BikePark Wales and Natural Resources Wales sign new lease to rewild mountain, add trails and accommodation - Natural Resources Wales
BikePark Wales, the UK’s premier mountain bike venue, along with Natural Resources Wales announce stunning plan to transform 400 acres of Welsh mountainside.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which manages the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, has worked closely with BikePark Wales since its first breaking trail in 2013, but a new lease set to be signed in June 2024 is an unprecedented step forward for both parties.
The new 33-year lease will see revenue from visiting mountain bikers invested in a Future Forest Vision that will see the vast majority of BPW’s mountain return to its natural state. The rewilding plan will see the site change in the coming decades from classic commercial forestry management to a regime that promotes biodiversity gains, improves the resilience of the forest and encourages the return of more ancient semi-natural woodland.
This lease also ensures that BikePark Wales will remain home to the UK’s best-known trails for years, plus it will add some new trails, and also mean visitors can now stay overnight at the site.
In addition to the park’s existing 46 mountain bike specific trails, visitor centre, woodland café, bike hire and bike shop, the new agreement adds planning permission for new trails (nine climbing trails, 27 downhill trails, seven linking trails, and two new skills areas), a bigger visitor area and sustainable accommodation in the form of glamping pods and chalets.
Posted On: 05/08/2024
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