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New MTB Skills
Course Open ARE YOU a mountain biker? Where do you go to improve? How do you get better? Why should we try to get better? If we develop our riding and improve our skills, mountain biking becomes more enjoyable and less intimidating, it becomes safer, as we are more in control of our riding and less likely to take big risks. We know that next time we head to a trail centre we will be more confident in our own ability to ride various features. Mountain Biking is one of those amazing sports that we can all do, at our own pace, in areas that we know. However, when it comes to improving and developing skills, we often come up against the proverbial brick wall! We might want to get better at riding drop offs, or pumping over rollers, or riding berms, but it is often difficult to
find these features to use and practice on. We might want to work on our confidence on specific types of trail or on more challenging trail. Maybe we are not so confident at slow speed skills, or very rocky terrain - whatever the area, we can always work to improve! Tollymore National Outdoor Centre now has a purpose designed skills course, which has been designed to allow bikers to develop their biking skills on a wide range of features. The course was designed by well known trail designer, Dafydd Davies and was opened recently. The brief that Dafydd was given was to provide a wide range of features within the confines of the centre grounds. The skills course that has been developed has approximately 1.5 km of single-
Castle Ward Demense Project Opens to the Public MOUNTAIN biking in Northern Ireland is set for a healthy boost with up to 40km of off-road trails completed at the Castle Ward Demesne site in County Down. Trail building pioneer Dafydd Davis MBE has been worked with key stakeholders including the Countryside Access and Activities Network (CAAN), Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the National Trust to develop an accessible trail network with short, medium and
long distances to suit all ability of rider. Visitor facilities are located at the shore of Strangford Lough which include a bike wash, car parking area and central information point. The Clearsky Adventure Centre located at the trail head can provide a range of Vitus mountain bikes, supplied by Chain Reaction Cycles, to be ridden on the new off-road route. For up to date info visit www.cycleni.com
Tollymore National Outdoor Centre’s purpose designed skills course
track trail, with a wide range of features, including rollers, berms, drop offs, table tops, rock sections, northshore and log rolls. The variety and size of the features ensures that there are plenty of opportunities for all bikers to develop their riding and concentrate on specific skills in a progressive manner. The skills course is available for use by groups and individuals and will become a popular facility for bikers in the area. Over the coming months, the course will be developed and changed, as we get feedback from users and learn how to improve it. There are plans to build a small pump track and develop more
sections of northshore - come and use the course, give us your feedback and help us to make it a facility that will work for all bikers! The Skills Course is open seven days a week, all year round, from 9.30am to 5.00pm. From May to September, it is also open on Tuesday to Friday evenings until 9.00pm. Entry is £3 for adults and £2 for minors. Tollymore National Outdoor Centre is Sport Northern Ireland’s National Outdoor Centre and provides a range of skills and leadership courses for groups and individuals. For more information visit www.tollymore.com
A REAL ‘CROSS COUNTRY’ ADVENTURE: On the 14th of July, downhill racing duo Dan
Opening day at the new Castle Ward Trails
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and Ger Wolfe will cycle a Tandem bike across Ireland from Dublin to Galway in one stint towing and powering a fridge! The challenge, dreamt up by the two downhilling brothers, is to raise much needed funds for international competitions. The trailer plus battery, equipment, alternator and fully loaded fridge comes in around 80kg which the guys plan to tow the 250km from Killieny, County Dublin to Eight Bar and Restaurant, County Galway. Keep up with their progress via www.wolferacing.ie
www.uberdogmagazine.co.uk