Dan Atherton and the Dyfi dig crew have built a new freeride zone at Dyfi Bike Park, opening on Thursday, 11 June. Sponsored by DeWalt, it is the park's first dedicated progression area and sits on Lower Mountain.

The zone has been in development for months. Before a digger turned a wheel, Dyfi put a feature board in the café and invited riders to pin the elements they most wanted to see built. That feedback shaped the design alongside ideas from the team, with freeride specialist and event builder Sam Hodgson brought in to help finalise it.

The inspiration came from outside mountain biking: skateparks, snowboard stash parks and skiing all informed the layout. The result is an area roughly the size of three football pitches, surfaced in badger-sand for all-weather riding and wide enough to push back up and session individual features. The lead-in from the trail is an easy red, and once riders reach the zone, the trail splits into multiple lines.

Features include berms, step-ups, dirt spines, mulch jumps and wooden ramps with A and B line options and lip sizes ranging from 8 to 11 feet. The standout addition is a dirt bowl, described by Dan Atherton as the first of its kind at any UK bike park. Inspired by skateboarding, it has three different lips and is designed to be ridden in multiple ways: carving the sides, airing out, or using it as a landing.

Alf Rayner, who built the wooden features, noted the team used calculated ramp radii for the first time rather than building by eye. A wooden 13-foot step-up marks the transition point where the trail opens into the progression area.

DeWalt Jam, Thursday 11 June - Sold Out!

To mark the opening, Dyfi is hosting an evening jam session with a lineup of pro riders. Tickets are £2, with all proceeds going to Welsh Air Ambulance. The evening includes food, drink, music and a raffle. Uplift runs as normal during the day, and the jam follows in the evening. Tickets are priced at £2 and have sold out ahead of the event.

Trail of the Year 2026

Dyfi Bike Park is in the running for the iBikeRide Trail of the Year 2026. If you have ridden the park, your rating counts toward the final results. Leave your review on the Dyfi Bike Park listing.