Walkers, cyclists and horse riders will have the chance to enjoy some of the district's most breathtaking landscapes on a trail which will join a national leisure route.

New paths will be created joining existing bridleways and footpaths to form the "feeder route" which will join the Pennine Bridleway Nat-ional Trail.

The trail will start at the St Ives Estate near Bingley and run for 15km to the Bradford district boundary.

From there it will run a further 10km to Hebden Bridge before joining the national trail near the town.

The trail through the district will give people the chance to enjoy local routes or tackle longer journeys. And it is hoped the stunning scenery from the route will attract visitors from across the country and boost tourism.

The section has been devised by Bradford Council's countryside and rights of way team in partnership with the Countryside Agency.

Bradford Council's countryside and rights of way manager Danny Jackson said: "Parts of this local route are already open and the whole link is expected to be finished by spring 2006.

"We thought it would be a good idea to have a feeder route coming into the main route from the main centres of population. There is so much natural countryside to be explored and enjoyed in the Bradford district and this new trail will open up even more of it to horse riders, off-road cyclists and walkers.

"The route is ideal for local use and also as a link to the main Pennine Bridleway National Trail where there is the option of some breathtaking long-distance routes."

The trail will run from St Ives through Harden and Wilsden to Cullingworth. From there it will cross the Great Northern Trail to Oxenhope.

It will then follow ancient packhorse routes, crossing the Calderdale boundary to join the popular Mary Towneley Loop which forms part of the national trail.

An additional trail will run to Hainworth and Keighley via Harden Moor.

The Pennine Bridleway National Trail will eventually run from Derbyshire to North-umberland, taking in 350 miles of the country's most beautiful landscapes.

Presently 120 miles of this route, encompassing the 47-mile Mary Towneley Loop through Calderdale and Lancashire, are available for use.

The Countryside Agency has devised the national trail as part of a drive to increase the number of people using and enjoying the great outdoors.