18 walkers and 6 dogs set off on a dry and mild day, passing under the A38 flyover and over the railway main line to enter the Saltram estate and walk along the sea wall beside a salt marsh. A combination of high tide and no wind resulted in interesting reflections in the still waters of the estuary of the river Plym. Soon we were enjoying a parkland landscape with distant views of Plymouth sound before arriving at the old stables where we paused to admire the wildfowl on the duckpond and take advantage of the toilet facilities. As we set off once more we passed the mid-eighteenth century Palladian facade of Saltram House. Soon back at the start point it was time for a lunch break. The afternoon leg began with a stroll along the Cann Quarry canal towpath where once strings of little barges carrying slate where drawn up and down by horses. We crossed the floodplain, then over the river on a wooden footbridge and back down the valley. At journeys end we crossed the river again at Weighbridge cottage. This was built in 1823 beside the horsedrawn tramway used to transport china clay from Dartmoor to Plymouth docks.

Afterwards a convoy of cars proceeded to Mike's house where everyone immediately set about demolishing the 3 1/2 tons of cake laid in specially for the occasion. Many thanks to John and Andrew for loading the conveyor belt with cake. The afternoon concluded with a successful planning meeting for the year ahead.