountering a cliff where was once a rather large step I opted for a different line taking to the right instead now that 4x4 idiots have eroided to nothing my previously preferred line. The following riders stopped, looked at the cliff and asked, 'How did you get up there?', while I wondered how I was going to get back down as the chair could clearly not pass the fallen tree.

Tribey has since played a blinder here by cutting away sufficient to allow us passage while denying the 4x4 crowd.

Going around and ascending the hill from the opposite side I was enjoying the ride until I split my nose open on a dog rose on 405 when faced with the alternative of falling into the gulley on the right which I declined. The chair ascended at 45 degrees. The hairpins on 053 are too good to miss out on so went down to the tractor and back up again.  We slithered down 035 after 346, avoiding the overgrown and narrow 034 and 036. More sea views from the top of 037 after the long climb as we descended 340. Repairs are holding up well on 023.

Then the fun started on 052 where for the first time all day I looked around and saw nobody following, but could hear revving around the corner. More revving, some shoving, lifting of the front wheel, some domestic discourse, and a team effort saw the three wheeler over the worst of the steepness.

At the far end of 051 I was alone but soon met the rest coming along when I backtracked. An improbable anti gravity bough suspended above the lane floor apparently unsupported on 060, simple enough to squeeze by.

It can't have been easy squeezing up 059 for the larger machine but we were soon splashing along C-71. Stupidly I took 028 next and we had to turn around due to yet another set of bollards, again with no legal justification, but we had had a reasonable day out by then and were happy to return to our starting point.

Bombx3's group had been back just a few minutes and were sporting big grins, as were Schoe000's group who turned up just after us.

Some statistics

5 riders

4 machines

60 lanes

60 miles

1 bloody nose (Mine, and I noted that Nick too was similarly afflicted)

1 badger

6 fallen trees

Here is a video telling the story of our day

 I hope all of our visitors enjoyed themselves as much as I did.