Dorothy’s Speed Shop

Nathan Millward, a splendid chap, runs Dorothy’s Speed

Shop in Barnstaple, and offers tours around the South West, Wales, Ireland, and beyond. He has a fleet of Royal Enfields, or you can use your own bike. We were there to take in the Land’s End run, the next of which is on August 2/3, leaving in the morning from Dorothy’s Speed Shop, with an overnight stop down at Land’s End, then back the next day. You’ll get a chance to ride all the Enfields, including the new Scram, and enjoy 300 miles of great riding. Cost is £320 inclusive of fuel, insurance, one night’s accommodation, and a support vehicle to carry your gear, though space is limited so don’t take too much.

£320, you say? Isn’t that little tasty? Well, no. It’s not much more than the price of a ticket to watch Manchester United play at home on a wet Tuesday night. If you are considering buying an Enfield of any kind, look at it as a great way to try out the whole range on proper roads, rather than just a supervised ride round the block; £320 is a small price to pay to find out you don’t fit the Meteor, or that the Interceptor suits you just right.

Want to ride your own bike round the West Country with an experienced guide instead? How about a three-night camping weekend for £240? Or any number of day trips and adventures, military history tours, off-road experiences on Postie bikes, training sessions, Himalayan adventure days, and A2 licence riding days where you can get some proper on-road experience on a mid-power motorcycle on a selection of BMWs, KTMs, Hondas, and even a CCM. Days start at £145, and you can buy gift vouchers, or perhaps your significant other might buy you one if you drop enough hints. Visit www. dorothysspeedshop.com