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!
@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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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).
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…
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..?
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.