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Ecoplastic’s marketing team had identified that walking trails, mountain bike trails and other “activity tourism” amenities would be in need of boardwalks to cross bogs, rivers or other difficult terrain.

But a problem arose when we spoke to trail designers about standard Ecoplastic surfacing for use in forest or mountain bike environments. They felt that although standard Ecoplastic decking was highly slip resistant, in forests and woodland where it was constantly moist and with bicycles travelling at high speed, increased slip resistance was a necessity.

Working with a variety of partners, Ecoplastic began using a road–tested polyurethane bound aggregate surfacing which coated our standard decking boards. We called this product Ecogrip.

While still in development, Ecoplastic presented the product to Dafydd Davis, MBE, award winning Mountain Bike Trail designer.

We presented this innovation to Dafydd who describes the profound effect the product had on his work:

“Ecoplastic’s Ecogrip Mountain Bike Trial Boardwalks have changed the way we think about Mountain Bike Trail design. In the past, timber boardwalks on Mountain Bike Trails were such a major maintenance issue, due to their slipiness and tendency to rot, we only used them when there were no other alternatives due to ground conditions. Ecoplastic’s rot–proof, maintenance free and environmentally sound boardwalks combined with their ultra–slip–resistant Ecogrip decking boards changed all that. We’re working with Ecoplastic to design boardwalks that incorporate recycled plastic’s unique durability, strength and flexibility to maximize interest and challenges for riders and we specify Ecogrip boardwalks as actual trail features now, not just when ground conditions force our hands.”

The first of Dafydd’s trails to incorporate Ecogrip was at Barnetts’ Demesne in Belfast. Designed by Dafydd and built by MTB Trail experts Euroservices Contracts, the trail features boardwalk and bridges made from 100% recycled Ecoplastic and decked with Ecogrip. The trail also features two rolling berms which swoop over natural log features and utilise Ecoplastic’s natural flexibility and strength to create interest for riders. Ecogrip has now been installed in 10 other Mountain Bike Trails throughout Ireland including Ballyhoura, Blessingbourne and Davagh Forest Trails.