Wednesday 31st August 1966
I hired out from Pontin’s camp a 2 speed Moulton Automatic, starting off sometime late morning I rode out of Wall Park, along Wall Park Road and down steep Ranscombe road to the harbour. This was the start of a 35-mile cycling trip, though I didn’t cycle far I shall never forget the enjoyment of that tour. In 1966 my furthest ride was to Stafford along the main road so as yet I was merely pottering around on my ‘pushbike’ – that’s all it was to me at the time. I wasn’t a true cyclist. The ride in Devon, short but eventful, pushed me to take up cycling as a hobby more seriously. That day in Devon was so enjoyable. I enjoyed the summer and the sun in the best time of the year. It was a very hot day. Probably this was the reason I did not explore more than 35 miles. Out of Brixham on the Paignton road and on to B3203 for Collaton St Mary. I was spoilt for choice, there was another road leading to Galmpton and Stoke Gabriel. From the main Torbay road the start of this narrow lane was bordered by wide stretches of lush green grass. All along the road as far as I could see almost, were wide chalk rocks separating the grass from the road to stop cars parking and ruining the grass. On the left of the road the long wide stretch of grass ended at a typical quiet Devon cottage. I decided this morning that I would get to Totnes through Paignton but why should I when there was a tempting green lane that will lead there directly? I met no motor traffic along this lane. There were a few horses and carts and bicycles and it was a beautiful sunny morning. There wasn’t a cloud in sight in the deep blue sky. It was too hot, far too hot to ride fast so I didn’t bother. My average speed for most of this trip was 6 mph. I didn’t want to ride fast because around every corner of every road I biked along was something very new to me. I didn’t know what view would confront me but I knew it would be something worth seeing. The lane was now all high green hedges on either side of the shady lane, broken only by the occasional sleepy Devonshire cottage. There is a water pump at Galmpton outside a group of cottages and it worked too, I tested it! In past times this would have been the cottages’ only water supply. I passed through a wood next and followed the wide lazy River Dart upstream. The soft scenery was spoilt at Stoke Gabriel by modern bungalows but I soon passed through the village and enjoyed the last couple of miles before I found myself on a busy main road. I wondered what road this was. I had a look at the Regent map and found out it was the A385 Totnes to Paignton road and I was 2½ miles away from Totnes. So into Totnes I went. There was a traffic queue near the town and so I rode my Moulton on the pavement. I overtook all the traffic and soon left most of it behind. I thought I saw a lad I knew when from my first year at work in British Railways Apprentice Training School, David Mansell – it was. We stared at each other. I could accept the fact that he could easily be touring Devon on holiday but clearly he was stunned at my riding a bicycle in Totnes, 300 miles south of home! He must have thought the person he knew bore a remarkable resemblance to this person riding in Totnes. Of course I let on to him and we chatted for a while. Over the old bridge spanning then River Dart then I started to climb up the steep hill through the town. It was too steep for the Moulton. I would have managed it on my own bike but not on this one. I walked with it up the hill, now it really was a pushbike. I had a close look at the Guildhall, the white building with the clock spanning the narrow street halfway up the town hill. I had a look around a bookshop and bought a few souvineers; postcards and guidebooks. I climbed the rest of the narrow street with its overhanging upper floors and came to the top of the hill where the houses suddenly ended and gave way to open land. Around a bend to the left I could see the back of the street on the hill that I just made my way up. I could see the River Dart down below, flowing under the old grey bridge at the foot of the hill. Directly in front of me I came to a main road junction where the Totnes to Torbay road ends at the Dartmoor to Kingsbridge road. Also there was the large circular ruin of Totnes Castle with the church crowning the hill. I was 13 miles from Kingsbridge and 20 miles from Salcombe. This main road would take me straight to the two small towns on the mouth of the River Avon. This is yet another Avon – the Devon Avon. There is the Hampshire Avon, Bristol Avon, Yorkshire Avon and of course the Warwickshire Avon, Stratford and Shakespeare and all that.
