THE final section of a walking and cycling route linking Dartmoor to Plymouth last week opened to the public.

The development of the Clearbrook Ramp project, near Yelverton, has been the final hurdle in making Drake's Trail, between Plymouth and Tavistock, accessible to all cyclists and less able users.

This section of the off-road route has been funded by Devon County Council and the Department for Transport as part of the £7-million 'Granite and Gears' programme designed to improve cycle access to, and within, Dartmoor National Park.  

A new gentle ramp has been constructed which will now enable users to access the hillside. It replaces the temporary Clearbrook Ramp, which was a steep, rocky zigzag path at the northern end of the Plym Valley railway path and was a barrier to less able users.

This old route has been filled in, using cuttings from the earthworks of the new path and is being restored to heathland.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member with responsibility for cycling, said: 'The development of Clearbrook Ramp completes this route through Dartmoor and onto Tavistock and it is now possible for everyone to access it.

'Devon is a cycling county and Drake's Trail is another landmark route for local people and visitors to explore our county.

'We can proudly boast a growing network right across the county with the Tarka Trail, the Granite Way, the Exe Estuary Trail and Drake's Trail.'

Cllr Philip Sanders, county councillor for Yelverton Rural, said: 'The replacement of the previous unsatisfactory access ramp, with one which is accessible by all, completes the route from Tavistock to Plymouth.

'The old route discouraged users and often led to cyclists using the public highway to link the Tavistock to Clearbrook route to the trail to Plymouth. This section of highway is steep with blind bends, so the new link is warmly welcomed.'

Drake's Trail forms part of CYCLE WEST's cross-channel Velodyssey route covering 870 miles from Ilfracombe in North Devon through Brittany to the border with Spain. Around 30,000 cycle trips are currently made on Drake's Trail every year.

Devon County Council had to obtain planning permission for the project from Dartmoor National Park and consent from the Planning Inspectorate to work on common land.

Work on the then pioneering railway path in the Plym Valley was started in 1982 by John Grimshaw, who went on to found the cycling charity Sustrans.

This early project proved the benefits of railway paths and they can now be found all over the country.  

Stuart Mee, from the Plymouth Cycling Campaign, welcomed the development of the new route. He said: 'At last we have a quality cycle path giving easy access to Yelverton and beyond. Cyclists, walkers and disabled users from Plymouth can now enjoy Dartmoor without needing to travel by car to get there.'

The Granite and Gears project has also funded the completion of the Granite Way from Okehampton to Lydford.

Granite and Gears is expected to encourage more people to cycle on Dartmoor with up to a 43% increase in cycling on the moor between 2015 and 2018, bringing an extra £6-million to the local economy and creating the potential for around 100 new jobs.

An informal cycle ride is being organised by Sustrans and the Plymouth Cycling Campaign to mark the completion of Clearbrook Ramp.

Riders will leave Plym Bridge at 10.15am on Sunday, December 7.  All are welcome. For more information contact Sue Jennings on suejennin@aol,com