The “Who’s off to Fort Bill” thread…

So who’s going, and where are you staying?

What hints & tips for first timers?

How and where do the shuttle busses work?

We’re heading up on Friday and camping at Glen Nevis.

I’m here now, trapped waiting on public transport after a glorious nine days west of here – 1hr 10mins to go until I get out of this sh!thole!

Me, my wife and 2 year old – first timers, probably staying at the Wild Camp place.

Have no idea what to expect so watching here for any advice / tips

Possible tip when I worked on the event a little while ago, there was a carry-in booze ban. This fortunately was being enforced by some chunky looking people and the amount of tinnies confiscated was staggering. I think it was to protect vendors who have to pay to be there and sell stuff. I’ve no idea what happened to it all as no tickets were given for post event collection. It was pretty angsty on the gate as you can imagine!

Might be the same again…

I’m going, with my son. first time for us. probably stupidly, we’re driving up on the day from the borders whats parking like?

What / where is “Fort Bill”?

Fort Bill= Fort William. first DHI of the year is on this weekend.

No – the name is Fort William or Lochaber. Fort Bill does not exist.

@warton I think one ticket option was a bus and entry option from the central belt…

New for this year we’ve partnered with Citylink buses to give you fuss-free return travel from either Glasgow or Edinburgh, taking you in and out in one day with a Ride & Entry ticket package for just £45.

@dirkpitt74 @yoshimi

Tips (I’ve been many times, not this time though)

Glen Nevis is great. Its a fair but doable walk up the road to town. The buses are going from the Station, along Belford Road and then North Road. When you walk up to to town, you’ll get to the roundabout (where the Nevis Bank Inn is shown).

Dont turn right – the further along the bus route you walk, the longer you’ll wait, as the buses are more likely to be full – sounds counter intuitive but meet the bus near the start of its route, along north Road or at the station terminus itself (back of Morrisons). There were lots of people stuck at the later bus stops for champs weekend last year.

Good breakfast bits available every morning in the campsite with a cracking view:

Book a meal at the Glen Nevis Inn – its a nice walk over the river from the campsite. Rumbledethumps – heavenly.

Fort William has a fleet of rental bikes – https://hi-bike.co.uk/ Sign up now at home, get the app and payment working. You can ride from Glen Nevis into town… and then back again after a few pints maybe….! Lots of Taxis around too. You cannot take the bikes up to the nevis range though, they geo-fence lock out.

At the event – if you have Gondola Tickets – Practice and Quali – explore the hill. Do the full track, its obvious, follow the crowds. Speak to the riders. Get right up close to the technical bits.

For Finals – you want to be at the bottom in the finish corral. Theres a extra grandstand this year but you’ll have to claim a spot early. Take a brolly if theres any chance of rain. Being in the bottom you actually get to ‘follow’ the race and understand whats happening, theres a giant TV screen and timing.

Find and take a photo of the running order/schedule so you get your timing right and dont miss all the action.

Me, we’re staying at the Ben Nevis campsite and planning on cycling to/from the Nevis range (stayed at Glen Spean popup campsite and used the free buses which left directly from the campsite last year).

Hoping to head to the Fort William bikepark/pumptrack event on the Friday night too.

I’d bring plenty smidge, suncream and good waterproofs!

@rickmeister – took my faithul 20 litre day sack with me last year – as we are going up a mountain, its sensible to be prepared. Stopped and searched. Took my beloved victorinox off me, engraved with my name in Switzerland.

Same security as if I was going into a nightclub or gig (which I would understand). We were literally going up a mountain. First aid kit, somehting to sit on, spare coat, some water, swiss army knife.

No way of getting it back. Give it up or dont come in.

Fort Bill does not exist.

I think everyone knows that, its just shorthand, there’s no need to get upset about it. Its the same as Brum or Brizzle or Donny.

Oh yes, if you’ve got bikes with you then theres a great cycle track route up to the event from town and a huge cycle park. You cannot take the rental hi-bikes that far though – and it would cost a fortune as theres no docks.

No way of getting it back. Give it up or don’t come in.

For that, I’d really be wanting a receipt and collect option . A bit OTT as you were going up a hill.

I think everyone knows that, its just shorthand, there’s no need to get upset about it. Its the same as Brum or Brizzle or Donny.

No its really not.  You will not find residents / locals using it.  Major difference.  I have only ever heard it on here.  Never anywhere else

Unsure if it is linked but I’ve just passed the Giant off road team van on way up towards Perth, so it might be arriving in a few hours time.

Fort Bill is well used in MTB circles and has been since the beginning…it isn’t anything new. Locals have been known to talk about it with chat around the bike racing that happens at the gondola as well…just how it has evolved…the area is Fort William, but the bike racing seems well know as Fort Bill.

Never anywhere else

Cool, Who cares? It’s a thread about the Down Hill, if you want to get butt-hurt about what a few people on here call it,  add it to the “Things I get disproportionately cross about” thread

I am just calling out the patronising attitude – now why the pejorative personal attack?

