The railway's loss is cycling's gain.

The disused line between Wenfordbridge, Bodmin, Wadebridge and Padstow (Betjeman's “most beautiful train journey I know”) is an 18-mile, surfaced, mainly traffic-free and virtually level cycle trail which passes through some of the south west's loveliest countryside, offering the chance for a rewarding cycling hliday in Cornwall.

Its 18 miles encompass a great deal of variety: running from the Camel Estuary (Padstow to Wadebridge) to deeply incised woodland nearer Bodmin and, finally, an inland meander to the foot of Bodmin Moor, and the pretty village of Blisland.

If you come without bikes, it's easy to hire them in Padstow, Wadebridge or Bodmin the ride's not too taxing for the occasional or junior cylclist but, for more experienced cyclists with an eye on sterner challenges, it provides easy access to the county's hundreds of miles of lanes, and the chance for more taxing cycling in Cornwall.