Cairngorm Mountain Resort launches family-friendly car-free uplift

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OK, we admit, we’re basically running this story because of this:

Who doesn’t want to go and ride on a giant supermarket checkout in the hills? We are INSPIRED. Can you turn your bike upside down and change a tyre on the move before you get to the end? Can you ride downhill on it at the speed required to be cycling on the spot? Could it be used to set some sort of mass turbo trainer Guinness World Record? Is it the opportunity for the biggest Generation Game ever? The answer is of course ‘probably, yes, let’s go and find out’.

But first, we had to have words with Amanda. Photoshop was needed. Please post your efforts below.

In the event that you’re taking this as the real and actual opportunity that it presents for you to ride bikes with your kids without terror or moaning, then here’s that proper details that you need:

Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Limited (CMSL) has launched a new gravity-style mountain bike park for families and children as part of its exciting summer offering.

Spanning over 3km across nine flow trails – graded as green, blue, and red – the new bike park is suitable for young children through to adults. The green trails offer beginners and younger children a great introduction to gravity-style mountain biking. Intermediate riders can enjoy the blue trails while the red trails are ideal for experienced thrill-seeking mountain bikers. The multiple trail options allow for continued rider progression.

Two 100m conveyor belt uplifts, which have been used for snowsports during winter, will now transport riders to the top of the Lower Zone where they can easily access the green and lower blue trails. Experienced riders can take the purpose-built climb trail to reach the top of the Mid Zone and Upper Trails.

Tickets are now on sale from the Ticket Office, from £7.50 for a children’s half-day ticket and from £16 for an adult. Tickets can also be purchased at www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/mountain-biking

Visitors can bring their own bikes or hire from the brand new range of Commencal bikes, with a number of options available, from small balance bikes for little ones to adult sizes and electric bikes, along with helmets and pads. Secure storage is available on the new Aviemore Adventurer bus which runs a regular service from Aviemore to Cairngorm Mountain Resort.

The new bike park is part of the 25-year Cairngorm Masterplan to create a year-round resort. The new and exciting summer offering also includes mountain tubing, guided walks to Cairn Gorm summit and around the Northern Corries, as well as the viewing terrace expansion for al fresco dining and drinking.

Susan Smith, CEO of CMSL, said: “We are thrilled to be launching the family-friendly mountain bike park as part of our new and exciting range of summer activities. By repurposing the conveyor uplifts and existing infrastructure, visitors can enjoy the natural mountain environment in every season.”

Owned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and operated by the Cairngorm Mountain team, the resort is one of Scotland’s iconic locations and the railway makes the mountain environment accessible not only for snowsports enthusiasts, but also for visitors of all ages and abilities in every season of the year. With environmental rangers who oversee the protection of the site and can offer insights into its unique nature, visitors can learn about the Cairngorms and Scotland’s mountain environment.

To find out more information, please visit: www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/mountain-biking

While you’re here…

Author Profile Picture
Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)
  • Cairngorm Mountain Resort launches family-friendly car-free uplift
  • dirkpitt74
    Full Member

    We’re staying not far from there mid August – will defo be going to check it out.

    Link to trail map

    thegeneralist
    Free Member

    Good to see Hannah continuing Cairngorm Mountain’s piss taking language. My favourites from CM were:

    guided walks to Cairn Gorm summit

    visitors can enjoy the natural mountain environment in every season.

    the railway makes the mountain environment accessible not only for snowsports enthusiasts,

    FTFY

    environmental rangers who oversee the protection of the site

    Lying bastards.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    I am waiting for Nick at ParksWatch to go on a rant about this. 😉

    Edit: Ok look, he has.

    The recreational, environmental and planning disaster in Coire Cas and HIE’s ownership of Cairn Gorm

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    And he didn’t used the word neoliberal once. He’s slipping.

    Spin
    Free Member

    I am waiting for Nick at ParksWatch to go on a rant about this. 😉

    Edit: Ok look, he has.

    We walked past it on Sundaysnd both commented that they’d basically destroyed their new beginners ski area…

    nickc
    Full Member

    I am waiting for Nick at ParksWatch to go on a rant about this.

    Just had a look at his blog for the very first time. I’m willing to bet he doesn’t get an invite to many parties, right?

    thegeneralist
    Free Member

    Possibly not but he does make some damnably good points

    Rich_s
    Full Member

    Getting back to the original subject, if you rode down the belt while it was operating, would you take off?

