Dafydd Davis
Encyclopedia
Dafydd Caradog Davis MBE
is a Welsh
mountain bike
trail builder, known for the creation of several major UK
mountain biking resorts such as Coed-y-Brenin
.
Davis received an MBE in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours
list for 'services to forestry'.
Davis is an all-round mountain athlete. He has represented his country as a fell runner and is an accomplished rock climber and alpinist. His first significant opportunity to develop mountain bike trails came in the Coed Y Brenin Forest Park in North Wales in the mid-1990s where he was employed from a background of outdoor educational instruction by Forestry Enterprise to develop trails for the new sport of mountain biking. There was limited budget and Davis was innovative in using volunteers, youth organisations and the armed forces to provide the labour needed to build sustainable trails through the forest. The forest park soon developed a reputation for excellent riding conditions, allowing Davis to approach the new Welsh Assembly and gain funding to develop more riding in Coed Y Brenin, as well as trails in four other Welsh forests. This was achieved, and in 2002 the International Mountain Bicycling Association
announced Wales to be the world's top mountain biking destination.
In 2004, Davis left Forestry Enterprise and now works as a free-lance trail developer. He has worked extensively in Ireland, England, Israel, Canada and Japan and has developed methods for trail construction that provide sustainable but challenging routes that are durable and accessible to a range of riding abilities.
Davis lives two miles from his home village in the Snowdonia National Park with his wife, Vicky, son Sam and daughter Mollie. He runs, climbs or rides most days.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
is a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
trail builder, known for the creation of several major UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mountain biking resorts such as Coed-y-Brenin
Coed-y-Brenin
Coed-y-Brenin is a forest in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales near Dolgellau at . It is well-known as a mountain bike resort and for its hiking trails...
.
Davis received an MBE in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
list for 'services to forestry'.
Davis is an all-round mountain athlete. He has represented his country as a fell runner and is an accomplished rock climber and alpinist. His first significant opportunity to develop mountain bike trails came in the Coed Y Brenin Forest Park in North Wales in the mid-1990s where he was employed from a background of outdoor educational instruction by Forestry Enterprise to develop trails for the new sport of mountain biking. There was limited budget and Davis was innovative in using volunteers, youth organisations and the armed forces to provide the labour needed to build sustainable trails through the forest. The forest park soon developed a reputation for excellent riding conditions, allowing Davis to approach the new Welsh Assembly and gain funding to develop more riding in Coed Y Brenin, as well as trails in four other Welsh forests. This was achieved, and in 2002 the International Mountain Bicycling Association
International Mountain Bicycling Association
The International Mountain Bicycling Association is a non-profit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve trail opportunities for mountain bikers worldwide....
announced Wales to be the world's top mountain biking destination.
In 2004, Davis left Forestry Enterprise and now works as a free-lance trail developer. He has worked extensively in Ireland, England, Israel, Canada and Japan and has developed methods for trail construction that provide sustainable but challenging routes that are durable and accessible to a range of riding abilities.
Davis lives two miles from his home village in the Snowdonia National Park with his wife, Vicky, son Sam and daughter Mollie. He runs, climbs or rides most days.