Scottish mountain biking expansion gathers speed

A funding package has been announced to back the expansion of mountain biking in Scotland.

The £185,000 from the Scottish government builds on £1m it invested in the sector along with Forestry and Land Scotland last year.

Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop unveiled the boost ahead of the publication of a new national mountain biking strategy.

She made the announcement at the Glentress centre near Peebles in the Scottish Borders.

"Scotland has much to offer those who want to enjoy physical, exhilarating challenges in a beautiful setting and the Tourism Scotland 2020 Strategy highlights the growth potential of adventure tourism," she said.

"By using our natural terrain and the expertise of organisations such as the Mountain Bike Consortium, we can further develop mountain biking opportunities to grow the sector and attract even more visitors, particularly to our rural areas such as Dumfries and Galloway, and the Borders.

"This funding - alongside the strategy it supports - will unlock a number of benefits, getting people more active and increasing the economic contribution of mountain biking to Scotland.

"It is particularly timely as we build up to hosting the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023 - the first time all 13 cycling disciplines will be held in one place at one time."