AN exclusive children’s cycling area has been unveiled at Alice Holt Forest to encourage youngsters to get on their bike and explore the great outdoors this summer.

To learn how to ride a bike on your own is a huge moment for any child, and with plenty of open space and off-road trails, Forestry Commission England believe they have the perfect place for children to start their cycling journey.

Over the summer, six Forestry Commission sites in England will have an exclusive children’s cycling area. One of which is the All Ability Cycle Track at Alice Holt.

The site offers a fantastic learning track, with a good flat surface and close to all the facilities on offer.

The area will provide a safe space where children aged three plus, can learn essential skills designed to take them from balance to pedal bike.

Once those pedals have been mastered, riders are on track to becoming a Forest Cycle Superstar and if you don’t own your own bike, Alice Holt provides a cycle hire with a range of adult and children’s bikes available.

It comes after research by charity Sustrans claimed cycling can improve a child’s mood, while active travel to school can increase concentration for up to four hours.

According to the study, 15-minute bouts of aerobic exercise can lead to significant increases in positive mood and decreases in negative mood amongst younger children, while on average cyclists live two years longer than non- cyclists.

For more information and to download trail maps in Alice Holt and elsewhere, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/familycycling.