Cycle coaching, bike hire, mini bike
tracks, skills loops, barbecues and other accessible cycling
activities will be on offer at two family focused free Cycle Fun
Days that will kick start this year's Highland Perthshire Cycling
Festival this weekend (Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 June 2012).
Both events are aimed at encouraging
locals and visitors of all ages and abilities to have a go at
cycling whilst, at the same time, promoting the huge range of
opportunities there are for on and off road cycling in Highland
Perthshire.
Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for
EventScotland said: 'Opening the Highland Perthshire Cycling
Festival with cycle fun days is a fantastic idea, which will give
families the chance get on their bikes and get involved in a number
of ways. Scotland is the perfect stage for events, and the 2012
festival will most certainly appeal to both novices and experienced
riders alike with a strong programme of events, workshops and
coaching sessions attracting visitors from the local community and
further afield.'
On Saturday 5 May Progression Bikes will
run the Dunkeld Cycle Fun Day, being staged opposite the Atholl
Arms, Dunkeld from 11:00 to 16:00. A range of cycle coaching
and bike maintenance workshops will be mixed with have a go
sessions on a new cycle course and pump track and a cycle obstacle
course. There will also be some great discounts on bike kit
in the Progression Bikes shop on the day. There will also be a
barbecue to refuel all of the hungry cyclists.
Emma Burtles from Highland Perthshire
Cycling, organisers of the Highland Perthshire Cycling said:
'There has never been a better time to discover or perhaps
re-discover cycling, whether for leisure or to get to the places
you need to get to. With so many benefits for the economy,
health and environment we should all be doing it, a lot
more.'
'The Cycle Fun Days that have been
organised this weekend to get the Highland Perthshire Cycling
Festival underway are the perfect opportunity for all of the family
to get on a bike in a warm and friendly environment and, most
importantly, discover how much fun you can have on a bike.'
The Highland Safaris two-wheeled Cycle
Fun Day is being staged in Dull, newly twinned with Boring in the
USA, on Sunday 6 May from 10:00 until 17:00. The highlights
of this multi activity cycle day include an opportunity to try out
a new range of Scott mountain bikes, a guided single track ride
starting at 2500 feet, a time trials competition on a one kilometre
skills loop, a selection of funny bikes to have a laugh on and bike
maintenance from Dr Bike, just in case. Cyclists can refuel
with a barbecue whilst watching some awesome mountain bike footage
on a giant screen.
Adam Flint, from Progression Bikes,
said: 'Our cycle fun day and The Highland Perthshire Cycling
Festival, as a whole, are fantastic examples of local businesses
and communities in the area supporting the promotion of cycling in
the area. With more and more cyclists coming to Highland Perthshire
for events such as Etape Caledonia it's great to see everyone
getting on board!'
This year's Highland Perthshire Cycling
Festival has a diverse programme of (mainly) free road and mountain
bike events, aimed at cyclists of all ages and abilities, that will
be staged across the region from Friday 4th to Sunday 13th of
May. The busy roster of
races, guided rides (with local
enthusiasts both on and off road), skills sessions, workshops,
women's events, a schools programme, family fun days and cultural
events all culminate in the legendary Etape Caledonia Sportive
weekend. For accommodation availability.
http://www.cyclehighlandperthshire.com and l;ook under
accommodation.
For more information on Progression Bikes
and Highland Safaris go to:
