A COMMON THEME

WHEN I TALK to anyone about cycling these days are that our roads are too dangerous. Devon is a most beautiful county reliant in part on tourism and cycle holidays are a growing part of our local economy. It is really important to get it right.

Much of the chat was the same when I manned cycling stands at Ivybridge Funday and the beautiful Meeth Nature Reserve last weekend for Devon Wildlife Trust

Meeth is on NCN27 The Tarka Trail. It is an easy safe ride and several families cycled there. Overlooking two lakes and brimming with wildlife, it is easy to forget the outside world and savour valuable moments. Cycling has that benefit too as well as testing your body in a healthy way.

Ivybridge on the other hand is a bustling town on the SW edge of Dartmoor. It is also where I live. If you like the outdoors, there are few better places. It has great walking country and Dartmoor's southern peaks offer tantalising panoramas across the whole of South Devon. Cycling here is equally good where the little lanes take you down secret river valleys, through ancient landscapes and up onto the high moors. It is where I did my training for cycling in Mongolia and the North Sea Cycle Route back in 2006 and 2010 respectively. The Funday was organised by Ivybridge Lions and was well attended by lots of local people of all ages who seemed to have a good time