Creating a world class mountain biking ecosystem takes time. However, with strategic planning, partnership working, shared ambition and goals, the right people, the right trails in the right place, all supported by appropriate funding, it can happen. Have a read also enjoy the first of the Fresh Cuts films, by Ross La Trobe.
Creating a world class mountain biking ecosystem takes time. However, with strategic planning, partnership working, shared ambition and goals, the right people, the right trails in the right place, all supported by appropriate funding, it can happen.
The Scottish Borders have long been synonymous with mountain biking. The transformative changes and benefits to the area are tangible and have been well documented. At the heart of this work is the regional staff within Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) who work alongside riders, the local community, educators, businesses, partners and funders to make good things happen.
The areas that Developing Mountain in Scotland (DMBinS) can and have made the biggest difference are those with local investment into regional co-ordinators currently Aberdeenshire and Scottish Borders. These roles are entirely funded by local partners, for Aberdeenshire this is from Opportunity North East and Aberdeenshire Council, and in the Scottish Borders, it has been through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund administered by Scottish Borders Council.
In the Scottish Borders, DMBinS have had funded regional staff since 2017, focussing on the delivery of strategic and tactical improvements to mountain biking facilities, infrastructure, and support across the Scottish Borders. Including areas as the trails themselves though increased community led stewardship and volunteering opportunities, the businesses supporting (and supported by) mountain biking, events that drew in additional visitors, increased inclusivity, and support for development of the sport.
Further to this it provided expert knowledge, practical delivery, and teacher training into three high schools. This included delivering sessions to disengaged pupils, developing a new Nat 5 level Special Award in Mountain Biking that will support young people to develop careers in this key pillar of the Scottish Borders economy.
To provide an insight into the work of the DMBinS Scottish Borders staff Marc Crowley and Ed Ibbetson, we were in the unique position of simultaneously running the Fresh Cuts Programme with Cut Media and Screen Scotland. We provided each of the seven creatives a brief to work on a film to be delivered by the end of project.
This film created by Ross La Trobe as part of the Fresh Cuts Programme, showcases the breadth of the work of the DMBinS regional staff and in a uniquely entertaining way, captures the success of working together to create a world class mountain biking ecosystem.
Clever use of humour, sick riding and cameos from businesses and schools, we think he nailed it and provided something informative and awesomely enjoyable. Have a watch!
Thanks to everyone who took part in this film. Including the businesses featured; No1 Peebles Road, Traquair Arms Hotel, Findra Clothing and Cafe, Room in the Borders and Tweed Valley Pods - all Innerleithen.
The key goals of the project were significantly exceeded across a wide range of Shared Prosperity Fund deliverables including business and destination development, community engagement and skills development through improvements to education institutions.
Over 20km of MTB trails improved or opened, including 5 new trails, and a full reconstruction of the landmark trail “Flat White”: resulting in over 2000 riders using this trail over the first weekend when it reopened.
Erik Smolenski (TVTA Chairman)
Whilst acting in the role of TVTA Chairman since October 2024, I can conclude that the effectiveness & success of our Trail Association heavily relies on Marc Crowley’s position of Trail Development Coordinator being funded & retained on a long term basis.
The role acts as an intermediary between land managers, trail builders, local businesses, riders, schools, universities and other supporting govt. orgs.
Several significant achievements have been made (to name just a few) as a direct result of Marc’s position :
Official trail adoptions through in depth FLS negotiations, safeguarding numerous trails across the valley.
Community engagement to reduce the number of illegal trail building activities, subsequently increasing trail safety whilst improving relationships between FLS and the MTB community.
Marc has facilitated a new trail maintenance programme, pioneered by TVTA in the UK, involving 2 trail maintenance contractors. By planning trail repairs through our Bikeplan app, ensures our organisation demonstrates a structured approach of work to the land owner (FLS), our supporters and business community.
We (TVTA Team) regularly discuss the charity’s vulnerability should Marc’s position cease to be funded. Loss of this role is currently our highest operational risk.
With several key high level development projects in the pipeline - MTB innovation centre, Innerleithen bike park etc, the economic strength of the Tweed Valley is therefore heavily reliant on this position. Trail sustainability is paramount in this area, with their vulnerability being a potential single point failure to the entire Innerleithen business community and future economic growth.
TVTA receive regular feedback from across the UK that we are achieving best in class results, providing guidance to other trail associations. It is our strong opinion that these achievements are a direct result of having Marc’s position in place.
Given the community’s reliance on the MTB industry, the risk presented, in fact, gives justification for more than one position to be created, however, as a minimum, the importance of this role and the subsequent economic impact of its loss, should warrant ongoing financial support.
