A little earlier, as now, the sun was shining, the air was fresh and crisp, and everything looked sparkling; it was the perfect morning for a bike ride. We rode to the ford, stood on the little footbridge and gazed across at our favourite field, ate blackberries from the hedgerows, waved to the friendly farmer in his big green tractor, observed the bevy of ripe apples heavy on the trees in a nearby orchard, and then it was time to ride home (past the allotments, down the Newhay path, beside the brook….).