A 95-MILE circular cycle route that winds its way around Dartmoor National Park, linking hamlets, villages and towns has just been launched.

The newly signed Dartmoor Way Circle Route follows quiet lanes and minor roads and uses dedicated cycle tracks wherever possible.

The way was originally conceived in 2000 under the stewardship of Dartmoor Towns, this being a company formed to promote joint links between the moorland towns and villages. It has now been updated to completely circle Dartmoor.

In addition to the main circular route there is a 26-mile long high moorland link allowing cyclists to follow a figure-of-eight route or alternatively enjoy either of the shorter north or south circular routes separately.

The Dartmoor Way also shares some of its route with the granite way from Okehampton going south, the Devon Coast to Coast from Illfracombe to Plymouth, Drakes Trail from Tavistock to Plymouth and the Tour de Manche, a cycle route that travels through Devon and Dorset, crosses the Channel to Cherbourg and continues through Normandy and Brittany to reach Roscoff and then back across the water to Plymouth.

Funding of £54,000 has been provided from a number of sources, including Devon County Council and the Naturesave Trust, and the project has been overseen under the umbrella of Sustrans.

With many potential starting points the route lends itself to becoming a challenge route for completion in a day or weekend.

It is planned in time to have checkpoints positioned around the route where riders can obtain a stamp and have their times recorded.

An interim website with downloadable PDF map sections of the route is now online at http://www.dartmoorway.co.uk">www.dartmoorway.co.uk and this will be followed shortly by a more comprehensive site which will have detailed information on points of interest, side excursions, accommodation providers, inns and tea rooms as well as cycle hire and repairers and other useful outlets.