Mountain bikers and volunteers from the Lake District Osprey Project will be among those taking part in a rally at Whinlatter this weekend to oppose plans to transfer forests out of public hands.
Mountain bikers are being encouraged to take part in a Ride to Save Our Forests as part of the rally in England’s only mountain forest on Saturday, February 19, which is being organised by Save Lakeland’s Forests and Friends of the Lake District.
Riders will take part in a 19km cycle protest the visitor centre at 11am.
The rally will then get underway next to the main car park at 1pm.
Campaigners claim that mountain biking is one of the activities most threatened by the Government's plans. Alex Kemp, a mountain biker from Brampton who will be helping at the event on Saturday, says: "The trails in the Lakes are definitely among the best in the country. I ride at Whinlatter or Grizedale at least once a week and always meet people who have come from all over the country, and even the world to ride there.
"If the forestry land got sold, it would be unlikely we would see trails of this calibre in England again. Private firms would have no reason to develop or even keep these trails open."
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