If you are a regular at Shotover then you may know that it’s a really great spot for mountain biking, but there’s also some gentle slopes and fun jumps in the eastern corner which can be accessed via Hosrpath.
It reminds me of a BMX track I used to go to all the time when I was younger – I absolutely loved it – thrilling and terrifying at the same time! This is on a bigger scale though with some serious gradient on the jumps and hills but also some smaller ones for the less confident riders by the jump area. Whilst we enjoyed watching the older kids and their impressive air tricks (you will see some insane stunts if the pros are there!), my son was super keen to get involved too on some of the gentler slopes and hills. It took him a while to get his confidence up but soon he was whizzing along, standing up on the pedals to get up the slopes and feeling so proud of himself. He even managed some of the steeper hills by the end, with me shouting ‘On the brakes! On the brakes!!!’ ringing in his ears.
What I really really loved about our visit was the way the older mountain bikers were encouraging the younger cyclists and letting them have their turn whilst waiting patiently; genuinely nice kids enjoying an afternoon in the park and sharing the space considerately.
Just a reminder: make sure everyone wears a helmet to this sort of adventure as slips and skids will happen.
