A TRIAL cycle route through Cornbury Park last summer proved so popular it is set to become a permanent feature.

The off-road route, linking Charlbury with Finstock and avoiding a twisting section of the busy B4022 past Fawler, will be open this year from the Easter weekend in early April until the end of October, including the Wilderness Festival weekend in August.

Last year’s trial ran from July to September and was organised by the estate’s owners, Lord and Lady Rotherwick, in conjunction with the Charlbury Cycling Group.

Lady Rotherwick said: “We are delighted to enable cyclists to cut safely and swiftly to and from Finstock and Charlbury, and do hope that it will encourage more people to cycle to work in future.”

The route, shared with walkers and traffic to and from the estate’s Southill business park, will run from the North Lodge entrance of the estate, over the railway line off Grammar School Hill in Charlbury, past the business park and on to join the Witney Road at Finstock.

Russell Robson, of Charlbury Cycling Group, said: “This route is really valuable to local cyclists.

“Not only does it link Charlbury and Finstock on a largely traffic-free route, it follows the boundary of the deer park, and has lovely views over the River Evenlode.”

wcrossley@oxfordmail.co.uk