The Wolftrax Mountain Bike Centre in Strathmashie Forest, part of the Cairngorms National Park, is set to expand as a result of high visitor numbers.

The range of routes on offer at the visitor attraction will be expanded and an off-road link from the centre to nearby Laggan village will be built so that cyclists can avoid the A86 trunk road.

Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) will fund the development.

According to an evaluation carried out at the centre in summer 2006, 75 per cent of 500 visiting mountain bikers interviewed rated the facility as ‘very good’ and 95 per cent of 100 walking visitors interviewed said they were in the area to specifically visit the Laggan Wolftrax facility.

The FCS anticipates that as a result, Wolftrax attracted 16,000 new visitors over the last 12 months, earning an additional annual expenditure of £280,000 for the local area and businesses.

FCS district forester Jack Mackay said: “This is the first independent study commissioned for Laggan Wolftrax, and the results are very pleasing, but we must not be complacent.

“The successes should be seen as a springboard for a broader marketing approach for the area. Local accommodation providers could increase promotion of the development and raise awareness of its additional attractions to generate more overnight stays, such as walking and pony trekking trails.

“It is also important to maintain and continue to enhance the cycle trails themselves. Recent visitors to the area will have already noticed the start of this work, with directional signs from the A9 already in place.”

The facility opened in 2004. Details: www.forestry.gov.uk or www.cairngorms.co.uk