With its majestic mountains, fabled forests and legendary landscapes, Wales is a country rich in mythology and tales of dragons and warrior princes.<\/p>

Now, there\u2019s a new chapter of Welsh folklore being written, or rather carved, on its hillsides by passionate trail builders.<\/p>

It was back in the mid-90s that dedicated riding spots started to become a reality for UK mountain bikers. The \u2018grand trail wizard\u2019 who made that once-unimaginable dream come true is Dafydd Davis, a Welshman who\u2019s arguably the father of British trail building.<\/p>

His vision was to create a network of Welsh trail centres<\/a>, which he did in style, beginning with Coed y Brenin in Eryri\/Snowdonia.<\/p>

In addition to these popular venues, Wales is now home to many excellent gravity-fed, privately-run bike parks.<\/p>

We visited three trail-building maestros to find out how their minds (and spades) conjure up these magical adrenaline-infused ribbons of dirt\u2026<\/p><\/div><\/div>

Dan Atherton<\/h2>
Creator of:<\/strong> Dyfi Bike Park<\/p>
Dan Atherton is the mastermind behind Dyfi Bike Park. – Dan Griffiths | Moonhead Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>The leading line-layer of the all-conquering Atherton family<\/a> moved from the South West of England to Wales with his siblings many years ago.<\/p>
After a near-lifelong obsession with building trails and jumps, Dan \u2013 or Athy, as he\u2019s known \u2013 created the extreme downhill track known as Hardline.<\/p>
Atherton then went on to create the 650-acre Dyfi Bike Park.<\/p>
Having hand-carved trails there for years, Athy knows what to focus on when digging Welsh soil. \u201cBuilding in Wales is different to anywhere else,\u201d he tells us.<\/p>
$\"Rider$
The aim for Atherton was that tracks should run as well in the wet as in the dry. – Dan Griffiths | Moonhead Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cIdeally, you\u2019d want a drain on both sides of the track, but that\u2019s not always possible.<\/p>
\u201cThe aim is that the tracks should run as well in the wet as in the dry and that\u2019s hard, especially when it comes to jumps.<\/p>
\u201cSo, we build for the wet and people brake a bit in the dry.\u201d<\/p>
Since opening up his trails for all to ride, Atherton has found keeping on top of the Welsh water margin is an eternal battle.<\/p>
\u201cDyfi Bike Park is actually built on a fairly mellow gradient, so drainage is even more important,\u201d he explains.<\/p>
\u201cIn lots of places, the only way to keep the track well-drained was to dig down to the bedrock, and that could mean shovelling through a metre of bog.<\/p>
\u201cBike parks are actually really hard to maintain, compared with something like the Red Bull Hardline track.<\/p>
\u201cIt\u2019s the combination of the sheer amount of traffic and the volume of water that comes down that\u2019s the biggest killer.<\/p>
\u201cThe trails have a mind of their own and they\u2019re constantly evolving \u2013 a section that\u2019s been fine for a year will suddenly flood.<\/p>
\u201cLuckily, we have a solid dig crew and so we\u2019re constantly monitoring. We just need to be on it the whole time.\u201d<\/p>
$\"Dyfi$
Dyfi is a family affair \u2013 Dan’s brother Gee has input, too, as does their sister Rach. – Dan Griffiths | Moonhead Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
With a reputation for building extreme trails, how has Atherton learned to tone it down to suit us mere mortals?<\/p>
\u201cI\u2019ve definitely shifted from building every track as a challenge to understanding that people sometimes just want to have fun,” he responds.<\/p>
\u201cOur [bike park] riders have [Dan’s sister] Rach to thank for that \u2013 right from the start, she\u2019s been coming up when I\u2019m in the digger, saying, \u2018Stop! Make it smaller!\u2019.\u201d<\/p>
Rider input has also been crucial in the evolution of the trails.<\/p>
\u201cChatting on the uplifts, week in, week out, listening to what people want to ride, that\u2019s a really important part of the experience, for me. People who ride here are so good at giving feedback.<\/p>
\u201cAt first, they\u2019ll feel bad, because they\u2019ve seen how much work we\u2019ve put in. But they know we want them to be honest, so they\u2019ll say what it is they most want to ride.<\/p>
\u201cThe biggest thing I\u2019ve learned is that people need to take it a bit slower sometimes.<\/p>
\u201cWe\u2019ve got three red tracks open now, and it\u2019s brought a whole new set of riders to the park \u2013 it\u2019s great to see how much their confidence builds, even in a day. We started out with just black trails.<\/p>
\u201cThey were hardcore and people were a bit intimidated to ride here, but we\u2019re a lot mellower now. I haven\u2019t seen anyone who hasn\u2019t given [red trail] \u2018Lovey Dyfi\u2019 a good go!\u201d<\/p>
$\"Dyfi$
Designing a great mountain bike track is both an art and a science. – Dan Griffiths | Moonhead Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Without a doubt, Atherton\u2019s greatest hit is the Hardline track \u2013 used for the annual race that attracts some of the world\u2019s best downhillers and freeriders \u2013 but how did it come to fruition?<\/p>
