Loch Ness bike park team invites community and businesses near Fort Augustus to learn about plans for trail centre
The team behind a planned bike park near Fort Augustus are hoping that local people can help them create a world-class facility.
The development at Glendoe will provide year-round benefits to the community and local businesses, according to Andrew Vernon, the founder of Ride Ness.
An invitation has been shared encouraging local people and businesses to find out more about the plans at an open day later this month.
The Ride Ness development on Glendoe Estate aims to establish a new outdoor destination close to Loch Ness. Years of “painstaking design and consultation” have gone into the plans, with a planning application expected to be decided on within months.
Mr Vernon said: “We invite everyone in the community to join us at our open day to discover all that Ride Ness has to offer and to share your valuable ideas on how we can enhance this exciting project.
“This is a unique opportunity to be part of something special that will bring year-round benefits to our area.
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“Your feedback and suggestions are essential to us, and together, we can create a world-class bike park that our entire community will be proud of and enjoy for generations to come.”
The open day will be held on Friday, September 20, from 4pm-6pm at Borlum Hill, Fort Augustus, PH32 4BZ.
People will have the chance to find out more about the vision for Ride Ness and make suggestions to enhance the development.
It promises to create 15 full-time jobs and seven part-time roles, including in management and administration, trail builders, coaches, mechanics, drivers, groundkeepers and housekeepers. ‘Forks’, the development’s food and drink offering, will also create jobs for chefs and waiting staff.
Once built, Ride Ness also aims to offer easy access to 700 acres of land for hikers and dog walkers, a play area for kids, a café, mountain biking for everybody from beginners to expert riders, training opportunities for downhill riders and a bike hire, servicing and sales centre.
The team says it will be working closely with other mountain bike trail centres to promote the area as a global mountain biking destination, allowing visitors to experience the wide variety of mountain biking on offer in the region.
Chris O’Brien, managing director of Nevis Range Mountain Experience, added: “As a long-standing advocate for sustainable tourism and community-driven initiatives, I am thrilled to see the development of Ride Ness. This project promises to bring a significant boost to the local economy by creating quality year-round jobs and encouraging longer visitor stays, which is something we at Nevis Range have seen the value of first-hand.
“The synergy between Ride Ness and Nevis Range is undeniable. By working together, we can position the Highlands as a premier destination for adventure tourism.”
Barry Edmondson, of Bike Glenlivet, added: “It would be fantastic to see Ride Ness become a reality. At Bike Glenlivet, we’ve seen how our trails have invigorated and supported our local community.
“I’m confident that Ride Ness will have a similarly positive impact, attracting more biking enthusiasts to the area and boosting local tourism. This outstanding facility will enhance the Highlands as a premier destination for outdoor adventure.”
