Wheely Wild! *October dates for 2021*

Wheely Wild! is a mountain biking and forest activities experience run by Swift Trails and Michelle Fraser from Branching Upwards

Wheely Wild! aims to develop cycling confidence in girls & boys aged 7-11 years and provide opportunities for them to explore and interact with the woodland environment through Forest School type activities.

The group will be taken on a journey through Glentress Forest on forest roads and Green/Blue graded MTB trails stopping along the way for short sessions of generic biking tuition (led by Lucy Husband – Swift Trails) and woodland activities (led by Michelle Fraser – Branching Upwards)

Wheely Wild! is not about developing the next generation of competitive bikers – our aim is to adopt an inclusive approach to encourage young people to use their bike as a form of transport for exploring the outdoors and its potential for play, exploration and adventure.

A specific mountain bike is not needed to join Wheely Wild! but participants must have access to a bike that is well-maintained and safe to ride. It is also a pre-requisite of the course that participants can ride a bike and comfortably ride green MTB trails.

• Group size will not exceed 8
• Morning sessions run from 9:30 – 12:30 (£30) Afternoon sessions run from 1:30 – 4:30 (£30)
• Blocks run over 3 consecutive mornings on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (£85)
• Information about the format of the day will be sent out by email once a booking has been made
• Sessions will start and finish at The Gateway Building (Easter) adjacent to the lower carpark or the information board at Buzzards Nest (Summer)
• Bikes are not provided but can be rented at Alpine Bikes.
• Bikes must be well-maintained and safe to ride – they do not need to be specific MTBs
• Helmets are compulsory and gloves highly recommended.

About Branching Upwards

Michelle Fraser is an experienced Primary Teacher and Forest School Leader who has taught in schools in the Scottish Borders for over 10 years. From a young child she has always had a great love of the outdoors and spends much time outside with her family mountain biking, walking and camping. With her background in Psychology and through her observations as her role has an Educator, she has seen first hand the benefits that outdoor play can bring to individuals. In particular the benefits to mental and physical well-being such as improving confidence, resilience, communication and self regulation skills. It is her mission to get more children into nature to explore the endless learning possibilities it offers through her company Wild Seedlings and her Forest School work in local schools.

Qualifications:

• MA (Hons) Psychology
• PGDE Primary Teaching
• Forest School Leader
• BASP Outdoor Emergency First Aid

About Swift Trails

Lucy Husband is a Mountain Bike Leader and British Cycling Level 2 MTB instructor. She set up Swift Trails in 2015 to promote MTB to women. Aware that some women can feel intimidated by the stereotypical picture of mountain biking – which tends to be characterised by a culture where speed and technical challenge is everything- Lucy wanted to dispel this myth and get women out into the countryside to enjoy the “simple pleasures” of being outside in nature, with friends and family, keeping fit and mentally healthy. A chance meeting with Forest School Leader, Michelle Fraser led to the Wheeled Wildlings! idea – we hope you’ll be as excited by it as we are!

Qualifications:

• MBLA Mountain Bike Leader
• British Cycling Level 2 MTB instructor
• Cycling Scotland – Essential Cycling Skills Instructor
• Advanced Outdoor First Aid/First Aid at Work
• Cert Ed (secondary)
• BA (Hons) Psychology & English