Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

The Original Bicycle Festival took place across Dumfries and Galloway from May 12 to May 24 2009. A range of cycling and cycling themed events formed the programme of the Festival. The Original Bicycle Festival was so called as it was the first Festival of its kind in the UK, and it also paid homage to Kirkpatrick Macmillan and the first pedal bicycle, invented at Keir Mill near Thornhill in 1839/1840. The Festival, was aimed to added value to Dumfries and Galloway's cycling paths and 7stanes mountain bike trails and to promote the region's cycling heritage - from Kirkpatrick Macmillan's invention of the original pedal bicycle to the region being a regular host of the Tour of Britain cycle race.