As you are no doubt aware our sport is growing rapidly. There are a number of issues coming out of this rapid growth. First and foremost there are increasing numbers of riders using the trails that are unaware of the various nuances of responsible biking. MBI we will be trying our best to educate people as to what is what, but to do so properly we need to try and link up as many of these new bikers as possible to established clubs groups and coped on individuals who have been active for a while.
In the trails section we are identifying all legal riding spots and also providing information on trail projects planned for differing areas. What we also want to do is provide local contacts that would be bikers can contact to get the low down on what’s what, who’s riding in the area, where are the good spots, where are the no go areas.
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Things seem to be finally moving ahead on plans to put purpose built trails into both Rostrevor and Castlewellan Forest Parks. Route flagging has begun in Rostrevor and it is hoped both this work and the flagging in Castlewellan will be completed by September, with a view to project being completed in 2011.
Checkout the Mountain Biking section of the Projects are on the CAAN website.
In Rostrevor there are plans for two specific DH tracks and a big XC loop. 25km of single track in total, being nearly entirely red or black grade. One DH track will be pumpy and fun, jumps etc, the other will be as technical as they can make it, as close to the style of the existing champs track as possible. Both will have starts and finishes that are very conducive to using the forest drive for uplifts. The XC loop is big and goes up near the top of Slieve Martin. They will be much steeper than conventional trail centre trails, lots of rock sections, cool bits etc. They will cross the existing DH runs. No deliberate effort will be made to interfere with the DH runs, other than crossing them. Glynn O’Brien (the DH legend) is being involved in the plan for the two DH runs.
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Forest users throng the DMP pavillion
Yesterday evening, the DMP held a public presentation at Ticknock, Dublin to outline their plans for permanent, waymarked mountainbike trails in the area. A large number of mtbers, walkers and locals turned out for the unveiling of the plans. The trails, designed by Coillte Recreation Manager Daithi DeForge, are intended to provide a facility for the large number of mountainbikers in the area as well as reduce potential conflicts on heavily-trafficked existing trails.
Mark Cromie of MAD and Sean Herlihy of Cycling Ireland are clearly delighted by the proposals.
The initial routes will comprise a figure-of-eight loop taking in Ticknock car park, the aerials and over to the Ballyedmonduff side of the mountain. There will be approximately 7.5km of trail in total, incorporating singletrack and forest road sections.
Coillte is putting the plan out to tender with companies who expressed an interest earlier in the year. The aggressive schedule will see this first phase completed by the end of October 2010.
One issue of concern for the locals which arose at the presentation was the parking of cars outside the forest entrance at Ticknock. This can cause obstruction and inconvenience for local residents. Coillte are investigating potential solutions but in the meantime we urge mtbers using the forest to park elsewhere (e.g. local pub car parks) and cycle the short distance up to the trailhead.
Daithi deForge explains the plans to members of Ireland's Premier Mountainbiking Club
A trail-development plan is being put together to assess opportunities for mountain bike trails and facilities in Derroura and Derryclare in the Inagh Valley, Co. Galway.
A group of local riders have formed the Connemara Mountain Bike Alliance to develop trails in the area. Funding for the development plan has been awarded from the Forum Connemara Leader programme through Oughterard Community Partnership. UK trail-designer Pete Laing (of Glentress and Golspie fame) has visited the area to work on it and assess the options. The local Coillte forestry manager is also involved and being very supportive.
You’ll be able to follow developments on the new site: www.connemaramtb.com.
The recently formed Ratoath BMX Club is actively campaigning for the construction of a permanent BMX track in Co. Meath. Please show your support for this development by visiting their website and signing the online petition.
Campaign for Donegal biking facility starts today!
An ambitious campaign to develop a Co. Donegal downhill mountain biking trail that could attract 100,000 tourists to the county annually is being driven by the local community.
Speaking in Letterkenny last Friday, local TD Joe McHugh set out details of a campaign for a state-of-the-art downhill mountain biking trail on forestry lands owned by Coillte in Co. Donegal.
The organisers would like all MTB’ers to email Joe McHugh describing your interest in the project. It is needed for further evidence gathering. The address is:
They suggest the following wording in the email or something similar:
“Dear Joe,
As a mountain biking enthusiast, I am delighted to hear of the plans for a state of the art mountain biking centre in Donegal. I am currently living in [INSERT] and would consider such a centre in Donegal to be ideal to meet the needs of bikers from here and around Ireland. A centre of this nature would certainly attract myself and many of my friends to Donegal on a regular basis.Many thanks,”
Read the full detail here.
Kippure Estate is running a series of developmental XC races during Summer 2010. Coupled with this there will be a study to investigate the development of permanent mtb trails in the area.
After the success for the XC Championships in 2008 and K-Capital Challenge Race Series final stage in 2009, Kippure Estate has entered into talks with Coillte, Wicklow County Tourism and Wicklow Rural Partnership to develop permanent mountain bike trails in the Athdown woods opposite the entrance to the estate. Coillte are very open to the idea and in conjunction with all parties a feasibility study is to be commissioned to look into the routes available, costing, etc
The Dublin Mountain Partnership (DMP) announced their latest recruits last week, including a new mountain bike ranger role. The DMP is charged with both promoting and protecting the area, and the rangers are the public face of the group. Biking.ie’s Niall Davis has been selected as the first Mountain Bike Ranger in Ireland and is really looking forward to getting involved this summer. You can read more about the DMP on their website, or in the Sunday Business Post which featured the story over the weekend.
Coillte is seeking expressions of interest from contractors for the construction of a dedicated mountainbike trail at Ticknock in the Dublin mountains.
The contract to be awarded will be for construction of approximately five kilometres of mountain-bike trails on Coillte lands in the Dublin mountains. These trails will be non-bitmac, single-track trails and will be constructed using locally derived materials including sections requiring the use of stone-pitching, stone revetment and bench-cut trail building techniques.
Read the full notice here.