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    I’m actually more intrerested in the legal aspect of charging for its use. I understand how they can charge for uplift, obviously.

    landslide
    Full Member

    “Can the plane take off?”

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Getting back to the original subject, if you rode down the belt while it was operating, would you take off?

    Only if you had wings.

    poah
    Free Member

    The prices are off the scale.

    a11y
    Full Member

    Only if you had wings.

    So Red Bull sponsored riders only.

    dknwhy
    Full Member

    What tyres work best on conveyor belts?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Excellent work..

    Spin
    Free Member

    The prices are off the scale.

    Having looked at it most people, whether competent bikers or not would be bored to tears after a few runs. Its just the latest bit of Cairngorm Mountain shitness. 💩

    tomlevell
    Full Member

    Been a while since I’ve seen my pump :0)

    thegeneralist
    Free Member

    Having looked at it most people, whether competent bikers or not would be bored to tears after a few runs. Its just the latest bit of Cairngorm Mountain shitness.

    It’s probably one of the most ridiculous things about the whole CM  that they have built what should be the ultimate MTB lift in the whole UK and yet they’re hogtied into shouting about some pissy little carpet thing that covers probably 1/20 of their vertical.

    Or the perfectly good chairlift that they had on the other side of the mountain that could have been used for MTB, but they hurredly pulled it down in order to paint themselves into a corner WRT that **** train. To ensure the constant flow of public funds to prop them up.

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    Having looked at it most people, whether competent bikers or not would be bored to tears after a few runs. Its just the latest bit of Cairngorm Mountain shitness. 💩

    My first thought was “£32/day for uplift up a mountain doesn’t seem to bad”, then I saw the pics. The local pump track in the park has more elevation 🤣

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    To ensure the constant flow of public funds to prop them up.

    It does seem this has been the game played. And that those funds quickly get creamed off and out of the UK.

    Bring on some local management of the mountain IMO – it will not be perfect, but it would be better.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    To me it looks good for the family free/beginner market. But I don’t think it has the critical mass that a venue needs to really work and bring people in- by which I mean not just the uplift but the other riding which aviemore has relatively little of. And that’s a big job to change that, which is probably out of their scope and their imagination so going for the relatively limited market may be sensible?

    I think it’s one you have to really work to see only what it is, and carefully not think about what could have been and all the absolute madness that surrounds it.

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    is probably out of their scope

    Well, yes. HIE/CM only have a small piece of the area required. Ideally, they’d need to also have the land right down to Loch Morlich but that’s all owned by FLS.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    that’s all owned by FLS.

    I cannot decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing!

    ossify
    Full Member

    My kids would love that.

    As for grumpy older mtb’ers:

    Trackstand all the way up challenge!

    See how many times you can go round without putting a foot down.

    franksinatra
    Full Member

    It’s probably one of the most ridiculous things about the whole CM  that they have built what should be the ultimate MTB lift in the whole UK and yet they’re hogtied into shouting about some pissy little carpet thing that covers probably 1/20 of their vertical.

    It’s not all about what you want though, is it?

    not every kid or adult is a mountain biker. You need entry points to the sport and this is a brilliant entry point. UK mountain biking scene has neglected young kids for too long, I think what CM have done should be applauded

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    I cannot decide if that is a good thing or a bad thing!

    I guess it’s a bad thing if you’re expecting any sort of MTB trail park in the area. I’ve long argued that a decent couple of trails could be built using the drop between the Cas car park and Glenmore, perhaps using a bus for uplift? It would have more drop, be better camouflaged by the forest and could have enough distance to be worthwhile. FLS don’t seem to be at all interested in that sort of recreational development though and, to a point, why should they be? The whole Aviemore/Glenmore area is already well served by an extensive track network requiring little maintenance and very popular with gazillions of users. Accommodation and food venues are already full for much of the year so there’s little additional “tourist spend” to be attracted either.

    Spin
    Free Member

    You need entry points to the sport and this is a brilliant entry point. 

    It’s a rubbish entry point, its expensive, limited in size/variety and miles away from centres of population up a dead end road with shit weather. It will also be closed for significant portions of the year.

    UK mountain biking scene has neglected young kids for too long, I think what CM have done should be applauded

    Cairngorm haven’t done this to get kids into biking they’ve done it in the forlorn hope of pumping a few more quid out of tourists.

Viewing 27 posts - 1 through 27 (of 27 total)

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