Dirt contributor and Welsh trail wizard Rowan Sorrell has been busy over the past year working on a European mountainbike guide book. He spent long evenings hunched over the type writer banging out the words when he could have been out riding the trails. Well, all those long evenings have finally paid off as the book is now finished and available to buy.

So if you’re planning a European adventure check out Mountain Bike Europe.

Here’s the official word from the press release:

16th August 2008

Mountain Biking Europe

In pursuit of the perfect trail

Mountain biking is the fastest growing outdoor sport in the UK, spanning a wide range of ages and abilities. The number of UK specific spots is growing all the time. In addition, there are numerous UK-based holiday companies offering bespoke mountain biking trips overseas as well as several European ski-resorts re-launching themselves as summer centres for the sport.

Mountain Biking Europe is the first definitive guide to encapsulate every thing the beginner or expert needs to know to enjoy this great sport. Featuring the best trails, the best places to eat and where to stay and even expert tips from professional riders.

Covering both the main mountain biking centres and the smaller operations in each country, Mountain Biking Europe aims to give the user a perfect introduction into how they should organise their mountain biking experience, whether it be a day trip, weekend in the UK or a holiday abroad.

The book starts by explaining the differences between straight downhill riding, Cross County riding, GPS way-finding and freestyle/trails. The chapters are clearly divided by country, or region, which are Austria, France, Switzerland, Germany, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Iberia (and islands), Slovenia, Slovakia and Czech Republic.

The main voice behind this guide is Rowan Sorrell, a professional mountain bike racer, major contributor to the UK’s major mountain bike magazines as well as owner of Back-On-Track, the premier UK company specialising in the building and development of new and existing mountain bike trails.

So, if you’ve always seen yourself riding freestyle down the trails of Italy, or you simply want to test the waters within the UK, Mountain Biking Europe is the perfect place to start.

Mountain Biking Europe is priced at £19.99 and can be bought at most good bookshops, through amazon.co.uk, or on the Footprint Books website footprintbooks.com.

A new European guide book documenting riding spots all over the continent is out now.