Why We're Currently Closed
You can see the latest details surrounding the temporary closure of Aston Hill here. For a quick overview we have answered some of the most common questions we receive below.
Why is aston hill closed.
Aston Hill is currently closed following the annual tree survey which has identified a large number of ash trees with Chalara ash dieback.
This disease causes a significant risk of safety to the public and therefore the risks of having the park open before the affected trees have been removed are too great.
Why can't the trees just be removed.
The large number of trees involved and the difficult terrain means that Forestry England need to engage specialist contractors with the right equipment to fell the trees. Infected ash also poses a risk to chainsaw operators on the ground as the stems are brittle and dead branches in the crown can fall. Consequently, Forestry Englands risk assessment points to mechanical takedown (e.g harvesters) as the preferred option where ever possible.
what is ash die back.
Ash dieback is a highly destructive disease of ash trees across Europe, causing crown dieback and mortality and consequently there is a heightened risk to users from falling dead branches and collision with fallen branches or trees. Due to the large numbers involved and the speed of deterioration observed over the past year, it is currently not safe to open the bike park.
when will aston hill Bike Park open again.
Aston Hill will be able to re-open following the planned felling works and repairs to the trail network have taken place. Forestry England are working on the extraction details continuously and we are targeting Autumn 2021 for re-opening, however this is an evolving situation and no timescales can be guaranteed.