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I'm heading up to fort bill at the end of the week, but only got about 3 hours there (other, way less important commitments, sadly), but having never been there before I could do with some advice on which route(s) to take in.
I love places like swinley, Forest of Dean, Sherwood pines, stuff like that - anything fast/bermy/flowy. I can climb but I'm no mountain goat, so places like Kirroughtree red route would be at the upper end of what I can do. I've also got a silly Santa Cruz (well, I am in IT, it's some sort of law) which is massively better than I am. Oh, and I'm really crap at northshore..... So, what do I want to be looking at?
Probably not the [i]really[/i] good stuff anyway with that kind of time window.
Either witches trails or buy a lift ticket.
Take wellies.
Go to Laggan?
Can't really go to laggan, it's just that bit too far out given that the other commitments are in oban, and it'll knock the riding time in half - plus, its fort bill, its one thats been on my list for a while
You could do out and back, Braveheart Car Park Glen Nevis to the West Highland Way.
I'm heading up to fort bill at the end of the week
Where are you coming from?
If Oban is your ultimate destination you might be better doing something more on the way.
Park at North Face and follow the World Champs sign. Follow it up to the top, you have an option of a "black" start. This will bring you out at Nevis Range, beyond which is a nice bermy green and a few blues.
Then back along whichever way-i always fly down the road- plus cake if you have time.
If you're ultimate destination is Oban, why not look at some of the Kinlochleven trails? Ciaran Path (from Blackwater Dam) and/or Devils Staircase?
What's the reason to have Fort Bill "on the list to do"? It is brilliant, yes, but it's on most folk's lists because of the WC Black (which sounds like it might be beyond your comfort zone), or the Red (which includes a lot of boardwalk, which you're not keen on).
Ciaran path won't be for you, if kirro red is your limit. Google 'kinlochleven 101' and go ride some of those trails.
Nevis Range's trailcentre stuff isn't brilliant but I think it gets unfairly knocked on here, the witches trails have some really nice stuff once you get past the first section, and bags of character. Fits your bill quite nicely if you want something on the level of KT red- quite a lot of the other riding which you might normally recommend in the area doesn't.
They have some new descents accessed by an uplift bus I think, green blue and red, but I've not done those. The waymarked 10 Under the Ben route is incredibly awful.
Agree with Northwind, Witches trails are fun with the red World Champs trail having descents that can be attacked with gusto. The preceeding climb is (imho) a bit of a grind. The Uplift wasn't working when I was there over Easter but i did find a few of the blue sections that were fun too.
I also Echo that 10 under Ben is grim and sucks the life out of whatever size wheels you have.
Oh, I forgot to add- I was nearly put off doing 10 Under the Ben by the official waymarked route. The actual race is nothing like it, and changes often too. So all that slagging is for the waymarked route only, NOT the race 😉
Yer, what Northwind said.
Sessioning the new green which takes about 15 mins to get to from car park.
Marked 10 under is a good walk. Apparantly, judging by the amount of bimbly ramblers on it.
If you're interested in ruining your tyres, there's some slate fireroad in the middle of the forest that might give you adrenaline fuelled drifty adventures.