Wetherby Pumptrack built in just 48 hours!

Wetherby Bike Trails are celebrating their first big challenge by getting the community to help build a pumptrack in just 48 hours.

Credit: Wetherby Bike Trails

Over 80 people of all ages volunteered to join the community group to shovel and shape a total of 60 tonnes of limestone creating a pump track for young children, the first facility of its kind in the town on Millennium Field.

And as planned, it means the Little Toe as it’s known and shaped like a footprint, will be visible from the air for the TV helicopters covering the Tour De Yorkshire as the race arrives this weekend.

Credit: Wetherby Bike Trails

“Saturday was amazing,” said organiser Richard Plummer. “We had so many families and kids getting stuck in. We could not believe the support. We’re just all so proud we have made this happen. Ever since the TDY came to Yorkshire it’s legacy is we’ve gone cycling crazy.”

The group was formed on social media last summer supported by expert trailbuilders SingletrAction, to waymark, map and help maintain the off-road trails around Wetherby and Harrogate and they devised a 27 mile trail. But they quickly expanded their plans into creating two community cycling facilities.

Credit: Wetherby Bike Trails

Phase one has been the Little Toe with the idea that children should not need to pedal too much, but use momentum to get their way around the circuit which has fun bumps and corners. The volunteers built it all through fundraising and their own time and key to the success were grants from Wetherby Town Council and Wetherby Lions.

The next phase is a more expansive and challenging bike skills track in the woods close by, after a local family donated their land to the council for only one pound.

“The Little Toe needs a few days to settle, so it's not ready for riding yet, but we will make everyone aware when it’s open,” said Richard. “Next we need to move to planning phase two and that can only happen with significant fundraising. I think everyone can see from what we’ve done this weekend that when we put our minds to it with the community on board, we can have a really positive impact. Build it. Ride it. Enjoy it.”

www.wetherbybiketrails.co.uk