Scotland brings sector-leading expertise to International Mountain Bike Trail Building Management Course, launching in Norway

Scotland brings sector-leading expertise to International Mountain Bike Trail Building Management Course, launching in Norway

A pioneering international Trail Building Management Course has begun at Fagskolen Viken in Norway, bringing together 35 students representing 14 nationalities to develop the knowledge and practical skills required to plan, build and sustainably manage recreational trails.

The course is being delivered through an international collaboration led by Fagskolen Viken, with teaching and course content led by Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) and Edinburgh Napier University/ Bike Innovation Scotland. Delivery will also be supported by experienced trail designers, builders and tutors from Scotland.

The programme builds upon the extensive learning resources created through the Developing Inter-European Resources for Trailbuilding Training (DIRTT) Project. Led by Fagskolen Viken, the DIRTT Project has brought together education, trail and mountain biking organisations from across Europe to improve the quality, consistency and accessibility of trail building training since 2019.

DMBinS and Edinburgh Napier University/ Bike Innovation Scotland are leading the development and delivery of the course materials, combining academic expertise with practical knowledge from Scotland’s trail sector. The course will cover the full trail management cycle, including planning, sustainable design and construction, inspection, maintenance, volunteer coordination and long-term management.

The teaching team will be supported by expert Scottish trail designers and builders, including former CRC Trails director Tom Cole, who is also an experienced DIRTT tutor. Their involvement is being supported by the Scottish Cycling Foundation, the charitable body that hosts the Scottish Trail Fund and invests in projects that strengthen Scotland’s trail network and trail stewardship capacity. The team also includes SRAM UK Trails Project Manager David Evans, who brings knowledge from all four UK home nations and a wealth of trail management expertise, and Professor Tom Campbell of Edinburgh Napier University/Bike Innovation Scotland, whose long-standing research and sector collaboration has played a key role in the DIRTT project and the development of its European Competence Framework for mountain bike trail building.

The participation of 35 students from 14 nationalities highlights the international demand for recognised education and professional development in trail management. It also creates an important opportunity for students to share experiences from different landscapes, trail networks and mountain biking cultures.

Lars Wraae Jensen, DIRTT Project Co-ordinator at Fagskolen Viken, said:

“We are delighted to welcome such a diverse and international group of students to the Trail Building Management Course. The number of students and nationalities present demonstrates both the demand for this type of education and the shared challenges facing trail networks across Europe and beyond.

“This course is an important next step for the DIRTT partnership. It puts the resources developed through the project into practice and brings together educational expertise, professional trail building experience and knowledge from many different countries. That combination will create a rich and valuable learning environment for everyone involved.”

Graeme McLean, Head of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, said:

“The launch of this course is a significant milestone for trail education and for the international collaboration established through DIRTT. Sustainable, well-managed trails depend upon skilled people who understand not only how trails are designed and built, but how they are inspected, maintained and managed over the long term.

“Scotland has gained considerable experience through the development of its mountain biking and recreational trail networks. This course gives us the opportunity to share that learning internationally while also learning from the students, tutors and partners involved. The diversity of the first cohort makes this a genuinely international learning programme.”

Lesley Ingram-Sills of Edinburgh Napier University said:

“This is a pivotal moment for trail building education. At Edinburgh Napier University and Bike Innovation Scotland, we are bringing years of research and expertise from the DIRTT project into the classroom, turning that evidence into practical learning for the next generation of Trail Building Managers. Alongside our specialist trail knowledge, we are drawing on expertise in engineering and construction from across the University to create a genuinely multidisciplinary programme.

Fiona Cockburn, Trustee of the Scottish Cycling Foundation, said:

“The Scottish Cycling Foundation is delighted to support the involvement of Scotland’s expert trail designers and builders in this important international programme. Through the Scottish Trail Fund, we see first-hand the positive contribution that well-managed trails make to communities, participation, volunteering and the sustainability of mountain biking.

“Supporting experts such as Tom Cole to share their knowledge helps strengthen the trail sector both at home and internationally. It also creates a valuable link between the Foundation’s investment in grassroots trail stewardship and the development of the next generation of trail professionals.”

The course represents an important legacy from the DIRTT Project, ensuring that the knowledge, teaching resources and international partnerships created through the initiative continue to support trail managers, professional builders, land managers and volunteer-led organisations.

It also strengthens Scotland’s growing contribution to international trail education, combining the strategic and practical experience of DMBinS, the research and academic expertise of Edinburgh Napier University and Bike Innovation Scotland, and the knowledge and experience of Scotland’s professional trail-building sector.

Further information about the course - Trail Building Management

Further information about the DIRTT Project -dirtt.eu