Setting off...

A cheery send off from our neighbours, then
delight to discover that the usual tiny number of the Tuesday bike bus swelled to record levels as we congregated at swing bridges, before the girly ride along the flat shoreline to Powderham. After mega calories we were given a big head start up oMamhead Hill (to make up for our heavy loads) but still the rest overtook us, waiting patiently at the top. A touching farewell as we completed the first very easy day of our travels to Ashburton, sustained by tea at Glendinning's. Thanks to Kirby for arranging wall-to-wall sunshine.
After a very comfy overnight stay at Bethan's house it was an easy run in glorious sunshine towards Ivybridge. A detour along quiet fern-lined, Devon lanes, brought us to our old watering hole, "The Miners Arms " at Hemerdon , on the outskirts of Plympton. Several hrs (& a few bevies) later, we had caught up with all the village intrigue, so carried on to Plymouth, along the blowy estuary. Ignoring the signs for the city centre cycle route, we followed instead the quieter way through the Cattedown Wharves, taking in the view from the top of Breakwater Hill. Past the Aquarium, over the swing bridge, around the Sound (under the Devonian limestone walls of the Citadel) to the ferry port. Having squeezed the bikes in the lift at the terminal we were then able to avail ourselves of Brittany Ferries' electricity to charge our various electronic devices, prior to boarding the boat, which had arrived on schedule. France in the morning...