Devon pub launches cycling club & sets sights on Spain

Regulars at a north Devon pub have started their own cycle club, and are already working towards a 1,000-mile trip through Spain.

The Dolphin Cycling Club hail from the small village of Combe Martin on the north Devonshire coast. They substitute a pint from The Dolphin Inn Pub for a cup of tea or coffee before their 9.30am Sunday ride.

The group, which has been brought together by club organiser Brian Lethaby, is plotting a course for Spain in September, and building up to it via the traditional weekly club runs.

Their plan is to cross Devon, north to south, from Combe Martin to Plymouth and catch a ferry down to Santander on the Spain's north coast. With Gibraltar in their sights, the group will ride the length of the country, then board a plane back to Exeter before cycling back to Combe Martin.

The club’s preparations for the 1,000-mile round trip have not damaged the inclusive nature of the club according to Lethaby, who has been surprised by the turnout on Sunday mornings.

He told the North Devon Journal: "All levels are welcome; people can just turn up on a Sunday morning. Cycling in the area potentially isn't the safest but we stick to the back roads and everyone can go at their own pace."

The Dolphin is not the only pub with a cycling club. Among others, the Raven in Bath its own mountain bike club and the York Tavern in Norwich also has a club of its own.

The focus of these clubs is largely on fun, beer and getting people on bikes. If you’re a beginner, looking up any local pub-clubs may be an excellent place to start club cycling.