Stuart Startup enjoys a hard day at the office

As we've commented in the past, England is trailing (so to speak) somewhat behind Scotland and Wales when it comes to purpose-built MTB centres. But with a number of English trail projects underway, things are moving in the right direction.

Another step in England's trail centre evolution has just been taken with the appointment of the Forestry Commission's first Bike Ranger in England. Stuart Startup, 25, from Hunmanby near Filey, has become Bike Ranger at Dalby Forest, home of what will be the country's most extensive purpose-built singletrack network, it says here.

The full 34 mile, £400,000 network is due to be opened in May - some sections are open now and there's just a few bits to be completed.

Before taking up his new job, Stuart worked as a forest craftsman in the 8,600-acre woodland, near Pickering, North Yorkshire. A keen biker in his spare time, he'll be responsible for checking trails, supervising maintenance work and providing a link between the public and forest chiefs and engineers.

"Getting in the saddle is the best way for me to do this job," said Stuart. "It's going to involve a lot of riding and I'll have to get my hands dirty to ensure the trails stay in good condition. They offer an absolutely fabulous riding experience and will put the forest on the map. It's a dream job, apart from when the snow's falling."

The Dalby Forest scheme has been backed by £140,000 from the EU's Objective 2 programme. Other project partners include independent riders group SingletrAction and trail designer Adrian Carter from Pace Cycles at Kirkbymoorside.