Business News
UPM TILHILL CONSTRUCTS SCOTLANDS LONGEST URBAN MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL
Monday 09. February 2009 - Construction of Scotlands longest urban mountain bike trail has been completed by UPM Tilhill, the UK's leading landscaping, arboriculture and environmental works company.
The Glen Mile, situated within the Cumbernauld Glen Wildlife Reserve in North Lanarkshire, is the first mountain bike trail to be commissioned by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT). The Trust awarded the contract, valued in the region of £90,000, to UPM Tilhills Central Scotland District thanks to project funding from Forestry Commission Scotland (WIAT), Scottish Natural Heritage, Biffaward, North Lanarkshire Council and WREN.
Duncan Clark, SWT reserve manager, explained: “We are delighted with the success of the Glen Mile which is already attracting a diversity of users from local school groups to skilled mountain bikers. Thanks to UPM Tilhill, we have been able to create a thrilling recreational facility which provides mountain bikers with a safe, designated area and protects wildlife. This ensures that all the users of our reserve, from mountain bikers to dog walkers, have a safe and pleasant outdoors experience.”
The trail provides a dedicated area for cyclists within the ancient woodlands of the Reserve. It consists of four graded trails: a 1400m blue trail for cyclists with basic off-road riding skills, a 180m red trail for more proficient cyclists with good off-roading skills and a 30m black trail for mountain bikers used to more demanding routes. In addition, UPM Tilhill constructed a 100m skills loop, featuring step up, slalom, balance beam, table top, rumble strip and step down.
UPM Tilhill began work following the removal of predominately poor quality conifers from across a 3.5 hectare zone. Once the route was outlined, the trails were constructed using a Type 1 sub-base beneath a whindust top layer, supplied by local quarries. Drainage had to be carefully planned, with the digging and installation of open ditches, culverts and silt traps to divert and slow excessive water run-off across the site. Stones and boulders were used to create features along the route.
“Its a pleasure to be instrumental in the creation of this urban mountain bike trail for Scotland,” said Darrell Boult, Contracts Manager, UPM Tilhill. “UPM Tilhills experience, not least in creating the award winning Llandegla Mountain Bike Centre in north Wales, has helped shape this new leisure attraction. I hope everyone from local families to experienced mountain bikers will continue to enjoy these trails for many years to come.”
The trail was unveiled in December 2008 by Stewart Maxwell, Minister for Communities and Sport.