At the Grafham Water centre

A new mountain bike trail will be built at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire thanks to a grant from a local business.

Mick George, a construction industry supplier, has donated £39,000 to bring the trail to life. Grafham Water already has a 10km scenic trail that loops around the reservoir but the grant will add a “compressed section of mountain bike trail to develop safe riding and technical biking skills for users of all ages and levels”.

It seems like the trail will follow the standard layout for a skills trail with different lines for experienced and novice riders.

Jon Stump, finance director at Mick George Ltd, said: “Grafham Water attracts visitors from all over the country and Mick George Ltd are keen to support any activity that will enhance the life skills and health of individuals that use the facility.”

Watch the opening of the UK’s first crowd funded trail

Now we know what you’re thinking, and while it’s true that a sheet of bubble wrap has more elevation than certain parts of Cambridgeshire (it’s famously home to Britain’s lowest point – Holme Fen, 9ft below sea level) that doesn’t mean that this is a wasted effort.

Many trail centres, such as Sherwood Pines, do a great deal with very little elevation, especially with modern trail building techniques. And while we get the impression that this will be mainly a beginner trail, anything that brings new riders to the sport has to be a good thing.

Unfortunately we don’t have any details on when the trail will open or even what the trail will look like but we’ll keep you posted with any updates.