Hamsterley Forest gets new bike shop
30 March 2006 | By billy1979
The Forestry Commission has sealed an agreement for a major cycle hire and servicing centre to be established in Hamsterley Forest, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
On Monday 27th March the new bike hire "Wood 'n' Wheels" will be having an open day starting at 11:00am. Come and try their hire bikes supplied by Norco the biggest bike company in Canada. Other suppliers such as Hayes, Magura and Marzocchi will be attending aswell. Everyone are welcome so show your support and turn up. Soup and sandwiches will be on offer to keep you going.
"Wood 'n' Wheels:" will provide keen bikers with the latest, hi-tech machines, but also cater for the thousands of novices and families wanting to saddle-up and explore the 5,000 acre beauty spot at their own pace.
It's all happening in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham. £200,000 has gone into a skills loop and link trail, with a further £25,000 paying for the Descend Hamsterley 4X course. And there's more to come s, with a proposal for a 20 mile intermediate/expert grade trail jumping its way through the necessary hoops right now.
The centre will be run by Durham resident Martin Stout. He's a qualified mountain bike leader and has been riding in Hamsterley since the 1980s.
Alex MacLennan, Recreation, Communities and Tourism Manager with the Forestry Commission, said:
"The new mountain bike centre is a crucial element in our long-term vision for Hamsterley. While we're busy creating trails, we also need top class back-up facilities to entice more folks to experience the thrills of biking, whether novice or enthusiast. But we are not stopping there. Last year saw the opening of a skills loop and Descend Hamsterley 4X downhill course and now, with our partners, we are aiming to build a 20 mile intermediate red grade route and an awesome black grade trail. Our partners, including Hamsterley Trailblazers, are working hard at securing funding to make this all happen on the ground. Ideally we would love to see trail construction start later this year. This will underline the forest's emergence as a world class centre for cycle sport and further boost tourism in the North East."
The bike centre opens on Saturday 1 April and will operate daily, 9am to 6pm, all year round.
