United Kingdom
1) Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is more than just the UCI World Cup! The Nevis Range mountain bike and ski area is 7 miles north of Fort William.
The town is inundated with bike fans and there can be up to 15,000 in the area at this time and have Britain's highest mountain, Ben Nevis, as a backdrop.
Without a doubt, the most famous mountain biking destination in the UK. It hosted the 2007 World Championships and is unique in having the only gondola serviced downhill trail in the UK.
Nearest airport: Inverness (104 km).
What does Fort William have to offer?
| Cross Country |
Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced |
| Downhill | Intermediate & Advanced |
| Freeride | Intermediate & Advanced |
| Cable Car |
- |
| Gondola | YES |
| Chairlift | - |
| Connected to | - |
The trails are situated on and around Aonach Mor, Britain's eighth highest mountain. The main Cross Countryrn trail at Fort William is the 15 km long Witches Trail. This fairly technical route stays on the lower wooded slopes of the hill in the Leanachan Forest. There are a further 40 km of trails in the forest ranging from easy, low level forest tracks and disused railway lines to technical purpose built single track. In the car park there is a skills area to try out some of the obstacles that you might encounter on the Witches Trail.
It is a typically rugged highland landscape and the downhill track starts from the top of the gondola with an impressive view. The ground up on the higher slopes is unforgiving, with soft waterlogged peat soils over the underlying bedrock. In order to overcome this the course has been built up out of stone and rock and the result is a rough and challenging track in keeping with the surroundings. There is also a huge following of riders who want to say they have ridden the World Cup courses. It is one of the toughest on the Downhill world circuit. Though it does not have many particularly steep sections compared to some courses, the combination of the high speeds, big rocks and holes on the upper slopes and physicality on the bottom of the course makes this a real tough test for riders and bikes. The top of the course is very exposed so can be difficult in very windy conditions.
The 4X track at Fort William is a fun trail with all manner of jumps and obstacles of different sizes. Here you can learn to jump in a race environment where speed is required. There is also a dedicated dirt jump area near the quarry with 3 lines ranging from beginner to expert, with good progression throughout the sets.
| Summer Lifts Open |
May until September |
| Lift Opening Times | 09.30 - 18.00 (always check) |
| Lift Prices | Day pass £19 (Gondala with bike) |
Witches Trail is open all year round. The downhill track is open from May to September. Check the Nevis Range website for up to date opening times. The Cross Country trails are free.
Tourist Information: T+44 (0)8452 255121
Website: ridefortwilliam.co.uk