The day started overcast and cool and remained much like that, just a few spit-spots of rain in the afternoon that proved to be cooling rather than wetting.  We progressed from the narrow country lanes of Cornwall through Devon to Somerset, mostly on muddy and gritty country lanes where the downhill conditions were uncertain, so racing down was restricted to the times we were on the well-surfaced B-roads.

The morning was spent doing roughly the same ascent as yesterday, long drags up hills, first to Okehampton on the north of Dartmoor, then south of the Quantocks down to Taunton and up for a final time before dropping down to the Somerset levels for the last 20 miles.  Stops at North Tawton next to a skateboard park where we were entertained by some boys on scooters, lunch at Halberton where we witnessed a motorbike accident and tea at the North Petherton Rugby Club which was opened especially for us.

We continue to cycle together as a group of 12.  I had assumed we would already have been split into two natural groups according to the speed that we can cycle.  However, those that are faster on the hills appear to be happy to coast along the flat, and I’m happy with that!