North East to become Mountain Biking nirvana in 2007

Mountain biking is taking off in one of the UK's great untapped wilderness areas as a series of stunning off-road trails get set to open. The Forestry Commission is working with trail builders in the Borders and North East of England to make the region one of the nation's premier off road destinations. Last year the first ever purpose built MTB routes were unveiled in 155,000-acre Kielder Water and Forest Park. They included a training area near 18th century Kielder Castle Visitor Centre, complete with timber decked North Shore sections, along with the first nine mile phase of a family cycle trail which will eventually circumnavigate Europe's largest reservoir. Now sights are being set even higher. A spectacular 15 kilometre singletrack route is being built to the 2000 foot summit of Deadwater Fell, which overlooks Kielder - England's remotest village - with stunning views over the Border countryside. Designated as a "red route" for bikers of moderate ability, it will offer unrivalled vistas, taking in the Northumberland fells, southern Scotland, the Solway Firth and the North Sea! A technically advanced "black route" section is also built as part of the run, featuring hair-raising twists and turns. Work at Kielder is being spearheaded by the Forestry Commission and local volunteer group, Kielder Reavers Traibuilders, backed by £240,000 from partners including Defra, One NorthEast and the Northumberland Strategic Partnership (NSP). Alex MacLennan, Forestry Commission Recreation, Communities and Tourism Manager in the North East, said: "It's an amazing opportunity to create a network of mountain bike routes in such vast and untapped terrain. For decades Kielder has been a sleeping giant - Europe's biggest man-made forest simply crying out to be explored by riders. We're passionate about our forests and want to share their beauty with riders from across the nation." But it's not just Kielder that's offering bikers a slice of off-road Nirvana in North East England. Elsewhere, a three kilometre "red" trail will soon be launched in Chopwell Wood, near Gateshead, providing a chance for bikers to hone their skills before tackling more demanding routes. It has been built by the North East Freeride Association with support from the Friends of Chopwell Wood. A family cycle trail will also open in the summer. And in County Durham a new red grade trail is under construction in 5,000-acre Hamsterley Forest. Built by the Hamsterley Trail Blazers, it will augment a £200,000 training loop launched two years ago which is already rated as one of the best of its kind in the country. A purpose built cycle centre, built by local bike outfit "Wood n' Wheels", will also open its doors before Easter, servicing riders' every needs. Alex MacLennan continued: "A lot of hard work has been invested over the past 18 months and this is bearing fruit. Working with volunteer, businesses and partners we are building up the region's biking infrastructure to offer a world class biking experience. Providing specific trails covering all ability levels not only offers a great day in the saddle, but reduces potential conflict between walkers and horse riders. And it also forms a key part of our Active Woods health-push to get more folks active in the forest and taking exercise." www.forestry.gov.uk