Girls Cycling Programme Boosts Pedal Power at Portobello 2026

Key Points

• Portobello High School has launched a Girls Cycling Programme involving more than 70 young women from across the school community.
• The programme is inspired by a 1952 school expedition when 40 girls attended Glenmore Lodge, promoting outdoor adventure for girls.
• Activities include social rides, track sessions at Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, sportives, races, bike maintenance workshops, leadership development and community cycling projects.
• The initiative forms part of the school’s wider Pedal Power Porty strategy, which now engages over 150 young people in cycling activities.
• S6 Cycling Ambassadors will mentor younger pupils, help deliver sessions and act as role models.
• The launch coincides with Edinburgh preparing to host the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 2027; the school is exploring related opportunities.
• Councillor Stephen Jenkinson supported the scheme, praising its potential to foster lifelong cycling habits.
• S6 Cycling Ambassadors Iris and Joy emphasised confidence-building, inclusion and peer support as core aims.

 Portobello (Edinburgh Daily) July 02, 2026 – uk/local/portobello/">Portobello High School has launched a new Girls Cycling Programme that brings together more than 70 young women from across the school community, aiming to counter falling adolescent participation in sport and to develop confidence, leadership and wellbeing through cycling.

Why has Portobello High School launched a Girls Cycling Programme now?

As reported by several local and national outlets, including coverage by the school and statements carried by Edinburgh City Council communications, the Girls Cycling Programme is designed to respond to a documented decline in girls’ participation in sport during adolescence and to build a sustained culture of cycling within the school. The initiative expands the school’s Pedal Power Porty strategy and taps into broader momentum around cycling in Edinburgh ahead of the Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027.

How does the programme draw on Portobello High School’s history of empowering girls?

Portobello High leaders referenced a formative moment in the school’s past to frame the new programme. In 1952, Portobello High became one of the first schools in Edinburgh to send a group of 40 girls to Glenmore Lodge, Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre; that expedition is credited by school figures with helping to open outdoor adventure opportunities to generations of pupils. School organisers say the Girls Cycling Programme deliberately connects to that legacy by offering contemporary routes to resilience, confidence and challenge.

What activities will participants undertake in the Girls Cycling Programme?

Programme organisers outlined a comprehensive calendar of activities. Planned elements include:

• social rides to encourage inclusive participation and peer support;
• track cycling sessions at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome to develop technical skills and speed work;
• sportives and races for competitive and non-competitive experience;
• bike maintenance workshops to build practical skills and independence;
• leadership development opportunities for pupils to lead sessions and projects;
• community cycling projects that link school activity with local groups and infrastructure.

Who will lead and support the new programme within the school?

The programme will be supported by the school’s S6 Cycling Ambassadors, a senior-pupil cohort who will mentor younger participants, co-deliver sessions and act as visible role models. As reported by the school, the Ambassadors are central to the model of peer-led growth and leadership development embedded in the project.

What has been the impact of the wider Pedal Power Porty strategy so far?

Portobello High’s Pedal Power Porty strategy predates the Girls Cycling Programme and has driven a notable increase in cycling engagement across the school. School reports show more than 150 young people are now involved in cycling activities, including the PHS Singletrack Mountain Bike Team, the School of Cycling programme, Cycling Ambassadors initiative, active travel projects and overseas touring opportunities. The Girls Cycling Programme is positioned as a targeted strand within that broader ecosystem.

What do local officials and pupils say about the programme?

As reported by Edinburgh City Council communications, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson, Transport and Environment Convener, said:

“I’m delighted to see this new initiative getting off the ground and I have no doubt that it will see many girls benefitting in the months and years to come. Developing an interest in cycling at a young age sets you up for a lifetime of adventure, health, and excitement. We want Edinburgh to be a city where everyone can get around quickly, easily, and safely – particularly through more sustainable ways such as cycling. I wish the new scheme every success and my thanks go to all those who have helped to get it off the ground.”