🙄

Heading up Friday with my 5 year old, camping at Glen Nevis and planning to drive to the park and ride at Blar Mhor and use the shuttle bus.
Got Gondola tickets, so plan is to head to the top and wander back down over the course of a few hours Saturday. Sunday?? Depends how manic it is but planned to do the same and be near the bottom for the men’s finals.

@oldschool where’s the Blar Mhor park & ride?

We’ll probably do the same.

I assume at the Blar Mhor industrial estate, but that’s only an assumption. Back towards town from the campsite, go right away from town at the round about then left at the next junction. About 3 miles from the campsite

https://ucimtbworldseries.com/events/fort-william

All the locations for park and ride are on that link above.

We’re staying in Glen Nevis and riding in/out.  Cycle tracks are pretty good, and saves waiting especially after finals on the Sunday afternoon.

… saves waiting especially after finals on the Sunday afternoon

If the 90+ minute wait after the worlds was any predictor, very, very much ^ this

Fort Bill is well used in MTB circles and has been since the beginning…it isn’t anything new.

If we’re going to ski, ride or watch stuff at Nevis Range, then it’s either referred to as that, or Fort Bill or Aonach Mor, seldom if ever, as Fort William, as that refers to the town.

Anyway, back on track, looking forward to seeing the track changes, as from Adam Brayton’s last video, it looks like the top is changing very slightly, but then lower down, the river gap is upping its game, so sound like that whole bit could be fresh.  Hoping that getting into that section might be easier than before, as it was a pretty decent bushwhack to get in to the river gap in previous years.

I’ve been quite a few times but pre Covid and stayed in a van on the cattle auction carpark (which I believe isn’t available anymore), also did one year of park and ride.

As above – over officious security but once past them all good. Take a 30litre rucksack with everything needed for all 4seasons in one day. Smidge (and hairnets) is available from local vendors in the retail area.

Get the gondola up early and slowly walk down, grandstand area for the finals. Amazing atmosphere on the Sunday.

Also a great drive home south on Sunday night with convoys of Shimano cow bell clanging fellow Fort Bill’ers!

Fort William my foot, can we all please refer to it properly as An Gearasdan?

Planning it on Sunday, the wife is on medic duties so might even swing a gondola freebie for me.
In previous years, I’ve always biked in from the Spean side and carried my bike up the side of the track as the race goes on, then ride down Top Chief after.

We’re arriving on Sunday, after all this rolling downhill nonsense, for six days of proper off-road biking https://www.ssdt.org/

Strange sight of a Blue American style school bus spotted rolling up the west side of Loch Lomond this afternoon. Pivot Factory off to Fort Bill.

Fort William my foot, can we all please refer to it properly as An Gearasdan?

apologies – I couldn’t remember or spell that 🙂

We’ve got to be there at 7am on Saturday to sign on for the kids DH race 🥱

Sunday, we’ll probably cycle up from the park & ride to avoid the wait for busses after the finish.

Anyone have any idea what time the shuttle buses start running from  Glen Spean Brewing on Sunday?

I’ve had a good look through the website and I’m not seeing the info.

Ta.

Me too – it’ll be a long, slow drive from Wiltshire on a Friday night. Camping in Glen Nevis & cycling up too.

Have gondola ticket for Saturday practice, getting feet on the ground on Sunday.

Will make the most of the daylight and get a bike ride in locally after watching each day. Jjust need to decide on a trail centre for a ride on the way back down south on Monday (suitable for rigid, single speed slowcoach).

Took my beloved victorinox off me, engraved with my name in Switzerland.

…….

No way of getting it back. Give it up or dont come in.

That sucks balls.

Do they check the contents of your drink bladder? Three litres of wine should see you through most of the day.

We’ve got to be there at 7am on Saturday to sign on for the kids DH race 🥱

What time is the kids DH race? Its not on the schedule I’ve seen, and one of my daughter’s friends she made at bike school at Easter is racing so we’re keen to support.

Planning it on Sunday, the wife is on medic duties

Good stuff. Both Mrs a11y and me were event medics for a few years. Mrs a11y much more competent that me so was placed in the medical centre at the bottom; me? Tower 13…

With the amount of ticket adverts I have seen recently, I wonder if attendence is a bit on the low side this year.

I usually go, but decided to miss it this year.

I’m coincidentally in the area on Friday as part of a trip with the wife and father-in-law. Can’t do Saturday or Sunday, will there be much to see on Friday? I asked about gondola passes but apparently they’re only available on Saturday and Sunday..?

Hopefully taking a run up on the motorbike to watch the Pre-65 trial at Kinlochleven on Friday

Friday’s practice sessions only but should still be great to watch, especially as you’ll be able to do so without the hordes of folk who’re there Sat and Sun. Free to get in on Friday I think.