Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland Podcast

How did Scotty get into mountain biking? What about those early days racing downhill? What's changed over the years to grow his love of riding at home? We sat down with him to find out all this and more.
In this podcast, our Head of Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland - Graeme McLean, chats with Scotty Laughland on how he got into bikes, his experience as a pro rider, transitioning into the media, and during lockdown rediscovering Scottish mountain biking.
The podcast tells tales of Scotty's experiences of riding across our fabulous land and into his favourite destinations. If you are inspired to ride then please check out our ride guide for both inspiration and practical tips and links to book your next amazing mountain bike holiday - check out - www.DMBinS.com/ride-guide
Don't forget if you book your holiday through our affiliate link with Expedia then 5% will be put back into maintaining and enhancing the trails you will be riding through our networks of trails associations.
Enjoy.

The Tweed Valley has a huge amount of iconic trails that are well known, well loved, and well ridden. There were very few people involved in the design and creation of these trails, 20 years ago, and here we speak to (he will not like this but we think he really is!) a real local legend, Dik Hamilton.

Dik Hamilton, was responsible for trails such as Berm Baby Berm, which he built entirely single handedly, with his five ton digger, the free ride and skills areas, Blue Velvet, the Mushrooms, Spooky Wood to name a few at Glentress. Caddon Bank, the DH tracks and the Innerleithen XC route at Traquair, with other legends in the craft of trail building, Andy Wardman and Pete Laing.

We caught up with him for a walk around some of these trails and a really interesting chat about those early days. A proper insight into how those trails really shaped the Valley as a real destination for mountain biking.

It’s 51.25 of pure gold. We urge you to take some time and have a listen the history of these trails and share our appreciation of this very humble man and those like him who have given so many of us our love and enjoyment of the sport by giving us such quality trails to cut our teeth on and progress to.

How does being immersed and active in nature help improve mental health?
Paul MacFarlane, Trail Therapy MTB Leader with Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland, chats with Viola Marx the Green Health Partnership Coordinator within Dundee City Council on how green health partnerships operate and her hopes in using mountain biking as part of the process of recovery from periods of mental ill-health.
Viola then turns the questions on Paul where she explores the mountain bike scene including its accessibility in Tayside & Fife and his hopes and ambitions for the Trail Therapy project in Dundee and the wider area.
The Trail Therapy project is supported by NatureScot, Trek and Edinburgh Napier University.
Podcast launched during Green Health Week and Mental Health Awareness week.

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought many new riders into our sport. In this podcast, representatives from NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland and mountain bike journalist, Aoife Glass, look at how we can keep them riding whilst educating them on responsible access, and also look at our cumulative impact on the environment.
Just what has been the Covid impact on our outdoors? How do we mitigate against any negative impacts to this growth in accessing the outdoors.
The interview was part of the Scottish MTB Gathering 2020.

Trevor Ferrao from Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA) explains how they have led the stewardship of mountain biking trails in the Whistler valley for over 30 years.
Simon Christensen, Silkeborg Kommune, Denmark explains how a structured partnership approach of investment from Local Government and nature protection agencies has helped grow the trail network working with volunteers.
PayDirt is Santa Cruz’s commitment to increasing access to trails by supporting the work of people who make it happen. They have pledged to donate $1 million over the next three years towards trail projects, local organisations, events and programs that are geared towards creating and strengthening opportunities for people to get out on the trails. Find out more from Seb Kemp & Katie Zaffke.
What can Scotland learn from these models? What support do they receive and is it transferrable or can this successful model be replicated in Scotland?