As spring prepares to give way to summer, the Devon lanes are lush with fresh growth and teeming with life.

Farmers aren’t allowed to cut back the hedgerows once the season for wild birds to nest begins, and the result is glorious. All that foliage restricts your vision as you approach a corner, so it pays to be extra cautious when you’re bowling along, whether you’re proceeding under your own power or driven by a machine (or a horse). There’s a stable near the village, so we often encounter ri...