The first red graded XC trail accessed by a mountain gondola in the UK has this week opened.
The Nevis Range, Fort William welcomes the launch of the XC trail which offers up a 5.5km singletrack route that undulates and weaves its way 543m down from top to bottom, combining a mixture of infamous Fort William natural bedrock, metre wide wooden boardwalk and gravel paths.
With the Nevis Range mountain gondola providing the perfect access the new route provides the longest downhill ride of a cross country mountain bike trail in the UK. Even the fastest riders will take around 20 minutes to complete the descent.
Accessed by riders and their bikes on specially adapted carriers fitted to the UK’s only mountain gondola the trip up is almost as exciting as the descent. The trip takes riders from the Nevis Range car park at 100m to 650m up the mountain. On exiting the gondola riders follow a track to the Snowgoose chair, which in the winter transports skiers and boarders further up the snowy slopes, marks the start of the new track.
The Nevis Red route has taken over a year to build as a result of a particularly harsh Scottish winter and extreme weather hampering the diggers and small team of construction workers from Hitrack However riders will quickly discover all the effort has been worth it as they see the trail give way to a sweeping highland mountainscape showcasing previously hidden panoramas across Lochaber – the Outdoor Capital of the UK.
Marian Austin, MD of Nevis Range says: “This new trail is an integral part of our plan to grow the business. Opened almost 20 years ago, initially as a winter snowsports resort, Nevis Range has visitors all year round who use the mountain gondola to access the slopes of Aonach Mor not only for skiing, snowboarding and climbing but to enjoy the stunning highland scenery and gentle walks.”
Andy Rogers, Chairman of West Highland Wheelers added: “The new route opens up the experience of ‘riding downhill’ to local riders who never dared try the World Cup downhill track. I have found that my skills improve exponentially on one or two trips.”
Mark Hedderwick of Hitrack Ltd, the trail builder, said: “This trail was one of the most challenging to build. The weather held us back a lot. We were knee deep in snow walking up to work in November – that is what made us stop for the winter! It’s certainly not an easy red to ride, but it’s the kind of track you will just want to ride, ride again, and then ride again.”
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