8 April 2008
Freewheel home with Dartmoor bike bus
Dartmoor National Park Authority’s popular bike bus service, the Freewheeler, will be running again this year. Now in its third year, the service will be starting on Sunday 20 April with the Princetown to Okehampton route. The Freewheeler will continue every Sunday until 28 September 2008.
Cyclists are able to bus out onto Dartmoor, with their bicycle secured on a trailer, and virtually freewheel all the way home, on predominantly downhill routes through stunning Dartmoor scenery.
The service will run on the same four popular routes as last year:
- 1st Sunday of each month -Saltram (on the edge of Plymouth) to Princetown
- 2nd Sunday of each month-Newton Abbot to Mardon Down (near Moretonhampstead)
- 3rd Sunday of each month-Plymouth to Okehampton
- 4th Sunday of each month-Buckfastleigh to Postbridge
On months where there is a 5th Sunday, an extra Saltram to Princetown route will run.
The Freewheeler service was initially operated free of charge. This year the routes are still being subsidised by the National Park Authority but a small charge of £5 per bicycle is now being made to help with operating costs.
The service is open to anyone – from a leisure cyclist to a more experienced club rider. The only restriction is that the wheel rim size must be a minimum of 20 inches – so it may not be suitable for very young children. Unfortunately there is no provision for tag-a-longs, tandems, trikes or recumbents.
To ensure a place, please telephone the High Moorland Visitor Centre, Princetown on (01822) 890414
Alison Kohler, Head of Rangers, Recreation and Tourism Service, Dartmoor National Park Authority said:
‘Part of the appeal of the service is getting out onto Dartmoor without a car from a choice of locations. It provides a chance to freewheel down quiet roads, at your own pace enjoying superb cycling on a specially selected series of routes covering very different areas of the National Park. A Dartmoor Freewheeler pack enables you to follow your chosen route and includes a timetable booklet and detailed directions, with full colour Ordnance Survey mapping, for each of the four routes.’
Leaflet packs are available from Dartmoor National Park Authority Information Centres and selected outlets in towns around Dartmoor. They can also be downloaded from Dartmoor National Park Authority’s web site www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk (click on Visiting/Enjoying Dartmoor/Cycling).
Ends
For further information
Jackie Ridley, Sustainable Tourism Officer
John Weir, Head of Education, Information and Communication Service, Dartmoor National Park Authority.
Tel. (01626) 832093
Notes for Editors
Priority for using the Freewheeler service will be given to those booking in advance by telephoning the High Moorland Visitor Centre, Princetown, on (01822) 890414. The service is for cyclists only.
The minibus is operated by Wood Brothers of Buckfastleigh.
Where you can cycle
Routes where cyclists have a legal or permitted right to ride on Dartmoor include: public roads/highways; public bridleways, byways open to all traffic; cycle tracks and most Forestry Commission tracks.
Where you can’t cycle
Cyclists do not have a legal or permitted right to cycle on footpaths and open moorland – the only exception is where bridleways, byways and other permitted routes cross open moorland.
Off-road cycling
Dartmoor National Park Authority has produced Dartmoor for off-road Cyclists, a detailed weatherproof map, showing all legal and permitted cycle tracks, to help cyclists of all ages and abilities plan off-road cycling with confidence. Copies of the map are available from Dartmoor National Park Authority Information Centres, or visit the National Park Authority’s online shop at www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk.
Agendas for full Dartmoor National Park Authority meetings and Dartmoor National Park Authority planning meetings are available on the Authority's web site .
You can receive an e-mail notification each time a News Release is issued by the Dartmoor National Park Authority .
News Releases from all UK National Parks (external link, opens new window)
National Parks cover 10% of the land area of England, Wales and Scotland. They are of special value to the whole nation because of their great beauty, their wildlife and cultural interests and the opportunities they offer for quiet enjoyment. However, they are not nationally owned - the land is in the hands of many landowners or occupiers including farmers. Over 33,400 people live inside the Dartmoor National Park and many millions of visits are made to it each year.
For maps, guide books, trail guides, clothing and other Dartmoor merchandise visit Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Online Shop at www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
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This page last updated 8 April 2008
Page updated 3 April 2008
