Trails are the lifeblood of mountain biking. Communities across the UK are benefiting economically from the recent massive uptake in the sport. Trail centers have been key to that growth, introducing new riders in a safe environment that offers achievable progression. Up and to a point. As our skills improve and our desire for ever more challenging singletrack increases, we move away from the trail center to what many call “wild trails”, also known as unauthorized trails.
In Trails on Trial, Manon Carpenter takes us on a journey across the UK, documenting the past, present and future state of these wild trails. From the Tweed Valley in Scotland, where access laws are generous, to the Valleys in South Wales where access laws are somewhat more restrictive, Manon shows us how mountain bikers, government agencies, land owners and businesses are mobilizing to ensure the future of these fundamental facilities is secured.
How are wild trails managed in your local area? Tell us about your experiences in the comments.
From DWACO:
Riders the world over have developed a language of love for trails. Be it seasoned shredders or newcomers to the sport, we all understand the feeling of entering the elusive “flow state.” Often, this is how we interpret the trails we love to ride—they’re defined by their nuanced, unique traits, like gnarled set of roots or perfectly poised berms. They’re memories and moments we all cherish.
But behind the layers of soil, rock, and cambers lie ingredients that are integral to the trail’s being. We might not even understand their role, or existence, but the combination of hardy people, little-understood laws, and collaborations between builders and land managers are crucial to the very soul of the trail. Without them, trails sit on the knife’s edge between continuation and destruction.
In this documentary, the former World Cup downhill and World Champion, Manon Carpenter, undertakes a journey of discovery. Visiting riders and builders from across mainland Britain, she uncovers what it takes for mountain biking to become an accepted, thriving part of communities. Along the way, managers of large swathes of land where trails are situated share their point of view about why trail existence, and management, is a complex undertaking. When tensions arise, they share how they can be diffused, and eventually transitioned, into collaborations for the benefit of all.
Follow Manon on IG: @manoncarpenter
Follow DW Agency on IG: @dwaco
You can learn more about the trail associations and groups featured in this film by visiting:
Ride Sheffield
Developing Mountain biking in Scotland
The Tweed Valley Trail Association
Risca Riders
You can read the current national guidelines from agencies we visited by clicking the following links:
Forestry England
Scottish Unauthorised trail guide
Natural Resource Wales
