A champion mountain biker is to open his own bike paths in the Dyfi Forest.

Dan Atherton, a former British champion, has for the past four years been working on a project to develop a downhill track, which will open later this month.

Dyfi Bike Park will initially offer four black trails, for use by expert, off-road mountain bikers.

The park is comprised of “some of the most diverse tracks imaginable” – with a range of terrains available against a panoramic backdrop of 650 acres of forest.

Dan is one third of the Athertons – world-leading professionals in the mountain biking world – along with siblings Rachel and Gee.

A spokesperson for Atherton Racing said: “It is a true passion project born out of love for the sport and for the area in which they live – the Dyfi Forest and the people who live there.”

Dan expressed that the forest was the ideal environment for his mountain biking needs: “For my whole life I’ve been searching for that perfect mix of maximum elevation with long descents and really varied terrain.

“People have been talking about this place for years, it’s amazing how much appetite there has been to come and ride and you can see why, it’s like nothing else.

“We’ve tackled a lot of major projects over the years but this one has taken things to the next level, we’ve never worked so hard!

“The project has been funded out of our own pockets – no government grants, no investors.

“There’s absolutely no way we’d have got this done without the guts, determination and perseverance of a passionate crew who have given this project everything.”