LAGGAN AND FORT WILLIAM

Day four (phew) and again a little bit of cheating. I’m headed to Fort William, and while it is possible to get there by train, in order to do that from Aviemore I’d need to either go up to Inverness and back down or Glasgow and back up; there’s no direct service.

So I’m met by Ruari, the Highlands coordinator for Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBINS), and we sneak crosscountry and chat about his work.

DMBINS is an organisation set up to further mountain biking in Scotland, providing advice, investment, and coordinating between different stakeholders and groups. This could be anything from helping trail builders access funding, to helping accommodation providers understand what kind of things mountain bikers look for when booking.

One big development for 2022 is a partnership with Expedia, with local trail associations across the country receiving 5% of the booking value when made through the DMBINS Ride Guide. The Ride Guide itself is an incredibly useful resource, listing not only where to ride but also where to stay, local bike shops and cafes, as well as other facilities.

We decide to make an extra stop at Laggan Wolftrax since we’re passing it anyway, and also because it’s apparently hammering down in Fort William. Ruari tells me it’s often dry at Laggan when it’s raining in Fort Bill, and he’s not wrong; there’s even a little blue sky showing.

There’s a third reason. The main descent was extensively redeveloped over the last few years and opened just before the 2022

FOURTH STOP: