Today wasn’t perhaps the perfect day for dressing up as a St. Trinian’s girl in white summer shirt and shorts, and going on two cycle rides. You see, that old Arctic wind (which has been an almost constant feature since my return to England four weeks ago) was still blowing and the sun was too wimpy to pierce through the clouds for more than a few minutes at a time but at least the rain kept off. Now normally Chris and I are fair weather cyclists and our friend Caroline isn’t an any weather cyclist at all (she hasn’t been on a bike for a year) but we three, wearing our summer term uniforms (of sorts), were prepared to brave the elements; not simply for the fun of doing so but also because my brother Robert, who organised the event, had asked us to take part. In truth, the sun was out when we decided upon our theme of dress on the basis of fun factor (not sun factor – no need of that today) and comfort, and everyone knows you can rarely trust the weather forecast.

Over thirty cyclists registered for the event. Only fourteen stalwarts turned up, but what a wonderful sample of vintage and classic sartorial elegance (well, most of them – just not our trio) was to thrill our little seaside town of Dawlish. There were plenty of gentlemen in authentic tweed jackets, plus fours* and flat caps; a midwife (in real life, a doctor and ready to answer the call) in sensible long cape and boots; an English rose wearing a polka dot dress and no cardigan (must have frozen); and then there was Chris, Caroline and me – Chris hoped people wouldn’t think he, too, was a St.Trinian’s girl! Maybe that’s why he wore his ‘Dennis the Menace’ jumper.

The number of stalwarts had reduced to nearly half for the second, and longer ride, to Cockwood and back; and two of us nipped home en route to pick up essentials – a sheepskin coat for Caroline and a big black jumper for me. We arrived back to rapturous applause from thirty or forty people who had been waiting for us on the green in the ever colder wind. Ten minutes or so later, when the juggler on a unicycle had finished and the three piece band had begun to play again, the green was almost deserted; David, our compere with a boater and cane, did an impromptu dance (no doubt to warm himself up). He thanked us all for taking part and we left him to his hosting and dancing, and we went home for a nice cup of tea.

[*Wikipedia Plus–fours are breeches or trousers that extend 4 inches (10 cm) below the knee (and thus four inches longer than traditional knickerbockers, hence the name).]