Volunteers Needed for Hamsterley Refurbishment

Hamsterley Forest Bike Trails Looking for Your Help 

Work is already underway on the £235,000 makeover of the Hamsterley Forest visitor facilities. However, the Forestry Commission is issuing a call to local people for help with part of the work. Work has already started on a new section of the mountain bike trail with help from the Hamsterley Trailblazers, who are a local volunteer mountain biking club, but more help is needed.

Hamsterley Forest Visitor Centre is undergoing a major refurbishment in time for Easter 2014, including a larger cafe catering area for a wide range of visitors, new double-glazed windows and substantial heating installed in the form of a luxurious log fire.

The cafe has also been rebranded as the Hamsterley Forest Cafe and Wood n Wheels mountain bike hire has been renamed as The Hamsterley Forest Cycle Centre. All the money needed was raised through visitor parking within the forest, supported by grant aid from Durham County Council.

Alex Maclennan, Recreation and Public Affairs Manager for the North East Forestry Commission says:

“It’s a very exciting time for Hamsterley Forest with so many exciting renovations and new projects taking shape at the same time. Later this summer we also have another set of projects commencing, so this is going to ensure there really is something for everyone at the forest. We need mountain bikers who love and use the forest to join Hamsterley Trailblazers as volunteers and help push the projects through to completion. A lot of mountain bikers love the forest, but don’t realise how important it is to support the trail building.

If people can spare us a few hours or even a day or two it would be great – a terrific opportunity to meet like-minded people and contribute to the ongoing popularity of Hamsterley Forest.”

To get involved in the trail building, visit – http://www.hamsterley-trailblazers.co.uk/ or contact Hamsterley Forest Recreation Ranger Team on 01388 488312.