Mountain bikers looking for something to burn off the Christmas pudding might want to check out Forestry Commission Scotland's new Laggan WolfTrax trails near Laggan, Inverness-shire, which are now fully open.
The completion this month (December) of 240 metres of bermy raised boardwalk named the "Wolf Run" heralds the completion of the Red route, meaning that the whole network is now open for the first time.
Including the access route from the "BaseCamp MTB" cafe and service centre at the Achduchil car park, the trails total 17.6 kilometres and run through Achduchil Woods, part of Strathmashie Forest, which is managed in a formal partnership by the Commission and the Laggan Forest Trust.
The trails comprise a fun park for those with ‘moderate’ riding skills, a ‘difficult’-graded red route for intermediate riders, and the black-graded route for those with above average technical skills. The Fun Park is graded as a moderate blue trail because novices can trundle or freewheel from top to bottom, while more skilled riders can rip up this route and find ‘big air’ opportunities all the way down!
Following feedback from users and key people in the mountain bike scene, the black trail has been upgraded and will now be advertised as a "Double Diamond" Black, or very severe.
BaseCamp MTB runs a shuttle service up the hill for bikers who prefer to maximise their time on the trails rather than ride the forest road up the hill before starting on the serious stuff.
The trails boast features with names such as "Back Attack!", " Crack Attack!" and "Sack Attack!", (a triple rock slab feature giving a real "back, crack and sack attack", according to one rider), "Air's Rock", "Doc Rick's Rock Slabs", "Two-Ton Drop", the "Rib Rattler" (a rocky, 100-metre causeway), "The Devil's Chessboard" and the "Bhadain Boulder Field". Riders can catch their breath and ease their muscles at "The Blue View" viewpoint, and at the end of the ride a hot shower, hot drink and a range of food are available at BaseCampMTB.
Inverness District Forester Jack Mackay, who has managed the WolfTrax development from conception, said,
"We're delighted to announce that the whole trail network as originally planned is now fully open, although we regret that it was later than planned because of some last-minute changes to the design, including the addition of the ‘Wolf Run’.
"The trails have had a great reception from the 2000 people who have tried them since the formal opening on 27th September, which we think is a great result for a season that is traditionally a quiet one for the visitor industry. Comments we've had so far include things such as 'Fantastic, interesting trails with outstanding open views;’ ‘Superb riding - loved the Fun Park!’ and 'Red run, blue run and café all superb!'
"BaseCamp MTB has had 4000 hits on its website, and we now have a WolfTrax section in development on the Forestry Commission website. Early in the New Year we'll be printing a leaflet that will include advertisements for local Laggan businesses that can help to make riders' visits more enjoyable, and an updated map of the trail network will be printed."
Laggan Forest Trust chair Jo Cumming added,
“We are delighted with the way that WolfTrax is developing, and providing visitors to Laggan with even more choice of recreation and food. Visitors are often pleasantly surprised by the variety of quality, home-cooked food available in such a small district in local hotels, cafes and restaurants, and the range of quality accommodation available, from hotels to bunkhouses, for riders who want to stay longer.
"The district also has plenty to offer families who don't share their mountain biking members' enthusiasm, so there's no excuse for not making a visit to Laggan a family event. There is pony trekking available, and miles of pleasant woodland walking on waymarked forest trails that take walkers well away from the WolfTrax routes and boast fantastic views from the Dun da Lamh hill fort. The forest roads are also open to walkers, and there are other waymarked trails leaving from the nearby Pattack Falls car park."
The £204,000 funding to develop the trails comprised £139,000 from Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Executive, £20,000 from Moray, Badenoch & Strathspey Enterprise, £25,000 from Scottish Natural Heritage, £15,000 from the Cairngorms National Park Authority, and £5000 from Highland Council.
Further information is available from www.basecampmtb.com; email: info@basecampmtb.com; telephone 07891 169817 or www.forestry.gov.uk/wolftrax.
NOTES TO EDITOR:
- The Laggan WolfTrax trails are the first of what, it is hoped, will be a cluster of challenging mountain biking routes in national forests in northern Scotland to complement the famous 7Stanes cluster across the south of Scotland. Planning permission has been granted to develop a trail network in Learnie Forest on the Black Isle, which now awaits European funding approval before work can start; and Forestry Commission Scotland is working with local partners to upgrade and extend trails in national forests at Fochabers, Moray
- Air's Rock, a huge slab on the red route, was named after Dorothy Air, in honour of her work with the Laggan Forest Trust Forestry Company to bring the mountain bike trails to Laggan.
- Forestry Commission Scotland serves as the Scottish Executive's forestry department. It manages 656,000 hectares of national forest lands owned by Scottish Ministers for multiple benefits, including nature conservation, public recreation and timber production; supports other woodland owners with grants, felling licences, advice and regulation; promotes the benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Ministers on forestry policy.
- The Laggan Forest Trust and the Laggan Forest Trust Forestry Company have their routes in the local community, and jointly manage the forests of Strathmashie in a formal 25-year partnership agreement with Forestry Commission Scotland. The partnership is an example of a range of methods by which the Scottish Executive encourages community involvement in the management of local forests to provide the full range of potential benefits from them.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Forestry Commission Scotland - Charlton Clark, press office, 0131 314 6507; mobile 07810 181067;
Jack Mackay, Inverness Forest District, 01463 791575; mobile 07747 761347;
Laggan Forest Trust - Ms Jo Cumming, Chair, 01540 673821