School's Austrian Cycling Trip

Monday, 06 September 2010

The last week in August saw Bolton School pupils, staff and parents join together for the first ever school mountain bike trip.  

The venue was nine days in the Austrian mountains at Westendorf, Tirol. The superb accommodation was at the pension of Old Boltonian, Clive Nightingale and his family (www.pensionchristoph.at). The sixteen strong group was trained and escorted on bike rides by the Bike Academy, Austria who provided a very professional and friendly service (www.bikeacademy.com). The bikes used were of the highest quality and the instructors spoke superb English. 

The rides varied from an opening skill day, where each rider was put through their paces and coached by the instructors on the bike academies purpose built circuit. The harder rides took us up over 2,000 metres, one such day was after a 2ft deposit of fresh snow - in August?! The lift passes we had purchased came in very handy as we worked our way around the Kitzbuehler region. After cycling, we relaxed in one of the many open air pools in the area.  The group ate their way through a mountain of food as appetites grew and our legs became tired! 

The party returned late on Sunday night at the end of a tough but very enjoyable trip.  Plans are already in place for next years trip! 

Our thanks must go to Clive, his wife Christine, and their two boys, Angus and Huw, for their superb hospitality, and also to; Kurt, Matthios and Marcus at the bike academy for their expertise up in the mountains.

Paul Fernside