Brighton and Hove Clarion

The Brighton and Hove Section was formed at the end of February 2004. An earlier Brighton section disappeared in the 1950s. At the moment we are concentrating on organising fortnightly rides. Usually these involve meeting at a railway station. For this our basic principles are:

• Start at a relatively civilised time
• Avoid busy roads, long or steep hills as far as possible
• Distances of 20-25 miles (or less particularly in winter months)
• Return to Brighton station before dark in the winter.

Details of our forthcoming rides can be found on our website. We also organise two social events a year: a summer picnic and a Christmas meal.

Unlike most other sections, whose members like to ride fast and competitively, we prefer to cycle in the countryside and to look at the views, interesting buildings, and flora and fauna as we go. Our philosophy can be summed up best by the author of one of our ride reports, after the group had been advised by the leader not to stop too often (so as to get back before the coming rain), she countered: “How can you not want to stop and stare at a field blanketed with snowdrops?”

Turnouts over the past year average around 10 per ride but have been as high as 18 – that’s 40% of our membership of 44. Our gender ratio remains balanced at exactly 50:50.