As reported by the school, S6 Cycling Ambassador Iris said: “One of the things I’m most excited about is seeing girls realise they can do things they never thought possible. Cycling has given me confidence, independence and some amazing experiences, and now we have the opportunity to help other girls discover that for themselves.

It’s about much more than riding a bike – it’s about building friendships, supporting each other and having the confidence to try something new.”

As reported by the school, S6 Cycling Ambassador Joy added:

“I think what makes this programme special is that it is for everyone. You don’t have to be the fastest rider or have lots of experience. Everyone starts somewhere. We want younger girls to feel welcomed, supported and part of a team. Hopefully we’ll inspire more girls to stay active, challenge themselves and enjoy all the opportunities that cycling can bring.”

How does the Girls Cycling Programme link to Edinburgh’s wider cycling moment?

The launch arrives during a period of heightened attention on cycling in Scotland. Edinburgh is preparing to host the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in 2027, an event local organisers and the school see as an opportunity to raise the profile of cycling and to inspire participation at all levels. The school is exploring opportunities for participants to attend stages of the Tour de France Femmes and to take part in a cycling challenge tied to the Grand Départ’s arrival in Edinburgh.

What safeguards and inclusions are built into the programme?

Programme literature and school statements emphasise inclusion and accessibility. Organisers say the scheme welcomes pupils of all abilities, does not require prior experience and includes practical workshops (such as bike maintenance) to reduce barriers related to equipment and confidence. The S6 Ambassadors’ peer-mentoring role is specifically framed as a way to create a supportive environment for younger participants.

Where will activities take place and who will partner with the school?

Key venues named by the school include local routes for social rides and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome for track sessions. The school’s communications indicate cooperation with local cycling organisations and city officials, though specific external partners beyond the Velodrome and council representatives were not listed in the material provided.

What measurable targets or outcomes has the school set?

Public statements from the school emphasise broad aims raising participation, building leadership, improving wellbeing and forming lasting friendships rather than numeric targets. The immediate, measurable outcome reported so far is participation: more than 70 young women joined the Girls Cycling Programme at launch, contributing to the school-wide figure of over 150 young people participating in cycling activities under Pedal Power Porty.

What reactions or commentary have other media outlets provided?

Multiple local media outlets relayed the school’s statements and councillor comments, attributing quotations to school spokespeople and to the council. Coverage has been largely descriptive and supportive, focusing on the programme’s aims, its historical roots and its alignment with the city’s cycling momentum ahead of 2027.

Background of the development

Portobello High School has a documented history of promoting outdoor education for girls that dates back to the early 1950s, when the school sent 40 pupils to Glenmore Lodge, Scotland’s National Outdoor Training Centre. That 1952 expedition is invoked by current school leaders as a precedent for using outdoor activity to build confidence and resilience in female pupils. Over recent years the school developed Pedal Power Porty, a strategy to normalise cycling as part of school life. Pedal Power Porty expanded available pathwaysmountain biking teams, school cycling courses, ambassador programmes and active travel projects culminating in the decision to introduce a dedicated Girls Cycling Programme that specifically addresses adolescent decline in girls’ sports participation.

Prediction: How this development can affect students, families and the local community

• Increased participation and retention: A sustained, inclusive programme could slow or reverse the typical drop in girls’ sports participation during adolescence, leading to higher long-term activity levels among pupils.
• Improved wellbeing and skills: Regular cycling, leadership roles for S6 Ambassadors and peer mentoring are likely to enhance physical fitness, mental wellbeing, confidence and leadership skills for participants.
• Greater community engagement: Community cycling projects and partnership opportunities around the Tour de France Grand Départ may deepen ties between the school and local organisations, attracting volunteers, sponsorship and shared use of cycling infrastructure.
• Equity and accessibility gains: Workshops on bike maintenance and a focus on inclusion can reduce equipment and confidence barriers for families with limited resources, widening access to cycling.
• City-wide cycling culture boost: By amplifying young women’s visible participation in cycling, the programme could contribute to broader cultural change in Edinburgh toward active travel and sustainable transport, supporting council aims ahead of 2027.