Gearing Up For A Family Fun Day In Dalby

If you want to make tracks towards a healthier lifestyle and enjoy a great day out then Dalby Forest could be the place for you on Wednesday 29 October. The Forestry Commission has linked up with the CTC Cycling Development Project and North Yorkshire Sport to stage a first ever family fun day in the 3,440-hectare (8,600-acre) wood, near Pickering, North Yorkshire. Last year over 50,000 people used Dalby's new £400,000 cycle trail network and numbers are growing every month, say forest rangers. Even top bikers are being lured and British Cycling have selected Dalby as their top choice to stage the Mountain Bike Cross Country World Cup in 2010. Now there is a chance for people of all abilities to saddle-up and see what the fuss is about. Novices can enjoy free bike rides (cycle supplied) accompanied by a CTC instructor, along with road safety computer games. There'll also be a mountain bike skills assault course, displays and an invitation for less abled folk to try specially adapted machines. Making it a great day out for young and old alike there’ll also be paint-balling, orienteering, nature trails, rocket launching workshop and horse and carriage rides. Stuart Startup, Bike Ranger with the Forestry Commission, said: "Dalby is a tremendous place to explore on a bike with great facilities, matched by a breathtaking landscape. We're keen to get more folk involved, including youngsters and adults who haven't been on a bike since school days. Healthy exercise boosts the mind, body and spirit and time spent in the saddle can do you a power of good." The event is based at Dalby Forest Visitor Centre and runs between 10am and 4pm. Activities are free, but the forest toll charge applies for cars. For more details contact 01751 472771, or log on to www.forestry.gov.uk/YorkshireandtheHumber