Aston Hill Bike Park | Temporary closure FAQs

When does felling work to remove the diseased trees finish?

Extensive felling work has been completed across the site – The timber has been extracted and removed from site. The Car Park has now been fully resurfaced and has completed it consolidation. We will be finishing the reinstatement of the emergency access tracks this spring. The site is still CLOSED to the public, please follow all warning and prohibition signage.

Is the bike park closing for good? 

No.

Forestry England is committed to getting the much loved and socially important site back to a working and thriving bike Park.

 The response from the mountain bike community has been fantastic, thank you for your patience whilst the site has remained inaccessible. We fully understand the disappointment around the closure of the popular trails and would like to thank the community, especially Bike Park Chilterns CIC for the ongoing support and understanding. 

Why has the Hill been closed for so long? 

The physical work to remove all of the diseased trees has been extensive. We have also been delayed due to the extremely wet conditions making it hard to reconstruct the car park and emergency access track. The majority of this work is now completed. We (FE) planned a tendering the opportunity in Autumn/Winter 2023 and looking to begin working with the successful awardee to plan and develop the site from winter 2023- Spring 2024.

Work programs have had to be reprioritised during this time – delivery times are now to set the Tender opportunity Spring 2024 and look to start construction work from Summer 2024, ready for an Autumn opening.

Shortly a Public Information Notice will be released to support us to identify potential interested parties prior to going to Tender.

We (FE) see this as a huge opportunity and are fully committed to getting the site back up and running as a Premier Downhill Mountain bike facility and look forward to working with experts in this field to do so.

Why was the site closed to begin with? 

Aston Hill had one of the highest densities of ash in the local area, the ash trees have provided the woodland environment that we all enjoy. However over recent years we've seen significant decline in their health due to a fungal disease called Chalara fraxinea and this has led to safety concerns. Chalara ash dieback is a serious disease of ash trees caused by a fungus called Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. The disease affects ash trees by blocking the water transport systems, causing leaf loss, lesions in the wood and on the bark. This leads to the dieback of the crown of the tree. Trees become brittle over time with branches breaking away from the main body of the tree. If they are not dealt with, trees are at risk of collapsing, presenting an immediate danger to the surrounding area. To protect everyone’s safety, we have been removing trees that are a risk.

To safely fell the affected ash and to thin out the other tree species, to improve the woodland ecology and maintain tree health, we have brought in specialist contractors with skills and experience in steep ground working and until this work has been completed the site must remain closed. During this time we ask everyone to stay safe by adhering to the onsite signage and barriers at trail starts.

Aston Hill as the name suggests is situated on a hill with gradients well in excess of 13%. Therefore standard mechanical felling with powered access and standard mechanical harvesting equipment is unsuitable to remove the trees. We need to work with a specialist company and due to the demand for this specialist work and a growing demand for similar felling across England, we have faced significant delays to the operational start date and wet weather at the start of the works has delayed the completion date. In addition to the complexities of felling the trees, We are working with local utilities to work areas around high voltage power lines. Aston Hill is also home to a wide range of flora and fauna. Some of the species found in the area are internationally significant and receive the highest protected status. We care for more than a quarter of a million hectares of habitat for wildlife across the nation's forests, helping to create healthy and natural ecosystems.

Have you removed all the trees on site? 

No. We have focused on the worst affected ash and have also complete planned thinning operations to space out the other tree species, which will help improve the woodland ecology and maintain tree health. Once the facilities have been reinstated or created, we will look to replant the area with native broadleaves. 

Will the work damage the trails? 

The felling and removal of tree on the steep grounds of Aston Hill was always going to be challenging, the operators have done a fantastic job of preserving significant sections of trail. However, some damage was inevitable. However, we will be working with user group experts and representatives to ensure that the sites trail network is designed to better allow for future tree harvesting operations. The site will be managed by a sector expert through an open tender exercise. It also offers an exciting opportunity of a relatively blank canvas to work from, unconstrained by existing trail lines.  

Where else can I ride whilst the bike park is closed? 

Suggested sites include: 

• Rushmere Country Park - Riders Ridge Bike Park and 6km XC Trail - 15 miles from Aston Hill (AH) 
• Woburn Woods - Woburn Bike Park and the Longslade XC Trail - 23 miles from AH
• Chicksands Bike Park - 33 miles from AH
• Swinley Forest - 50 miles from AH
• Surrey Hills - 60 miles from AH
• Rogate B1kePark - 80 miles from AH. 

What’s happening to Firecrest Mountain Biking and the Skills Courses they run at Aston Hill Bike Park? 

Firecrest Mountain Biking are continuing to run Mountain Bike Courses and have moved their course programme to Rushmere Country Park. Whilst Rushmere Country Park doesn’t offer the elevation of Aston Hill Bike Park there are some fantastic trails for skills coaching both in the Riders Ridge Bike Park and on the 6km Cross Country loop. Firecrest MTB will be returning to run their programme of courses on Aston Hill as soon as the park re-opens. To find out more about the courses they offer, visit their website. 

Am I going to take ash dieback home after I visit nearby Wendover Woods?

We all have a part to play in the prevention of the spread of pests and diseases. Though Chalara ash dieback spreads on the wind-borne spores of the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, and so there is little we can do to prevent the spread of the disease, the spread of other threats can be slowed or stopped by:

• Pests and diseases can spread in the mud and debris on shoes, paws and tyres, so simple measures such as cleaning your boots and car wheels after a walk in forests and woodlands can help to limit the spread of diseases.
• Don’t risk it! Don’t bring any plant or tree products back from trips abroad, because these might be carrying harmful non-native tree pests or pathogens.
• Be vigilant! Report any trees that you suspect are in ill-health to the Forestry Commission using Tree Alert

• Join us! You can help us to protect trees against the threat of pests and diseases by becoming a member of Forestry England.