End to End Tour - Third Otesha Log

As we departed Exeter after a fun filled weekend, we headed towards our next destination, Beaford arts centre in Northwest Devon, a leisurely 40 mile ride with some cheeky free cream teas and biscuits for one lucky team along the way apparently. My group missed out on that little treat but I was content with a quick 10 minute snooze in the sunshine after lunch.

Arriving at Beaford, we were all delighted to find hot showers, dorm rooms with beds for all, in amongst beautiful grounds. Here we performed to our largest audience yet; 100 children from three local schools. We were blessed with sunshine so spirits were high and the whole day ran fantastically. In the morning we made tetra pack wallets in the ethical fashion workshop and planted seeds in the grow your own workshop. We felt the children really engaged throughout the day and came up with some fantastic ideas and questions. This has to be one of the most inspiring aspects to our trip for me, getting to talk to young people and being constantly surprised by their knowledge and enthusiasm for the issues we’re talking about.

Tiverton was next on the map, a slightly trickier route with rain from the moment we set off in the morning to about 7.30pm when we arrived, typical! It was a fairly dramatic journey from start to finish, with me skidding to a halt on the cycle path with the bob the trailer in tow. Ouch! Back on the bikes again, a little further down the track we found a hysterical (laughing) Ellie and Beth after rescuing Sarah and bike from a little dip in the canal, as if we hadn’t got wet enough with the rain throughout the day! Luckily only wet panniers and a soggy Sarah were the result of that escapade! As the day turned to night we had been well and truly fed by the cooking team we all crashed out in our hosts barn at Abbotsford farm. An early wake up call by the resident swallows, a bowl full of cold fruity porridge and we were ready for a day of conservation work exchange with BTCV. We shared our Banana chain game, along with a banana dance much to the volunteer group’s bemusement! Then we all got to work, clearing a footpath through woods on the edge of Tiverton, thank you to the BTCV volunteers for such a fun afternoon of lopping and chopping!

To Bristol next and epic 80 mile ride ahead of us….oh and guess what it’s raining!! (by Liz 28th July )