Hoping for a big comeback after last year’s foot and mouth disruption, the Forestry Commission are staging the 10th Kielder Reiver Challenge on May 25th. Mountain bikers of all ages and abilities are welcome along to pit their skills against a course of their own devising.

The event is a mix of off-roading and orienteering and takes place in England’s biggest forest, Kielder Forest, Northumberland. As with other trail quest events, entrants score points by checking into the 20 control stations dotted around the 155,000 acre forest. They check into as many checkpoints as they like and in whatever order they like, which effectively means every team/rider choses their own course. The more remote checkpoints are worth the most points and these tend to lure the top class riders who are taking part in the event as part of the UK Trail Quest League championship.

There are ten competitor categories ranging from solo men and ladies to veteran pairs so you should be able to find something that matches your standard.
The organisers recommend that would-be competitors ensure themselves a place by registering early, as the event has proved popular in the past.

Ranger Pippa Kirkham commented: “The competition is named after the fearless brigands who once roamed the
Borders and recaptures a real spirit of adventure.” Being ignorant of things Reiver, this sounded interesting and luckily there’s a website all about the Reivers which told us, “Whilst the border wars raged between England and Scotland through the 14th to the 16th centuries, the family clans of the border hills lived in their own state of semi-lawlessness. Sheep stealing and burning each other’s homes became part of their everyday life.”

You can even check out the list of common Reiver names to see whether your descendants were a bunch of marauding villains. But we’re sure that you can leave your swords and matches at home on May 25th.

Application forms are available by contacting 01434 220242 or writing to Kielder Forest Park, Eals Burn, Bellingham, Northumberland, NE48
2AJ. The entry fee is £11 (£9 for Trail Cyclist Association members), which
includes hot refreshments at the finish.

For those looking for accomodation, a special rate accomodation rate of £10 per person has been negotiated with
Kielder Youth Hostel for Reiver participants (contact 01434 250195).