Trail Academy : Aberdeenshire - Who's Involved?

As the project funder, we are delighted to be able to offer valuable insights in how link trails, trail building and bikes into the wider landscape and ecosystems.

This is a huge factor in trail development and trail academy student is will leave the course with a deeper understanding of how trails can fit alongside sensitive environments and how landowners and trail builders can work in partnership to create sustainable trails.

Having the support of both these organisations and venues is crucial in allowing the Trail Academy Students to see how Trail developments come together at all levels of build.

Both Forestry and Land Scotland and Tarland Development Group recognise that Aberdeenshire has a lot to offer and are keen to help showcase the wider aspects of mountain biking as a sport, hobby and career.

Being the lead Trail Crew on this project and award winning designers and builders of many of the recent additions the the Scottish trail network, such as Glenlivet, Tarland Trails Pittenderich, Laggan Wolftrax and Dyemill Bike Park, Arran, we are stoked to have them on board this project as part of the core training team.

CRC will be walking the students through some key features and elements of building mountain bike trails professionally. They will be supporting the students understanding of tools, build techniques and how it connects to the wider Trail Building industry both on home soil, and internationally.

CRC will be working hand in hand with the Aberdeenshire Trails Association (ATA), and with Tom and Mark both having been part of the founding committee, it is a perfect match.

The ATA will form part of the core training team and support the students learning about natural trail features and the importance of community maintenance days to look after trails.

Gael and Gareth are our Pitfichie trail leads and will be heading up the ATA Summer Solstice Dig where students will work on their own section of track supported by members of the trail association, implementing their learning to date, making repairs and adaptations to improve the trail.

Calum from Bothies and Bannocks will be supporting with transport and will be shuttling the trail academy students to and from the trails.

Calum is a big supporter of mountain biking in Aberdeenshire and was eager to support in anyway he could, recognising the importance of developing informed, skilled, future Trail Builders in NE Scotland. Alongside his support for this project, he has signed up to support the ATA with transport to some of their dig days this summer.

Calum from Dialled in Coaching will be on hand to ensure students get to and from the trails safely and also offer some input into line choice on features. Calum has previously worked alongside CRC Trails and raced at elite level in World Cups, so has valuable insight on how sustainably built trails can add value to a trail network, providing high quality trails that can be coached on, raced and enjoyed by all, all year round.

Bough Studio have worked with DMBinS on many graphic design projects, including the DMBinS rebrand. He understands the requirement for a strong brand identity and is a long time supporter of the work of DMBinS and Scottish mountain biking.

We are stoked with the logo and design. Cheers Paul, it looks sick!

Well would it be a Trail Academy if we cant share the joy and opportunities through imagery and in film? We are delighted that Ben Girdwood will be involved and capture the full story for us!

Ben has been involved in a few MTB films to date and with this happening on his home turf, it's awesome to have him capture events.

One of the outputs from the project will be a short film documenting the process, sharing some the project elements and we cannot wait to see the finished products!

Our Fee, is leading on this from a DMBinS prospective and is passionate about trail building, a former IMBA Europe Trail Advocate of the Year and has a vast amount of experience of working with young people in both this post and her previous career.

Want to know any further details, please get in touch with Fee.

Fee Wallace - NEAT Project Co-ordinator (trails)

E-Mail: fee.wallace@scottishcycling.org.uk

Mobile: 07989654714