Having arrived by bike on the south coast of Devon, we were left with the small matter of getting ourselves back up to the north coast where we’d left the van at the start of the week.

After a suitably grand breakfast, we wheeled back down the hallway and out into the sunshine. It was a stunning day, so we decided we had time to roll down to enjoy a final view of the seaside before catching the train back north.

The morning heat felt wonderful. Not bad for November at any rate! Clare walked down to the waters edge and dipped her toes in before we set off.

Typically, although the station was close, it involved a tricky bit of navigation, traffic lights, city traffic and having left what we thought was plenty of time, ended up sprinting to catch the train!

The first bike carriage was filled with ‘stuff’, but we were told the end carriage had space. Thankfully, we squeezed in. Hardly the best design for bike transport, but we were at least on the move.

We had to change trains in Exeter and only had a few minutes to swap platforms to make the connection. About half an hour from Exeter, the train slowed and then stopped. The conductor gleefully spoke over the tannoy to let us know that ‘this train will be going nowhere for the foreseeable future’. It seemed we were stuck until a bridge was inspected. Suffice to say, we missed the connection, but did manage to get the next one an hour later. We got the bikes in easier this time, and someone else squeezed in behind, with a massive e-bike, the size of a motorcycle!

At Barnstaple, we had planned on one of us taking a bus to Ilfracombe, but Lucy was having none of that. We just had time to buy a pasty at the station, when she arrived at the taxi rank and bundled us and the bikes into her van, to deliver us north on the final stretch.

It made for a super finish as we got to have a good natter in the van and then on arrival in Ilfracombe, she declared that (although we were late arriving), she did have time to for a quick swim if we were up for it? We were!

A team swim to finish! And the first time in a few years since we’d all leapt in the ocean together. It felt just like old times.

Lucy sped off back home (only a few minutes late!), and we were left on the waterfront with our bikes. We had a 5 minute ride back up the hill to the van, but first we had one final job to do – something we’d not managed so far on the tour – find a Devonshire cream tea!

We were just about to give up hope of finding one, when we discovered a cool cafe wine bar on the harbour that not only was still serving cream teas, but was also serving ‘Pink Prosecco Cream Teas’! We ordered one of each to celebrate the official ’end of the tour’

As darkness fell, we made the leg pumping final few peddle strokes up the hill and arrived at the van with 5 minutes to spare on the parking! We loaded up and drove east to Ilton for a big dinner with Pat and Bob followed by a long sleep… brilliant!