Partner Article

Entrepreneur gets muddy with new business

AN OUTDOOR fanatic who turned to cycling after injury ended his hill walking days has launched a digital firm which promotes North Yorkshire to the nation’s mountain biking enthusiasts.

Tony Harker, from Billingham, on Teesside, spent much of his youth exploring the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales until knee problems abruptly halted his walking career in his thirties.

Keen to stay in touch with his outdoor passion, Tony began working on a website with information on routes across the moors and dales – and quickly noticed huge demand from biking enthusiasts from all over Britain.

Mr Harker was even contacted by a publishing company to write a guide of twenty mountain biking routes on the North York Moors, ‘Moorland Trails’ which was published in 2009 and has been very successful.

Following this success, Mr Harker has now re-launched his website, muddybums.org.uk, as a fully-fledged business which sells biking accessories and clothing to the world, alongside in-depth information on biking routes in the region.

He said: “My love for the outdoor life started in my mid teens when my school organised occasional walking trips, and I was hooked on the moors and dales from an early age. I started venturing out on my own and this has helped me build up a good knowledge of the area over the years.

“If the website is successful, I hope to add a Muddybums app where users can take pictures while out on a route and upload them direct to the website with comments. I may also add routes for other areas and will develop the shop.”

Muddybums is a subsidiary of performance and casual wear retailer Fanatic Sport and Leisure which Mr Harker runs with help from wife and daughters from its Billingham base.

Mr Harker, now benefiting from a knee replacement, was subsequently asked by his publishing group to write a similar guide for walks. This walking guide is due to be published summer 2011.

The new Muddybums website was developed with the help of design firm KooDoo Creative.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .