Dutch Bikers Get A Passion For The North

Kielder Water & Forest Park is on course to be the next big thing for cycle savvy continentals seeking pulse-quickening mountain bike action. The Forestry Commission welcomed nearly 50 Dutch bikers to the 155,000-acre wilderness on Saturday (14 March) on the first ever - and over subscribed - tailor-made biking holiday to the region organised by ferry company DFDS and OneNorth East, the regional development agency. The trip included an exhilarating day in the saddle and an overnight stay at Slaley Hall Hotel, near Hexham, followed by a trip down the A68 on Sunday to visit Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, where they met trailbuilders and sampled the wood's expanding network. Leading the party was Olympic mountain biker, Bart Brentjes, gold medallist for Holland at the 1996 Atlanta games, who ran the rule over the top-rated forest trails and staged a coaching clinic. With further off-road routes set to open this summer scores more European bikers are expected to cross the North Sea to hit the region's trails. Helen McLoughlin, International Marketing Manager at One North East said: "Mountain biking is an increasingly popular sport and as Bart's visit shows, North East England is attracting riders from across Europe. The region's routes, including the challenging Deadwater Fell at Kielder Water & Forest Park, will put even the best bikers to the test and it goes without saying that the views across Northumberland are some of the most attractive in the country." The new routes being developed in Kielder Water & Forest Park - all of which will open this year - are part of a £900,000 investment. The Lakeside Way will also be fully opened allowing bikers to circumnavigate the 27-mile shoreline of Kielder Water. Both flagship developments - being spearheaded by the Kielder Partnership - have spurred DFDS to offer biking packages until October. Alex MacLennan, Recreation, Tourism and Communities Manager with the Forestry Commission, added: "With a strong euro the region has never been more attractive to European visitors, but the real draw is the fabulous new biking facilities. Many bike tourists already visit under their own steam, but having a well marketed vacation package will do wonders for the region's profile and boost the local economy. Good news at a crucial time for businesses." Photos: Mark Pinder