BLACK HOLE RUN

Riding into the depths of a 350-year-old lead mine makes for an exciting and surreal experience, as Olly Wilkins found out when he headed to Slovenia to check out the new, fullysubterranean Black Hole Trail.

“An absolute lack of light isn’t something you often find, even with the best curtains in the world,” says Olly. “I experienced complete darkness for the first time this year, when I was asked to test-ride and shoot a video on the first underground enduro trail in the world, under Mount Petzen.

“I entered the mine in minus temperatures but, 20ft in, found myself strangely warm. The mine maintains a temperature of 6°C for the entire year, which is useful, considering the harsh winters here. A vast array of tunnels and caverns have been hollowed out of the limestone. To get to the trailhead, we travelled 4km into the belly of the mountain, down a disused railway line. From there, we dropped into one of the craziest trails I’ve ever ridden, with chutes into giant, churchlike caverns and bare rock slabs meeting moon-dust corners.

“After an entire day in the darkness, we emerged and night had fallen. This theme continued for five days. By the end, my dreams were littered with beams of waving light. It really was a surreal experience, far beyond the riding aspect. After days underground, I was ready for some outdoor riding, but it was an experience I’ll never forget.”

The Black Hole Trail has 5km and 9km options, both with an elevation drop of 150m. It includes a mix of flowy and technical terrain, with nets in spots where riders could fall into the depths. (The drop pictured here isn’t on the trail, thankfully!) It’s open now – find out more at www.podzemljepece.com and www.bikenomad.com.