A NEW brochure designed to help serious and not-so-serious cyclists get the best out of the Devon countryside just been published by Devon County Council.
Discover Devon Cycling is a colourful, 24-page brochure outlining various routes in the county, including 150 miles of the National Cycle Network.
For example, there is the Devon Coast to Coast route (NCN route 27) which runs straight through West Devon on its way from Ilfracombe to Plymouth, much of it traffic free and using old railway tracks.
The Granite Way gives cyclists wonderful views of Meldon Dam near Okehampton and Dartmoor beyond.
The route is part of route 27 but it can be varied by taking the Dartmoor Pony steam train service from Okehampton to Meldon. Cyclists can cycle on a new path alongside the railway, making the return trip by rail.
The Plym Valley trail also forms part of route 27, using the old railway route from Plymouth into Dartmoor.
And the Tarka Trail, which runs from Meeth to North Devon, is entirely free of traffic being built on the former railway line.
Cllr Derrick Spear, the county?s executive member for economy and regeneration, said the new brochure was packed with information including lengths of routes, maps, details of cycle hire shops and refreshments available.
He said: ?The routes are designed to be safe for novice cyclists, useful for local journeys and a fantastic way for visitors to see the county.
?We have some of the best of the country?s national heritage and if we can encourage visitors all year round, it can only be good for the local economy.?
To order a copy of Discover Devon Cycling, visit http://www.di">www.di scoverdevon.com or call 0870 608 5531.