New Dawn For Kielder And Purple Mountain!

A bid to make Kielder Water & Forest Park one of Europe's top outdoor destinations passes a new milestone on Saturday (4 July) with the opening of a £250,000 bike centre in the heart of the 155,000-acre Northumberland wilderness. The state-of-the-art facility - built by the Kielder Partnership - will be operated by Purple Mountain – one of the north's leading off-road cycling businesses. Besides offering a huge range of bikes for hire, the centre will also stage an exciting array of events, from night rides using powerful cycle lamps to family sessions and outings aimed at women, school children and corporate clients. The move is a key element in a multi-million pound investment in off road trails in the Upper North Tyne. Earlier this year a 17 kilometre 'red trail' was unveiled together with the 26 mile Lakeside Way – allowing bikers, walkers and horse riders to circumnavigate northern Europe's biggest man-made lake for the first time. Elisabeth Rowark, Director of the Kielder Partnership, said: "We are forging ahead with brilliant new trails, but we need to match them with world class facilities and the bike centre fills this role. It will be a magnate for bike fans of all abilities – from novice to expert - helping exploit the immense interest in off-roading in Kielder Water & Forest Park." Purple Mountain is owned by 34 year old Vicky Griffin, who started her own bike hire concern as a 17 year old in the North York Moors village of Castleton. Since 2006 she has run the hugely successful Dalby Forest Bike Centre on the Forestry Commission estate near Scarborough. She added: "This is a massive move for us, but we are absolutely thrilled by the challenge. There's a fantastic vibe in Kielder Water & Forest Park with so much happening. The new trails are top notch and there's nowhere else in England where you can have such an exhilarating day in the saddle with the added chance of spying red squirrels, goshawks and even ospreys into the bargain." The Kielder Bike Centre opens daily from 9am to 5.30pm (6pm in August). To find out more go to www.purplemountain.co.uk Dedicated bikers can also enjoy a slice of luxury by hiring one of the centre's top end Yeti and Lapierre machines – the Rolls Royce of mountain bikes – which are sure to get pulses racing. Councillor Isabel Hunter, executive member for culture at Northumberland County Council, said: "We are really pleased that the investment in Kielder Water & Forest Park is resulting in new business opportunities such as this. This is an important part of improving the tourism economy, providing more opportunities for visitors to have a fantastic holiday experience while maximising the potential of Northumberland." For more details on bike trails in Kielder Water & Forest Park log-on to www.visitkielder.com Kielder Water & Forest Park is home to the largest forest in England and the largest man-made lake in Northern Europe. It was recently voted the most tranquil place in England by the Campaign to Protect Rural England.