Raising the Standard: Scotland’s Role in Professionalising Trail Building Across Europe

Dave was part of a strong Scottish contingency, alongside Dik Hamilton, Tom Cole (CRC Trails), and Professor Tom Campbell (Edinburgh Napier University).

Together, they contributed Scottish expertise to an ambitious project with international significance where the partners of the ‘Developing Intereuropean Trailbuilding Training’ (DIRTT) project are developing a certification framework with robust assessment processes and procedures.

These certifications will help professionalise the trail building industry. Crucially, these internationally recognised awards will:

• Demonstrate competence of mountain bike trail builders – setting them apart from path or construction workers
• Elevate the perception of trail builders to landowners and land managers
• Increase the profession’s value, recognition, and market credibility.

For Dave, the project is a natural fit. He was able to contribute from a place of expertise, drawing on his previous career in both renewable energy and Dyfi Bike Park, where he provided advice and guidance on operation management and health and safety. This background, combined with his first year in post as the UK Trails Project Manager, has given him a unique perspective.

Over the past year, he has engaged extensively with key stakeholders, riders, and industry partners to produce the UK Trails Report – a document that captures the challenges and opportunities within the sector.

One of the most striking insights from that work was that over 85% of land managers identified professional trail design and construction as a priority for improving sustainability. This finding strongly underlines the importance of developing consistent, professional standards across the UK and Europe – not only to meet the needs of landowners, but also to reassure communities, funders, and policymakers that trail building is a skilled and sustainable profession.

The DIRTT Project has also conducted a robust study, by Prof Tom Campbell, of the trail building industry where there was overwhelming support with 79% agreeing that ‘the introduction of additional certifications within the sector would increase the quality and sustainability of mountain bike trails.’

By professionalising trail building, we are investing in the future sustainability of our trail networks, ensuring riders can enjoy safe, well-designed trails for years to come.

Just as importantly, it opens up new opportunities for people to pursue trail building as a viable and respected career path – something that, until recently, was not widely recognised as such.