The long awaited cycle trail through National Trust ‘s Parke estate on the edge of Bovey Tracey is moving forwards. Just before Christmas work started on the route through Mill Marsh Park from the centre of Bovey towards the Moretonhampstead road. The crossing of the busy highway was achieved by lowering the path that runs along the River Bovey beneath the road.
There have been alterations to the unofficial layby that had been created over the years, thus providing a new surfaced parking area with a footpath leading to the pedestrian gate into Parke for walkers and cyclists.
Work will be starting in 4 weeks on the old railway track that runs up towards the Wilford Bridge end of Parke, through the woodland to give a good surface for a multi use path, being ideal for wheelchairs, pushchairs walkers and cyclists. There will be a few areas that will be fenced to improve safety and a very limited number of small trees that have grown up into the trackbed will be removed. Also specific lengths of the track will be drained carefully to avoid the present build-up of mud and leaves.
Once completed this track will not only become another link in the longer Moretonhampstead to Teignmouth path, but also be another piece in the jigsaw of improved access routes for the visitor around Parke.