Eleven events were delivered during this funding period including land manager workshops, inclusive riding events (Adaptive Riders workshops), cultural events (Tales from the Trails, Light up the Trails) destination development workshops (Bentonville learning journey workshop, Destination Development workshop), MTB races, evening speaker events (Women of the HT 550).
Currently working hard alongside the Scottish Enduro Association committee on the relaunch and delivery of the vital Scottish Enduro Series.
Edward Shoote, South Of Scotland Enterprise
The DMBinS Regional Coordinator role has been supportive with South of Scotland Enterprise's (SOSE) work in a number of areas, in particular the Women in the Bike Industry event that SOSE sponsored was fantastic and led to a number of positive outcomes.
More recently the collaboration to deliver First Tracks Incubator Programme has been another great success.
The DMBinS trail coordinator role has supported community groups and education objectives that align well and strongly support work SOSE is delivering.
Margot and Erik Smolenski, Tweed Valley Pods
As owners / operator of Tweed Valley Pods, which opened in 2023, we have received a great deal of assistance from Ed and the DMBinS team. Several available grants were brought to our attention from them. We received some excellent pointers on how to ensure our new business was set up and attractive for the large MTB market in the valley.
This culminated in us being awarded Scottish MTB Accommodation provider of the year in 2023. An award that saw our bookings increase dramatically with the additional online exposure & publicity.
DMBinS form an integral part of the MTB community in the Tweed Valley and Scotland as a whole. A community that benefits hugely from the close network collaboration facilitated by the team.
From the perspective of a small, fairly new business, the active promotion, regular media publications etc, serve as great marketing material for a business such as ours which operates on a very small advertising budget. This has gained us access to national and international markets that we would not have been able to tap into given our scale.
The dedicated, hardworking & passionate team, have driven forward the entire scene. This team now underpins to a large extent, the business growth potential in our local area and further afield.
For the local economy to continue flourishing, particularly during these uncertain economic periods, it’s necessary for small businesses to have continued support from the full DMBinS group.
As a business community we would love to see this organisation continue well into the future, and fully support all financial assistance given.
Sarah O Neil, Principal Teacher of Inclusion, Peebles High School
At Peebles High School we have an exciting opportunity to work with DMBinS to deliver mountain bilking opportunities for young people who have social and emotional challenges in school.
Our pupils will take part in a range of sessions that cater for the whole pupil, where their skill sets, mental agility and resilience will be developed.
Together with our Outdoor Learning teacher, DMBinS will support our youngsters to work as a team and lead themselves and others better. We’ve worked together to plan the delivery of these sessions and we will continue to develop ways to engage our young people to develop their mental fortitude against adversity.
Caroline Wallace, PE Teacher and Duke Of Edinburgh coordinator at Peebles High School.
DMBinS regional coordinators have been a great asset to Peebles High School by providing support with classes in trail building delivery and enthusing students in all aspects of mountain biking.
They have worked with myself with great vision and ideas to create a new level 5 SVQ qualification in mountain biking. Peebles High school are very excited about offering this to their students and delivering this in the near future. The course should provide a real opportunity for students to learn about the many job opportunities that exists in the biking sector.
361 volunteering opportunities created through trail maintenance volunteer days, including women specific dig days.
Tim Wild, Journalist
I worked with the team for months to put together a complex, multi-stage media trip involving YouTube influencers, editorial coverage and a huge variety of rides, interviews and photoshoots.
Their enthusiasm, knowledge and warm welcome made the whole process memorably successful.
Creating a true mountain biking ecosystem is not possible without partnership working and the support of the local community, riders, businesses and funders.
We'd like to take this opportunity to thank the following people for their crucial role in helping the Scottish Borders achieve its aim of becoming the European Capital of Scottish mountain biking!
South of Scotland Enterprise, Edinburgh Napier University, Bright Red Triangle, Go Tweed Valley, South of Scotland Destination Alliance, Forestry and Land Scotland, Tweed Valley Trails Association, Scottish Borders Council, Eyemouth, Selkirk and Peebles High Schools, RAB, Deviate Cycles, Alpine Bikes, Tim Wild, Cranked, Peebles and Kids Innerleithen, FNY and Hervelo, Cycle Clubs, Cut Media, Screen Scotland, Mòr Diversity and all the businesses in the the Scottish Borders we have worked with over the project.
To continue the work within the Scottish Borders we await the outcome of a renewed funding bid to the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund, managed by Scottish Borders Council.
The ongoing funding is sought to consolidate the existing workstreams and push forward with fresh initiatives this year and beyond.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.
The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local businesses, and people and skills.
This project was funded by
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