Dakota Route
Sun 27 Apr 2025 Honiton, Devon, UK

Taunton Flyer | Dakota Route

This popular early season sportive offers a mixture of open, flowing, flat roads combined with a couple of testing climbs.

  • Sun 27 Apr 2025
Upottery Airfield Heritage Centre, Honiton

Dakota Route

08:10

Age 12 & over

£44

  • 63 miles road cycling + 4000 ft ascent

Event overview

The Taunton Flyer will be taking place from Smeatharpe Airfield near Honiton. The event supports SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity and is themed around the wartime airfields of East Devon and Somerset, with routes that pass RAF Exeter (Exeter Airport), RAF Dunkeswell, RAF Upottery (Smeatharpe) RAF Culmhead, RAF Merryfield, and RAF Westonzoyland.

This popular early season sportive offers a mixture of open, flowing, flat roads combined with a couple of testing climbs in the Blackdown Hills (an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). The Taunton Flyer offers you a choice of three routes; the Spitfire (37 miles), the Dakota (63 miles) or the Wellington (101 miles). All routes are fully signed and supported with quality feed stations, outriders, mechanics and medics.

The Sportive includes electronic chip timing providing you with an official completion time, plus a finishers medal.

This event is part of Taunton Flyer.

  • All fitness levels
  • Average fitness
  • Families
  • Free venue entry
  • Newcomers
  • Spectators

E-bikes

E-bikes are allowed on this sportive.

  • Free parking
  • Rural
  • Toilets

Event HQ

Upottery Airfield Heritage Centre
Cherry Hayes Farm
Smeatharpe
Honiton
Devon
EX14 9RD
UK

The Taunton Flyer will be taking place from Smeatharpe Airfield near Honiton which is on a high plateau and has plenty of space for parking. It's famous as the airfield from the Band of Brothers TV series.

  • First aid
  • Food stations
  • Hilly
  • Single start
  • Sweeper
  • Water stations

Route overview

The route is themed around the wartime airfields of East Devon and Somerset, with routes that pass some or all of the following on a figure of eight route with some fast flat roads and a couple of tough climbs:

  • RAF Exeter (Exeter Airport)
  • RAF Dunkeswell
  • RAF Upottery (Smeatharpe)
  • RAF Culmhead
  • RAF Merryfield
  • RAF Westonzoyland

Navigation

The route is fully marked with arrows. However you are encouraged to download the route to your Garmin or similar device as a backup.

  • Plastic bottle free
  • Plastic-free event
  • Recycling
  • Sustainability policy
  • Trees not tees

This event is doing its best to minimise the environmental impact of this event. Here are a few of their initiatives:

Sustainability

  • Trees not tees

    For all events which include a t-shirt, there is the option to plant a tree instead through a partnership with Treesnottees

  • Avoid single-use plastics

    New paper cups have been sourced to be fully recycled back into high-grade paper.

  • Optional medals

    Lots of competitors are not interested in finishers' medals so they are now optional. A £2 charity donation is made for every medal not selected.

  • Swim hats on request

    Swim hats are provided for open water swimming events as they help the water safety teams keep track of swimmers. However for all pool events, swim hats are now on request to reduce wastage.

  • Reuseable zip ties and recycling

    Reusable zip ties are used and all rubbish is sorted for recycling after the event.

  • Reducing car use

    At some of our events we offer a discount for those who commit to walking or cycling to the event get £5 discount.

  • Chip timing
  • Medal
  • Race photo
  • T-shirt

Included

  • Quality feed stations
  • RFID chip timing
  • Medals for all finishers
  • Gold, Silver and Bronze standards
  • Event t-shirt for all
  • Live online results
  • Free event photos
  • Mechanical support and broom wagon
  • Rider recovery service
  • Public liability insurance
  • Professional first aid cover
  • HQ with toilets, parking and food

  • Age 12 & over
  • Entries open
  • Enter online

2025 fees to be confirmed.

Entry fees

Entry fee

£44.00

Taunton flyer is a brilliant ride. Very well organised with friendly marshals. Nicola B, Dakota Route 2022

Well organised, well signposted, plenty of parking, excellent route. Richard T, Dakota Route 2022

Amazing feed stations. Challenging route. Rob H, Dakota Route 2022

Other races at event

  • Sun 27 Apr 2025
  • #1 of 3
Upottery Airfield Heritage Centre, Honiton

Spitfire Route

08:20

Age 11 & over

£44

  • 37 miles road cycling + 2500 ft ascent
  • Sun 27 Apr 2025
  • #3 of 3
Upottery Airfield Heritage Centre, Honiton

Wellington Route

08:00

Age 15 & over

£44

  • 101 miles road cycling + 5500 ft ascent