Salcombe was where I planned to go next, there was sure to be a lane that way rather than take this main road. The lanes would be more interesting and enjoyable to cycle along than the main roads. After a bit of a search I found my lane. This was another shady lane with high hedges to keep me shaded and in the cool from the sun. The route was signposted to Ashprington and Dittisham, so I took this lane. Ashprington is pleasant, nestling in woods and centred around a small stone bridge over a creek leading to the Dart. The tributary starts just west of Buckfastleigh. From there to the junction with the main road, the B3207 Dartmouth to Modbury road. It is a typical shady lane, high hedges and narrow. I have forgotten what Cornworthy was like but I remember a little while after I left the small bridge that there is a long steep hill descending through woodland. Above the trees I could see a barren hill and I knew that I had to climb up to it. Halfway up the long hard climb I stopped to take my pullover off. It was too hot for that. Eventually I reached the top after a struggle. I had passed over a river at the bottom. Could it have been the Dart? I was relieved to reach the top but soon I came to the main road. In a few miles I reached Dartmouth, going past the Royal Naval College then it was all downhill from there. I wheeled the bike through the Butterwalk in Dartmouth and into the gardens by the quay. I had a long rest by the river, staring at Kingswear and the lively River Dart with all its boats and activity. There was the ferry and I was going back to Brixham later using that ferry. I walked around the quay then made my way back up the hill out of Dartmouth where I had a wonderful freewheel down to the Dart that was visible to the estuary where the two castles stand either side of the river mouth like silent sentinels guarding the way up the river, which of course they were in times past. At the top of the hill there was a signpost and I turned here, left off the main road and headed for Torcross, Slapton and Stoke Fleming. It was a lonely lane, hardly any traffic, and soon I arrived on the main road again, the coast road from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge. I was planning to get to Salcombe. I passed through Stoke Fleming, a pleasant village with small shops. These shops were very interesting and thought I would see them later on my way back. I was following the coast road now and I passed Blackpool Sands, way down below me. It was crowded. I was in a wood now and way down below me was the blue and yellow coastline. In front of me I could see that the road dropped to follow the coast along Slapton Lea, a road with the sea on one side and the long lake on the other. The borrowed bike was a good mover downhill but I dreaded having to climb back up there again later on! I followed Slapton Sands almost as far as Torcross. I could see Start Point lighthouse at least 2 miles away. Beyond the Point was Salcombe, but I didn’t get there. Instead I lay on the shingle beach for a while staring out at the open sea and later rode back slowly along the Lea and walked back uphill and through the wood again to Strete. I took a photo here, there is a fine view from this point. Eventually I reached Stoke Fleming again. I had a look in all the shops. I drank a bottle of coke – needed badly! In another shop I bought some triangular stickers, the type you wet and stick to car windscreens. I would stick them on my mantelpiece in my bedroom. From Stoke Fleming I kept to the main road and glided down to Dartmouth past the Royal Naval College for the second time. I was having a walk round the quay when I met Mum, Dad and Cheryl! They had come back from Dartmouth Castle. I bought an ice cream before taking my bike down the ramp to the ferry. There were a few cars waiting and I didn’t have long to wait for the ferry. I was first on and rode to the other end of the ferry and stood there like the captain at the wheel! The tug pushed the ferry across the river to Kingswear. I looked back at Dartmouth and in my minds eye, beyond to all the grand countryside I had cycled earlier. The ramp came down and the cars slowly clattered off and up the jetty on to the narrow street. The ride just wasn’t the same anymore, it had lost its brightness. There was still the ride over to Brixham, down the hill for the last couple of miles through St Marys, Mansands and Higher Brixham. It was a short ride following the creek back to the main road. I started to cycle up the steep hill out of Kingswear but knew I couldn’t manage it so got off and walked. I walked for a long way but it was pleasant. A coach passed me on the way up, a ‘Grey Car’ from Brixham and from the back Mum, Dad and Cheryl waved to me! The bus was moving up the hill on bottom gear and going very slow. At Hillhead there was the black and white board “Welcome to Torbay” in the 12 languages. Past the lonely house on the top that marked the top of the long hill then it was all down into Brixham, past the old Norman church of St Marys. I took one last photo, a panoramic view of Torbay. I sped downhill and soon reached the harbour, up King Street and up the hilly Ranscombe Road to Wall Park road and finally in to the camp. It was only 17.30 and since I paid ten shillings (10/-) to have the bike for the day and had an hour left I rode out of the camp and headed for Berry Head. Along Wall Park Road and down Victoria Road I came to Berry Head Road, past Shoalstone Beach and I was on Berry Head. I had a wander around the forts on the headland before returning to Gillard Road and Centry Road and along Wall Park Road back into the camp. I ate a very big tea when I finally arrived back at the chalet!