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Anyone heard anything about this?.
I was there a few weeks ago, the Red track doesn't appear to be open, it isn't signed from the top etc, however much of it is clearly visible from the car park. No idea when it is due to be finished, I would guess that given that it's now September they would be aiming to open it for next year.
The owners are very approachable, so I'd suggest popping an email across and reporting back.
Aye, passed by on the way home from FW on sunday, you can see it quite clearly from the road. Huge potential there to tap in to the passing FW trade, They must look at how well they are doing up the road and hopefully spend some cash and cash in themselves.
Last time I was there, they said they don't expect to open it this season... Hope they can make something good of it though. There were mutters of a blue as well to follow if it's a success.
Blimey, what a brilliant idea. You could stop off on the way for quick blast and a cuppa. I bet the terrain is superb for it too.
When we were there the lift operator told me that the BDS had told them they weren't going back because the track was too hard. So maybe that's what the red run is for. Surprised that the country's best DHers weren't up for the challenge!
...the BDS had told them they weren't going back because the track was too hard
Surely that cannot be true (I don't mean you paulrockcliffe)! The track is steep but I wouldn't have thought as steep/hard as Langollen. I thought it was the absolutely horrendous weather that had been the issue.
...the terrain is superb for it too...
i wish them well, but i wouldn't call the terrain 'superb' - it's very exposed*.
it'll be grim and windy much of the time, often too windy to run the chairlift.
mind you, it's a small price to pay if it means british Dh racers keep winning the world champs! - training on serious tracks in serious weather is clearly good for us 🙂
(*necessary i suppose, the chairlift is there for the snow, which is at the top of the mountain)
I don't know, the lift operator said that they'd been asked to remove all of the middle section, ie where it goes straight down the steepest bit of the hill. Seemed to know what he was talking about and there was no mention of the weather.
The chairlift doesn't go up to the top though btw, only about halfway up.
We were actually there because Fort William hadn't opened - it was a little windy, so they sent their 'rider chap' to test it out, he couldn't do the red, so wouldn't let us up. We were a bit annoyed because the red is more exposed and very hard if it's windy as it's all boardwalk that you don't want to be blown off. The black is much easier in the wind and once you're off the top, not really exposed. I could have understood if they'd said it was too windy for the lift.
Sounds like I need to get to Llangollen.
The chairlift does go to the top of the DH course, and the BDS was cancelled this year (and a couple of years a go for an SDA) because of the weather. Although maybe there were course changes as well. Is it maybe the Macavalanche or new red that the chairlift doesn't go right up (dunno haven't ridden those)?
The course itself is pretty steep in the middle, but not impossiblly so, although a lot of rain and mud doesn't help that section.
As above the (necessarily) exposed location of the hill is always going to be an issue, but they have put a sh1t load of effort in to building up there over the last few years. Added to that they are a friendly bunch so I'm very keen for it to work.