Aimed at the sustainable maintenance of North Wales’ excellent trail network, the Trail Collective North Wales is now operational.
Anyone who enjoys the extensive and wonderful unauthorised trail network in North Wales should think about supporting the Trail Collective North Wales as they aim to maintain these trails and the relationship with landowners going forward.
Read the full press release below.
“North Wales’s wild, ‘off piste’ trails are amazing and we want to keep them that way!”
Trail Collective North Wales today announced its Mission Statement and a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the sustainable maintenance of the wild trails of North Wales.
Our trails are amazing but currently completely unauthorised. Since the COVID lockdowns, usage of these trails has grown rapidly. Now we, the local riding community, need to work together with NRW to sustainably manage them and ensure their survival for all to enjoy now and into the future.
This funding will be used to pay for the setting up of our Community Interest Company (CIC), training courses in Trail Management and Inspection for our super-talented trail crew and of course insurance. Specifically, the areas that the Collective will initially focus on are:
Two Pilot Study areas of forest as agreed with NRW namely: Gwydir (Betws y Coed, Llanrwst) and Bethesda (Moel y Ci and Braichmelyn). We hope to widen the project to include other significant trail areas in the near future.
Mission Statement: Trail Collective North Wales
What is TCNW?
We are a community interest company set up by local mountain bikers to sustainably manage the wild, mountain bike trails of North Wales.
Why Have We Formed?
North Wales’s wild mountain bike trails are amazing, and we want to keep them that way.
Our best-known trails are well established, maintained and popular: the signposted trails in the Gwydir Forest (GwydirMawr and Gwydir Bach) and those at Penmachno. But the same forests host hand-crafted trails offering something for more experienced riders of all ages. They provide that valuable next step up in the development of technical skills. Maintaining these trails is a win for North Wales as it puts us on the map as a riding destination. we want to dedicate the time and effort to do it properly.
What are Wild Trails, and why are they important?
They are trails that have sprung up over time because riders wanted them. Often, they are in places where people can ride from their front door without having to drive. As word has spread, riders are really valuing the challenge and more varied riding experience they offer.
They have been built by riders for riders, often deep in the woods. They are not built officially or by an organisation-they have been created by the local community of dedicated trail builders and they are highly valued.
As mountain biking has grown-especially during the Covid lockdowns-the pressure on these trails has increased dramatically. There is a real appetite among riders for wild trails, so it is time for the riding community to step up and take responsibility for them.
What do we do?
We promote, maintain, and improve the wild, mountain bike trail network in North Wales.
We want our wild trails to be sustainable.
Currently, wild trails are not officially managed and there is no organised community engagement with stakeholders and land managers e.g. National Resources Wales.
We will be that vital, positive link between the biking community and NRW as well as other landowners and organisations. Not only liaising through discussion, we also see ourselves raising funds, maintaining trails, organising dig days, and communicating with local mountain bikers, visitors to the area as well as the broader cycling industry.
