Bike patrols have existed in the United States for years, however, the Tweed Valley is the first such patrol in Britain and is affiliated to the International Mountain Bike Association.
What to expect
As a patroller, you will never be expected to act as an enforcer. You are simply there to help forest visitors in need of assistance, and Forestry Commission Scotland staff are on hand to help volunteer patrollers at all times.
You will be provided with a handbook describing your exact duties, and during training will acquire all the skills you need to be a patroller. In essence, you are there to:
- Promote responsible enjoyment of the forests and particularly mountain biking trails – informing, assisting and educating trail users
- Keep Forestry Commission Scotland staff well informed on trail conditions and visitor behaviour
- Make Tweed Valley forests a safer place to be.
What experience do I need?
As a general rule, if you have completed around 20 mountain bike rides of 2 hours or more over mixed terrain, or feel very comfortable with being able to do this, you may apply. If you’re not sure whether you have the necessary experience, contact the patrol and we can advise you further. (Email: andy.weir@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or call the Tweed Valley Bike Patrol Coordinator on 07920 751733.) And...
We want as wide a spread of volunteers as possible
You don’t have to be a mountain biking god or goddess to join and we are looking for as many types of people as possible. Already we have excellent candidates of all ages and backgrounds with a common will to ‘put something back’ into mountain biking. Everyone brings their own personal skill sets into the patrol and these are shared to make the patrol community stronger.
If you aren’t very familiar with the Tweed Valley's forests, aren’t confident in your fitness or bike repair skills, or have never dealt with emergencies before, don’t worry. The patrol is a great reason to enjoy filling in the gaps in your knowledge and you will never be asked to patrol alone until you have confidence in your abilities.
What sort of commitment do I need to make?
You are asked to commit at least 8 days a year to the patrol and to complete the necessary training to achieve ‘Trail Cycle Leader’ qualifications. To achieve this, you must also complete a two-day outdoor first aid course. These courses will be arranged for you and supplemented by further training.
Whilst unqualified, you can gain vital patrol experience with mountain bike rangers and senior patrollers. Once trained, you will have an invaluable skill set to improve your own mountain biking. Our goal is to make the patrol enjoyable enough that you’ll want to become a regular patroller.
What can I expect during a typical patrol session?
A typical patrol day might consist of:
- After picking up your patrol backpack, complete with all the equipment you need, head out for a ride, a visible source of assistance in your bike patrol cycling gear.
- You might find a family mountain biking for the first time, and give them advice on the best trail to head for and how to use the gears on their bikes efficiently.
- Then perhaps you’ll come across a rider with a broken chain at the top of a climb. You’ll help them fix their chain to continue their ride.
- On rare occasions you might come across an accident and provide first aid whilst co-ordinating any further assistance required.
- But you’ll probably spend the majority of your day chatting to other mountain bikers and making the most of the trails.
Read more about how to volunteer, or simply email: andy.weir@forestry.gsi.gov.uk to tell us you're interested and we’ll get back to you with details of how to go forward with your application.
