A free bike skills area with a pump track, berms and jumps is close to finishing at the National Trust's Arlington Court estate near Barnstaple.

Builders Forte Trailscapes say they are close to finishing a new bike skills park on the National Trust's Arlington Court estate in North Devon. It is part of a new Outdoor Hub at North Woolley, which the National Trust says will open in autumn 2026.

What is being built

The National Trust describes the cycling area as a skills area with a pump track, including berms, ramps and jumps, and an introductory route for younger riders. Forte's latest progress shot shows a hard-surfaced pump track of rollers and bermed corners, with bare earth still showing between the lines.

The planning documents go further. They describe green and blue graded lines aimed at both first-timers and more confident riders and older children, built to show the difference between trail grades and to give novices a taste of mountain biking. The area is designed for a range of wheeled kit, including scooters, balance bikes, hand cycles, assisted bikes and wheelchairs. The final layout was left to the build stage, so that it could be designed with user groups, and the council had to approve it before work began.

Alongside it is a 1.2km surfaced trail for cyclists, wheelchair users, walkers and pushchairs, which links into the wider network of paths across the Arlington estate. The hub also has a natural play area, a car park, toilets, a kiosk, picnic areas and a community space.

Where it is and what it costs

North Woolley is just off the A39 at Shirwell, under ten minutes' drive from Barnstaple. The hub sits outside the paid-entry part of Arlington Court, so it is free to use. There is a parking charge, which National Trust members do not pay.

How it got here

The National Trust submitted its plans in December 2024 after 18 months of consultation with local groups. North Devon Council approved the application on 22 January 2026, covering the outdoor hub, a new access from the A39, the car park, visitor facilities, the accessible trail and the cycling skills area.

Forte Trailscapes, founded by former BMX world champion Kye Forte, built Dartmoor Bike Park and Burlish Bike Park, as well as a string of pump tracks around Devon. In an Instagram update this week, the team said they had been "on the tools" all summer.

What happens next

No opening date has been announced yet. Updates will come from the National Trust's Outdoor Hub at North Woolley page and from Forte Trailscapes on Instagram. We will add the skills park to the trail directory once it opens.

Photo: progress at the Arlington skills park, courtesy of Forte Trailscapes.