Calendar Park: Falkirk off-road bike trail ‘sabotaged’ with barbed wire

An off-road bike trail at a popular outdoor activities centre has been “blockaded” with obstacles - including barbed wire - in what locals fear is a dangerous attempt to injure riders.
By Scott Mccartney and Conor Marlborough
Published 1st May 2021, 17:11 BST
Updated 1st May 2021, 17:14 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

On Saturday morning, bikers discovered the “Canada Trail" in Callendar Park, Falkirk, was laden with branches and fence-posts lashed together with rusted razor wire.

Photos from the route, which is classified as “green” and suitable for beginner riders, show it blocked at key sections by the obstacles.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Warning others in a post on social media, one furious rider wrote: “A word of caution to anyone riding the green "Canada Trail" from the Greenrig carpark.

“Someone is sabotaging and blockading the trail with branches, fence-posts and barbed wire.

“Yes, BARBED WIRE. Absolutely ****ing ridiculous.”

They said they feared the blockade was designed to injure riders, since it had been erected at the bottom of a “small, steep section” of the trail.

“I'm aware this has been happening frequently over the past few months with others posting photos in local biking groups,” they wrote.

Photos from the route, which is classified as “green” and suitable for beginner riders, show it blocked at key sections by the obstacles. (Ally Mitchell)Photos from the route, which is classified as “green” and suitable for beginner riders, show it blocked at key sections by the obstacles. (Ally Mitchell)
Photos from the route, which is classified as “green” and suitable for beginner riders, show it blocked at key sections by the obstacles. (Ally Mitchell)
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I ask that everyone else who sees similar please does the same - might seem minor, but the right thing to do is catalogue this.

They added: “Hopefully it won't get out of hand.”

On Saturday, Police Scotland confirmed that it has launched an investigation into the incident but did not give details on lines of inquiry.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We received a report around 3pm on Saturday, 1 May, relating to items being placed across bike trails at Callendar Park, Falkirk.

One local said they feared the blockade was designed to injure riders, since it had been erected at the bottom of a “small, steep section” of the trail.One local said they feared the blockade was designed to injure riders, since it had been erected at the bottom of a “small, steep section” of the trail.
One local said they feared the blockade was designed to injure riders, since it had been erected at the bottom of a “small, steep section” of the trail.

They added: “Enquiries are at an early stage.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.