Cannock Chase’s Monkey Trail will celebrate its first birthday on April 17, with more than 100,000 bikes ripping up the eight kilometre route in its debut year – the equivalent of riding around the world 51 times. 

The Monkey Trail, an extension of the existing Follow the Dog route, is red graded and includes short, sharp climbs, flowing, technical descents and optional black graded lines.

“I am absolutely thrilled at the way the trail has been received by its users,” said Forestry Commission visitor services manager Andy Coggins.

“We have had well over 100,000 rides since the launch with more than a million miles of healthy riding – this makes all the hard work and dedication of the Chase Trails volunteers and the Forestry Commission worthwhile.”

The Monkey Trail was created as part of a £200,000 investment in Cannock Chase’s facilities.

Chase Trails volunteers and partners raised more than £60,000 for the project, £28,000 of which came from the Staffordshire Aggregates Levy Grant Scheme. Sport England awarded the initiative £130,800 of National Lottery funding.

Rob Lamb, of Chase Trails, added: “It is great to see how well received the trail has been by the thousands of people riding it every week.

“This has been very rewarding for all the volunteers who gave up their time to help design and build it. We are really proud of what we have created and love riding it.”

For more information about Cannock Chase, head to www.forestry.gov.uk/cannockforest