\u201cWe\u2019d got bored with World Cup tracks that didn\u2019t hold any technical challenges,” says Atherton.<\/p>
\u201cThey were just about going fast, and we wanted to reclaim that feeling of working out how best to tackle a feature, of challenging yourself.<\/p>
\u201cThe early years were definitely a transition for me \u2013 the stuff I\u2019d built before was always for us to ride, so it took a while to adjust.<\/p>
\u201cRiding your own tracks and riding something someone else has built are very different experiences.\u201d<\/p>
$\"Dyfi$
Machinery does much of the groundwork, but sculpting comes down to spadework. – Dan Griffiths | Moonhead Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
He elaborates: \u201cI was so comfortable with that mountain, that dirt, because I\u2019d been riding there for 15 years. But riders would turn up from America and it was so alien to them.<\/p>
\u201cI was surprised by how uncomfortable they were, but if I\u2019d gone to their local, I\u2019m sure I\u2019d have felt the same.<\/p>
\u201cIt was surprising to see the level of self-preservation that people operate on, and how sensible they are. I saw it at Hardline and it\u2019s a good thing \u2013 even more so at the bike park.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
Duncan Ferris<\/h2>
Trail crew lead supervisor at:<\/strong> BikePark Wales<\/p>
$\"Trail$
Duncan Ferris is the trail crew lead supervisor at Bikepark Wales. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
A former DMR team rider turned master builder, Bristol\u2019s Duncan Ferris has had a hand in the creation of many a famous trail over the years and is now head digger at the 1,200-acre BikePark Wales.<\/p>
\u201cI started by helping with the construction of the World Cup 4X track in 2004 and that slowly turned into a full-time profession,\u201d he explains.<\/p>
\u201cBy 2010, I was part of [trail design\/building company] Architrail, and later, [pump track specialists] Velosolutions.<\/p>
$\"Mountain$
Laurie Greenland styles it up on the Vanta pro line during BPW\u2019s annual Vanta Jam. – Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cProjects ranged from the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Legacy courses to multiple trail centres and pump tracks.<\/p>
\u201cI\u2019ve also done a number of Mexico street-race course builds, and a Pump For Peace project in the kingdom of Lesotho, Africa.<\/p>
\u201cI\u2019m now part of the team at BPW, where I\u2019ve had the opportunity to do projects such as our Vanta trail, which we worked on with Red Bull and Laurie Greenland.\u201d<\/p>
With an amazing 49.5km of trails already in place at the park and plans to add another 50km, how does the planning process work?<\/p>
$\"BikePark$
When it\u2019s dry, watering cans are just as essential as diggers for maintaining jumps. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cFirst, we look at the gaps we have in our current network and work out what would benefit the park. This steers us in a certain direction and we can then take customer feedback and trail crew input, and narrow down the desired options,\u201d Ferris explains.<\/p>
In-depth personal riding experience and monitoring also play a huge part in how the trails evolve.<\/p>
\u201cThe trail crew and I are best-placed to see how the trails are used. We see which are the most popular, and which sections the riders are enjoying. This gives us an invaluable insight into what would benefit the park and our customers.\u201d<\/p>
An important part of the job is ensuring that every trail reflects its [ability] grading, to keep riders safe.<\/p>
\u201cWe have a pretty strict grading system, and we\u2019ll decide what grade a trail will be given before construction even starts. This way, we have well-defined parameters to work from and a clear objective.<\/p>
$\"BikePark$
Ground conditions and the trail builder\u2019s style will inevitability influence what\u2019s built on the ground. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cIt\u2019s taken many years to refine our grading system. Mountain biking is inherently risky, and the ability to categorise a trail into a bracket of difficulty can\u2019t be defined by only using someone\u2019s level of skill.\u201d<\/p>
Needless to say, there\u2019s also a good amount of personality built into each track. \u201cTrails will always evolve throughout the design and build process,\u201d Ferris says.<\/p>
\u201cThe initial idea will develop and grow, and things like ground conditions and the trail builder\u2019s style will inevitability influence what\u2019s built on the ground. It\u2019s a very fluid process.\u201d<\/p>
$\"Bikepark$
An important part of the job is ensuring that every trail reflects its [ability] grading, to keep riders safe. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Unlike most trail centres \u2013 which are government-owned and managed by Natural Resources Wales or similar \u2013 the Welsh bike parks are privately run.<\/p>
They have to adhere to strict guidelines when it comes to designing and building new trails. \u201cPart of that is to consult with ecologists and archaeologists, to mitigate any adverse effects the trail might present,\u201d Ferris explains.<\/p>
