Nevis Range Bike School launches in Scotland

The Nevis Range Mountain Experience, Fort William, has launched a new MTB school, the first trail centre owner operated bike school in Scotland.

Running annually from 1st May to 30th September, the Nevis Range Bike School will offer fun-filled skills coaching and guided rides to kids, families, individuals and mixed graded cross-country trails of the Leanachan Forest, orange graded downhill track and black graded Top Chief track.

The school will also offer a mountain bike hire service in association with Trek Bikes as part of the coaching and guiding service.

The school is headed up by Dave Parfitt, Nevis Range Ski School Manager and Fort William local with over 20 years service with the organisation.

Parfitt said of the new school: “We are really excited to be adding mountain bike coaching an guiding to our summer operation here at Nevis Range. We have such a huge variety of top-quality way-marked trails for all skill levels coupled with the most amazing views. We want our mountain bike visitors of all abilities to fully immerse themselves in some of the best riding in the UK, whilst having the best possible day out on a bike.

“Our qualified and experienced guides know the trails inside out. For each session they will tailor the routes to the technical abilities of the individual or group, whilst helping to rectify bad habits, improve technique and build riding confidence in a friendly fun and relaxed environment.

“Our coaching and guiding sessions will be a great introduction to the trails and tracks of Nevis range, an internationally recognised bike destination, guaranteed to be of benefit to any rider at any level.”

The team of four locally based mountain bike guides, all level two and three British Mountain Bike Leadership Award qualified coaches, will offer guiding and coaching options to suit all abilities from beginner to expert.  They will operate in a guide to client ratio of one to eight, enabling them to cater effectively to the specific requirements of every rider.

The Nevis Range Bike School will offer six different mountain bike guiding and coaching options to suit all skill levels; from the entry level cross country course, an introduction to cross country mountain biking on the more gentle trails within the Leanachan Forest, to Downhill 101 where the highest level riders can experience the technical demands of the multi-award winning and internationally renowned World Cup downhill track under expert supervision.

Over the last 12 months Nevis Range has formed integral partnerships with Trek, one of the world’s leading bike brand, and Endura, a global market leader in cycle apparel, both of whom are passionate about the development of mountain biking at all levels at the venue.

Both brands are fully behind the new bike school, providing Trek bikes and Endura clothing and protective gear to the guiding team, whilst also investing in the design and development of new track and trail features, trail signage and advertising at the venue.

Nikki Stafford, Commercial Manager of Nevis Range Mountain Experience, said: “We are incredibly excited about the opening of our bike school this Summer! It is vital to us to bring on the next generation of world class mountain bikers and the introduction of our own bike school will allow us to do this! We have a strong MTB community in Fort William and this will allow it to grow further.”

Further information on the Nevis Range Bike School can be found here.