THESE days we are encouraged to keep fit whenever we get the opportunity and sustainable cycling (both on road and off road) has been a growing recreational activity on Dartmoor over the last ten years.

For road cyclists the routes vary and can suit everyone from an extensive network of quiet lanes through to designated cycle routes.

If mountain biking is more your thing, then there are over 350km of bridleways and byways within the national park to explore. However, under the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985, cycling on the open moorland or common land is not permitted unless on a designated bridleway, a byway open to all traffic, an unclassified county road or a designated cycle route (e.g. Granite Way, Princetown Railway, Wray Valley Trail, Dartmoor Way). For further information on legal mountain bikes the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) sells an excellent book in its visitor centres at Princetown, Postridge or Haytor.

The DNPA also provided other common sense advice to cyclists: Ride only where you are legally permitted to do so; be prepared, with right equipment and clothing, including a helmet. Know your equipment and ability and that of others in your group; be considerate of other users. Cyclists should use bells or greetings to let others know they are coming - and take care not to scare horses; avoid riding fast on wet ground — tyres and hooves can soon turn fragile moorland into mud. Please avoid heavy braking and skidding when you are off road; If you are cycling on road — be seen, ride singly and be prepared for the unexpected on narrow winding lanes. Watch out for stock on roads across open moorland.

Due to the popularity of cycling a ‘Granite and Gears’ project, led by the county council and Dartmoor National Park Authority, was awarded £4.4-million funding from The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Linking Communities fund in August 2013.

The authority is working in partnership with Devon County Council, district councils and other stakeholders to deliver cycling schemes and improvements that will enable people to access and travel around Dartmoor National Park by bicycle in a sustainable way with less reliance on the use of vehicles.  The schemes will also directly help to support the rural local economy and tourism through increased visitor spend and promote connections to local communities and surrounding public transport networks.

The project is also supported with an additional £3-million from Devon County Council Local Transport Plan funding, section 106 money and contributions from Devon County Council, Dartmoor National Park Authority, Teignbridge District Council and West Devon Borough Council. It will develop a network of multi-use trails to open up access to the moor, as well as creating ‘cycling hub’ sites at Princetown and Moretonhampstead to provide dedicated facilities for visitors.

Implementation will take place over the next two financial years to deliver a number of individual schemes which together will improve access to and on Dartmoor for cyclists and pedestrians, encouraging people to visit for longer and support the local economy.

There are four key elements to the project: Cycling on Dartmoor – including improvements to the Princetown Railway route and development of cycling hubs; Access to East Dartmoor – includes completion of the Wray Valley Trail and a continuation of the route to Newton Abbot, including a new crossing of the A38, links from Chudleigh; Access to West Dartmoor – includes closing gaps in the Granite Way and Drakes Trail, Clearbrook Ramp, links to Tavistock and Okehampton; Accessibility and Signage Improvements – several schemes to improve the information available, key messages for cyclists and the development of a ‘Cycle Taxi’ scheme.

Discussions and negotiations with relevant landowners and stakeholders have begun for some of the schemes, along with identifying any formal permission which will be required for implementation.

Finally good preparation has started for the Tour of Britain that is coming back to Devon on Friday, September 9 starting at Sidmouth and finishing with a hill climb on Dartmoor National Park Authority land at Haytor. Two years ago when the event last visited Devon the weather was good and the support amazing, fingers crossed for a similar day.