\u201cIt\u2019s then a balancing act with the trail\u2019s sustainability and its effect on the surrounding landscape. We use our experience and judgment when making these decisions, because each build is unique and will have different parameters to work within.\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>
James Foster<\/h2>
Trail crew lead supervisor at:<\/strong> Revolution Bike Park<\/p>
$\"James$
James Foster is the Trail crew lead supervisor at Revolution Bike Park. – Andy Lloyd \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cBuild it and they will come,\u201d Kevin Costner famously said in Field of Dreams<\/em>, and that\u2019s exactly what brothers James and Tim Foster did when they sold their worldly goods, pawned the family silver and headed to North Wales armed with nothing but a bold dream, very limited trail-building experience and a degree of personal riding cred.<\/p>
Their creation, Revolution Bike Park<\/a>, proved hugely popular. Unfortunately, Revs, as it affectionately became known, is currently closed due to larch disease, but James and Tim are determined to get it up and running again as soon as possible.<\/p>
How on earth did they find such a hidden, remote location?<\/p>
$\"Kade$
Kade Edwards performing a whip at Revolution Bike Park. – Eisa Bakos \/ Red Bull Content Pool<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cWe were living in Cornwall, and quite quickly narrowed down the search to North Wales as a place that would work for the business and be somewhere we\u2019d actually like to live,\u201d James Foster explains.<\/p>
\u201cWe looked at various sites before deciding on Llangynog, as we felt that the site worked, and we loved the village and area. The whole family pooled all their assets and savings, and we bought the forest.<\/p>
\u201cTim worked really hard to involve the village as much as possible early on in the project and to be transparent about what our plans were. They\u2019ve been amazingly supportive from day one. We\u2019re very lucky to have stumbled upon such a great community.\u201d<\/p>
With only 120 acres to play with, the brothers knew a bike park would be a tight fit, but decided to go all-in anyway.<\/p>
$\"Revolution$
Revs was hugely popular with pros \u2013 including Swedish slopestyler Martin S\u00f6derstr\u00f6m. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cWe\u2019d travelled to various places in Europe to ride, and it gave us the idea that we could build something similar on a more condensed scale in the UK.<\/p>
\u201cAt that point, there weren\u2019t many full-time uplift-serviced venues here, so we thought we\u2019d have a go. We first had to build a road to the top of the hill and then everything followed and grew from there.\u201d<\/p>
Within their confined space, James and the trail builders created a masterpiece of efficiency. \u201cWe plan it by the lay of the land,\u201d he explains.<\/p>
\u201cI\u2019ve spent 12 years on that hill and I\u2019m familiar with pretty much every corner of it, and more importantly, what\u2019s underneath it. Knowing where the good dirt is allows me to plan for DH tracks or big jumps.<\/p>
\u201cThe main aim is to build stuff that we actually want to ride. We\u2019ve had a few different members of the trail crew over the years, and all have been passionate riders, so everyone\u2019s had an input and helped to create what we all enjoy.<\/p>
\u201cAnything that we make, we always come back to over time to make it better, so the trails are constantly evolving.\u201d<\/p>
$\"Revolution$
Creating a bike park is a massive \u2013 and very expensive \u2013 construction project. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
With trails such as the 50:01 and Vision lines, Revs has a well-earned reputation as the playground of the famous faces of the gravity elite.<\/p>
But with the pandemic and the recent venue-closing outbreak of tree disease, they\u2019ve had a tough time balancing the books.<\/p>
Revs 2.0 is now in the planning stage, although mother nature and the strive for perfection mean it\u2019ll be a while before they can reopen.<\/p>
\u201cThe hill has been cleared of trees and we\u2019re in the process of finalising the replanting plan,\u201d explains Susha Reynolds, the venue\u2019s business manager.<\/p>
$\"Revolution$
Getting the drainage right is always a big part of building a track in Wales. – unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\u201cIt\u2019s a steep learning curve and a very expensive job to replant, but obviously essential to ensure the future of the park and reinstate the habitats for wildlife. It should happen in early spring. We can then begin the next steps.\u201d<\/p>
She adds: \u201cWe very much intend to bring the park back, but don\u2019t want to do it in a way that\u2019d be detrimental to the reputation we\u2019ve built over the past 12 years. We\u2019ve neither a real timescale, yet, nor an opening date in mind, but it\u2019s likely to be years, not months, unfortunately.\u201d<\/p>
However long it takes, you can bet it\u2019ll be worth the wait.<\/p><\/div><\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n
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