We’ve just been sent some fantastic news from our friends at the Antur Stiniog Bike Park, who are announcing three brand new trails set to be built just in time for the Summer riding season!
Established back in 2007 just outside Blaenau Ffestiniog, Antur Stiniog is a true trail centre gem in the wild Welsh landscape.Sitting proud amongst its grey slate surroundings, Antur Stiniog already features a top-notch uplift service, a great little café, and seven rough ‘n’ ragged gravity trails. Designed as an all-year round riding destination, the singletrack here is heavily armoured and designed to drain quickly and easily – crucial given its location.
As part of the expansion, there will be three new purpose-built trails added to the existing network. Covering 4.5km in total, the three new trails will include a family-friendly Green trail, a new Red trail targeted at trail and enduro riders, and a brand new Black run that will provide a new link between the existing Black Powder and Bendy G trails. On top of the freshly built singletrack, a new ‘jump line’ will also be crafted out of refurbishing out of an existing trail, which should keep thing fresh for return visitors, while also providing plenty of variety for new riders.
We’ve thoroughly enjoyed riding at Antur Stiniog before – so much so that it nabbed a Singletrack Editor’s Choice Award. As such, we’re excited for summer to see what the new trails are like.
For more information, read on for the full press release direct from Antur Stiniog;
Building on from our success as one of the ‘must visit’ bike parks in Europe, the team at Antur Stiniog Bike Park will be expanding in 2019 with a further three new trails, and the transformation of one of the existing trails into a new ‘jump line’.
An additional 4.5km of new trail will be added to the existing seven trails here during early 2019 and they will all be ready to ride for the Summer!
Recent development has been supported by the Tourism Amenity Investment Support scheme (TAIS) from Visit Wales. This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
The three new trails will cover all styles and riding ability, with a new ‘less steep Green flow trail’ aimed at the novice rider and family groups, but with more than enough features to keep the experienced rider on their toes!
Deputy Minister, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “This scheme is an excellent way for us to assist the tourism sector to make the improvements to local facilities and amenities, and I’ve seen the improvements made in many areas with the help of this funding over the past year. Facilities such as footpaths, toilets, signage, car parking are often only noticed when the provision is lacking or not up to scratch – which shows that they are an important part of the experience that people have of Wales. This is also an investment by the public sector in amenities for those who live in the area and will benefit locals and visitors alike. Projects like this one at Antur Stiniog Bike Park also make it easier for local residents and visitors to become more active in Wales’ natural environment.”
A new 1.2Km Red trail that will be largely unsurfaced to add variety to the trail network at Antur Stiniog will run down the double black ‘east side’ of site and will be constructed to appeal to the trail, and enduro bike market.
A new Black trail that will link the top of the current Black Powder trail to our newest addition Bendy G. This trail will again be unsurfaced and will provide more variation to the trail network with an ‘all natural’ black trail top to bottom.
The final development will be to update, and restructure one of our existing trails into a ‘new jump line’ that will include medium sized jumps and drops, along with flowing berms top to bottom and is sure to excite all levels of rider.
Having opened its minibus doors to the public during 2012 Antur Stiniog has been an incredible success and is widely regarded as one of Europe’s premier uplift venues. We have hosted Welsh and British Championship MTB events numerous times, and welcomed over 80,000 riders including World Champions from across the Globe to our rugged slopes.
Antur Stiniog is a not for profit social enterprise that was formed back in 2007 with over 2,000 signatures of support from the local community. The vision was to develop the outdoor sector in the Blaenau Ffestiniog area “in a sustainable and innovative way for the benefit of the local residents and economy”.
Antur ‘Stiniog started to realise this vision through a number of exciting projects which varied from enjoyment and training in the sector, to developing a series of Mountain bike trails which by now have become ‘World famous’.
The purpose of the development is to sustain and grow our current business ensuring our long-term success and sustainability which will allow us to invest back into the local economy and create training and employment opportunities within the local community, and thus drive local and regional economic growth.
With 2019 being Visit Wales’ Year of discovery, Antur Stiniog cordially invites YOU to site to discover it for yourself!
For more info, head to www.anturstiniog.com