As COVID-19 took hold and excursions were placed on hold we needed to put on our thinking hats about replacing some of our Outdoor Education activities, so we built a mountain bike track!
We thought about an activity that the students could help design, build and then use. We got expert advice from the Western Trails Alliance and commenced the project.
It took many hours of walking, flagging, measuring, planning, digging, sawing, trimming, raking and compressing! Utilising the brains and brawn of students and staff alike the effort commenced, Outdoor Education classes using lesson time and volunteering ensured its completion. It became a perfect addition to the recent cross-country carnival giving a safe and clear route through our magnificent campus fringes.
Now after health and safety inspections and many practice runs, we have our own school based mountain bike track, one that needs no travel to get to, one that is suited to all and one that generations to come can enjoy. So we now have a mountain bike track!
Can you complete it in less than the course record time of two minutes and 15 seconds?
Next on the list was the Phase 2 of the project which involved the development of a “skinny” skills section at the end of the course (a series of challenges to develop rider dexterity using old railway sleepers). Now that this section has been completed … well the sky is the limit when you put together hard workers and good ideas, it’s great to see what the community can achieve!
Mr Ben Allsop
Head of Sport, PE and Health
