Hamsterley Forest - £28000 Initial Funding Heralds New Cycling Trails

by Dave Church

PRESS RELEASE

12 months of intensive work by Hamsterley Trailblazers has seen trailbuilding funds reach £28000. Trailblazers are not ready to take a rest, however, and are looking for further funding to ensure plans come to fruition to turn Hamsterley Forest into a leading cycling centre for people of all abilities.

Hamsterley Trailblazers work with the excellent support of Forestry Enterprises under the supervision of Forest Ranger Robin Lofthouse. We are a dedicated group of mountain bike enthusiasts looking to create and renovate cycle tracks in Hamsterley and to realise the potential of the Forest as a year-round cycling venue and mountain biking centre of excellence.

Funding and support crucial to achieving the aims has so far been received from County Durham Environmental Trust(CDENT), Forest Enterprise, Teesdale Council, Wear Valley Council, the Co-op, Chestnut Fund and Teesdale Targeted Wards.

Trailblazer - Simon Goodwin said, "Even at its inception we recognised that a project of this magnitude was going to require significant funding and good project management to be successful. We were fortunate enough to have a highly motivated group of individuals with a wide variety of skills. Some are primarily interested in getting shovels in their hands and developing the trail network, whilst others have fund-raising, business and management skills, all of which are vital to the success of the vision. We firmly believe that every single one of our members has a vital part to play in the success of this project, and that our success so far has been assured because of our diverse backgrounds and skills."

Vicky Chilcott, Trailblazers' Secretary, added, "We are extremely delighted about this exciting development. Our funding team has been working very hard at identifying and applying for suitable funding to make the dream a reality. We can finally start to make our vision come to life and hopefully attract many more cyclists to the forest. One of our primary aims is not just to raise the profile of the forest but also to boost the local economy which was greatly affected by Foot and Mouth Disease and job losses such as the closure of the cement works at Eastgate in Wear Valley, Co. Durham.

Andy Samanjoul - one of the founding members said, "We have a great membership scheme which allows Trailblazer members to enjoy an excellent package of benefits including discounts at local bike shops, mountain bike training and leadership courses, as well as a greatly reduced access fee to the forest. Probably the most important benefit though is that members get a say in how mountain bike trails will be developed in the future. Our members are vital to the success of the project and the development of mountain biking in the North East of England. We would welcome anyone who may be interested in joining us, and details can be obtained from our website www.hamsterley-trailblazers.co.uk

Background to the Group and Project

Back in August 2003 a group of like-minded cyclists had a vision to see Hamsterley Forest become one of the UK's premier off-road cycling venues. As a result of their shared enthusiasm the Hamsterley Trailblazers (HTB) were born. The Trailblazers are a group of MTB enthusiasts with the common aim of making Hamsterley Forest a centre of excellence for mountain biking that attracts riders of all abilities. Their main activities are:

• Trailbuilding: renovating and maintaining existing cycle trails and developing new ones

• Development: realising the full potential of the Forest as an MTB centre and seeking funding for development of the trails and facilities

• Promotion: ensuring that Hamsterley attracts as many riders as possible to the Forest and its surroundings

The development of cycle trails within the forest has the support of Forestry Enterprise and is planned to coincide with their phased development of Hamsterley Forest. In order to build on the success of the 7Stanes project, the group has spoken to Pete Laing (Glentress Trail Guru), who has done some work with the group and helped identify some of the areas in most need of repair as well as provide some ideas and initial costs associated with such a project.

The Hamsterley Trailblazers and FE are keen to encourage the broadest range of cyclists to visit the forest and use the facilities. With this in mind the initial money will be spent at grass roots level. The group intend to build a skills area, where all riding abilities will have the opportunity to develop their skills. In addition there will be a 'wobble route' where young children and beginners can begin their journey into off-road riding in a safe and structured manner. Some of this money will also be used to repair some of the existing routes, which has seen some significant erosion over the past few years.

The future plans in phase 2 & 3 are to see a new 'stacked loop' trail network at the western end of the forest, away from the majority of other forest users. By moving the new network to the other end of the forest it will minimise conflict with other forest users, as well as provide a blank sheet to work from. This will allow Hamsterley Trailblazers & FE to redefine the off-road trails for the region's mountain bikers, taking into consideration their ideas as well as capitalising on the topographic features of the forest and the adjoining moorland.

The group has identified that its trail building volunteers are pivotal to the success of the project and are very keen to increase their ranks in this respect. In order to attract members they have developed a membership package, which includes:

• Free access to Hamsterley Forest for a member's vehicle (visit 8 times in a year and your membership pays for itself!)*

• Membership to an on-line discussion forum where members can have your say and make a difference to mountain biking in County Durham

• Fully-maintained website which has a wealth of information about trailbuilding, rides, photos and the latest developments in Hamsterley Forest - take a look at www.hamsterley-trailblazers.co.uk

• Opportunity to be part of a social group of like-minded riders on organised rides and other social activities

• Free coaching on club rides

• Discount on skills courses, weekend breaks and instructor courses with Grit Mountain Biking - get better for less!

• Discount at local cycle retailers (Iron Horse Cycles and Specialised Cycles) - cheaper bikes and parts!

August 2004