CHILDREN at a school near Tenbury are enjoying some exciting new cycling adventures.

The pupils of Abberley Hall School have helped to build mountain bike tracks, which can be used at day and in the evening, up and down hills and through woodlands within their grounds.

The youngsters assisted with designing the challenging network of trails and have a new workshop where they can repair and maintain their cycles.

“We have a very adventurous outdoor ethos at Abberley and the school is lucky enough to be set in a beautiful 90 acre site on top of a hill so this activity is ideal for us,” said teacher Michael Raven, who has also worked in the mountain bike industry in the UK and in the French Alps.

“The new tracks start from the iconic Abberley clock tower and wind their way down through the woods towards the bottom of the site. Building the trails was great fun and we now have an extensive woodland network for regular cross country running events and outdoor exploring.

“Children helped to choose the best lines down the hills and were keen to include natural features such as tree roots to make the rides more exciting. Creating the uphill trails was a challenge as we wanted gentle inclines which the younger children could tackle.”

The school holds weekly mountain biking sessions throughout the summer and autumn terms for girls and boys aged eight to 13 and a bright rechargeable lighting system has been installed to allow evening rides.

“What’s great is that this activity allows the children to develop their leadership and team skills in a completely new setting,” added Mr Raven.

“They really encourage each other to push themselves. It’ less about being first and more about climbing a hill or doing something that they didn’t think was previously possible.

“I also teach the children to maintain the bikes and repair punctures.”