Mountain bike skills area opens in Philips Park
The mountain bike skills area is the first section of the new Clayton Vale Mountain Bike Trail to open and will be part of the new £864,000 facility, being jointly funded by British Cycling, Sport England and Manchester City Council.
The skills area, situated in Philips Park adjacent to the National Cycling Centre, will allow riders to perfect their off-road skills in a safe and controlled environment and will host supervised coached sessions.
The opening of the skills area will take place as part of Clayton Day, which brings together Clayton residents to celebrate their local area. Activities including sports, photography and face painting will be of offer at The National Cycling Centre, and visitors will be the first to try the new mountain bike skills area. Mountain bike demonstrations will also take place from 1-3pm.
The Clayton Vale Mountain Bike Trail will open the following month, Monday 27 May, so people will have plenty of time to hone their skills before trying out the 10.5km trail.
The Clayton Vale Mountain Bike Trail will have unrestricted free access for casual users and allow mountain-bikers to enjoy off-road rides on a large network within the Clayton Vale Local Nature Reserve.
The trails will cater for varying abilities, from novice and family riders to experienced mountain bike pros. The trail will also include a run designed specifically for disabled people, a world first.
The urban setting of the trail makes the project unique, the majority of the country’s existing mountain bike trails are situated in rural areas making them hard to get to.
The National Cycling Centre will be the trail head offering a café, bike hire and bike washing facilities.
The centre will also offer a range of coached sessions for school groups and individuals, as well as club riding.
Councillor Jim Battle, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said: “It’s exciting to see the skills area ready, this is the first part of a very impressive mountain bike facility and a welcome addition to our world-class cycling provision – that already boasts the velodrome and indoor BMX track.
“The new mountain bike trail will build on Manchester’s position as the home of British Cycling and will be open and available to local residents and the wider community.
“I know many local schools are already involved with British Cycling and this new facility will provide even more opportunities for them.
“Best of all the new trail will be free to use and is easy to get to, so there’s really no excuse not to hop on a bike and enjoy the nature reserve on two wheels.”
The mountain bike skills area, Philips Park, will be opened on Sunday 14 April. There will be the chance to take part in supervised sessions from 1-4pm.
The Clayton Vale Mountain Bike Trail will open on Monday 27 May
0 Comments