Motorbike convoy marks cliff railway opening and backs lifesaving charity

A convoy of motorbikes roared into action as a landmark attraction reopened for the year, with charity at the heart of the celebrations.

Dozens of riders travelled from the Valley of the Rocks to the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway to mark the official start of the 2026 season, drawing crowds and signalling a busy year ahead.

The launch event took place on Saturday, March 14, with organisers confirming the railway will spend the year raising funds for South West Blood Bikes.

Ashley Clarke, speaking at the opening, welcomed visitors and riders to the event. He said: “First of all, I would like to get a very warm welcome to you all. Thanks for joining us here today for the opening of the Cliff Railway 2026 season. It is wonderful to see so many familiar faces.”

Ashley praised the efforts of staff following a challenging winter period. He said: “Our staff have worked incredibly hard throughout this winter to make sure everything is ready for the season ahead. This year has been particularly challenging with significant engineering works taking place along the track.”

He added that essential work, including rock stabilisation, had delayed the opening by around a month.

Ashley said: “That work was essential to ensure the long-term safety and stability of the track cutting and the railway. It required a great deal of effort and coordination.”

Turning to the charity partnership, Ashley highlighted the role of South West Blood Bikes.

He said: “This year we are proud to have chosen South West Blood Bikes as our nominated charity. They are a team of dedicated volunteers who provide an out-of-hours emergency courier service for the NHS completely free of charge.”

Ashley added that the group has completed more than 12,125 call-outs and transported over 68,400 items, helping save the NHS close to £400,000.

Phil Walker, from South West Blood Bikes, said he joined the organisation in November 2021, when it had just one bike and eight volunteers.

Phil said: “We are now topping three blood bikes, a response car four-by-four, and I think 25 volunteers. We are certainly making a difference in what we do.”

He described the impact of the service across Devon, including support for North Devon District Hospital and other facilities.

Phil said: “All of what we do is free of charge. We do not charge, we have no paid staff anywhere in the organisation. It is all done by volunteers.”

He added that community support has been key to keeping the service running.

Phil said: “Our blood bikes, the fuel required, the insurances, the tyres and servicings have all come from everyone here, everyone around North Devon. The response is tremendous.”

Speaking after the event, Phil said the turnout of riders had been striking.

He said: “It was awesome to see so many people coming out to support the Blood Bikes and the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway. The biking community does so much for so many people.”

Ashley also reflected on the day and the setting.

He said: “Seeing them all coming through and parking up was fantastic. We are looking forward to a lot more days like this with the sun shining to bring out visitors and have a really busy 2026 season.”