Taunton Flyer, live.

Wartime airfields and the Blackdown Hills

The Taunton Flyer is an early season sportive from Smeatharpe Airfield near Honiton on Sunday 9 May 2027, with routes of 37, 63 and 101 miles.

Sportiva Events themes the Taunton Flyer around the wartime airfields of East Devon and Somerset. The routes pass RAF Exeter (Exeter Airport), RAF Dunkeswell, RAF Upottery (Smeatharpe), RAF Culmhead, RAF Merryfield and RAF Westonzoyland, and the event supports SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity.

The Spitfire is 37 miles (60 km) with about 750 m of climbing and one feed station. The Dakota is 63 miles (100 km) with 1,200 m. The Wellington is 101 miles (163 km) with 1680 m, feed stations at 38, 65 and 94 miles and an entry limit of 200. Expect open, flowing, flat roads mixed with a couple of testing climbs in the Blackdown Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Registration opens at 07:00. The Wellington starts between 08:00 and 08:30 with a 17:00 cut-off and a minimum pace of 13 mph. The Dakota starts between 08:10 and 9:00 and the Spitfire between 08:20 and 9:00, both with a 16:00 cut-off. Younger riders can join the shorter routes with an adult.

All routes are signed and supported with feed stations, outriders, mechanics and medics. The route is marked with arrows, and the organiser recommends a GPS download as back up. Entry includes chip timing, live online results and a finisher's medal with gold, silver and bronze standards. Parking at Smeatharpe airfield is included.

On Livebib you can follow a rider live when they choose to share their own position from the phone they carry. That dot comes from the cyclist, not from the organiser's timing, and the official results are published by the organiser after the ride.