The Clarion Cycling Club was founded in 1894/5 as an offshoot of The Clarion weekly socialist newspaper edited by charismatic journalist Robert Blatchford. Unlike other Clarion organisations, the Cycling Club survived through the 20th and into the 21st centuries. For more information see the national website www.clarioncc.org.

The Brighton and Hove Section was formed at the end of February 2004. An earlier Brighton section disappeared in the 1950s(?). It included one of our current members. 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.

Anyone who wishes to is welcome to join us; it is not necessary to join the Clarion in order to participate. Safety is, of course, a paramount concern but we all participate at our own risk. Browse our archive to get a better idea of what we do.