Work starts on new trail in Staffordshire

Chase Trails volunteers and partners have raised over £60,000 for the project, £28,000 of which came from the Staffordshire Aggregates Levy Grant Scheme. Sport England’s West Midlands Regional Sports Board (RSB) recently awarded the initiative £130,800 from the National Lottery funded Community Investment Fund. Chase Trails is a volunteer group of local mountain bikers who have given up countless weekends to help enhance the cycling facilities at Cannock Chase. Martin Bave from Chase Trails, says: "It's great that after almost two years of detailed planning by Chase Trails, that work is starting on what promises to be the most technical trails on Cannock Chase. The new trail will be both physically and technically challenging for riders and will be a mixture of machine and hand built sections. "We're appealing for any bike enthusiasts who want to put something back into the tracks to join Chase Trails as either a basic member or better still as a fully active volunteer to help us create the best purpose built track in the Midlands.". Anyone interested in supporting the project or joining the Chase Trails volunteer group should visit www.chasetrails.co.uk. Bike hire facilities will be provided by Swinnerton Cycles, who also offer mountain bike training. The Forestry Commission's Birches Valley Visitor Centre will remain open to the public throughout the work, but access may be limited in some places. Birches Valley Forest Centre at Cannock Chase is already the starting point for the popular 'Follow the Dog' technical route. The seven-mile, single-track trail, which was created by Chase Trails as the West Midlands' first dedicated Cross Country MTB trail, will also be upgraded as part of the changes. For more information on cycle hire at Cannock Forest, contact Swinnerton Cycles Forest Centre on 01889 575170 or visit www.bikechase.co.uk.