Mountain Bikes To Invade Ski Resort

Scotland’s Newest Mountain Bike Resort

In a desperate bid to stay in business, Scotland's largest ski resort is being turned into a mountain bike centre, after the worst winter season in living memory.
The Glenshee Ski Centre, Britain's greatest ski field, with 21 lifts, is being forced to consider the future of the company as global warming decimates snow levels.
Milder winters have meant lower snow fall and and has now signalled the end of the once lucrative business.
One of the directors of Glenshee Ski Centre, Stewart Davidson, said that they are now planning to carve a mountain bike track into the barren and rocky hillside in a bid to diversify and offer thrill seekers an alternative to snow sports.
In continental Europe, ski lifts are already used , especially France, Switzerland, and Italy during the summer months to save people pedalling uphill so they can complete more routes in a day.
Mountain bikers can hook their heavy downhill bikes to the underside of the chair lift and sit back and relax as they are whisked up the steep slopes.
Proposals are currently underway for the track, which will stretch from the car park to the top of the 3,100ft Cairnwell mountain.
"There will be a large track winding across the hill that will take them all the way down to behind the main buildings at the bottom. "It is based on the model from Europe, where some of the big resorts have turned their ski fields into mountain bike tracks. It's been extremely popular and we think it would be a great thing for Scotland.
"We will approach Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland in the hope of securing funding to make sure this goes ahead. We are hoping to get the plans finalised very soon and get them approved by the council.
"We also need permission from Invercauld estate as the lease we have only relates to winter sports." said Mr Davidson.
IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association) rates Scotland as a "global superstar" and is fast becoming a hotspot for mountain biking enthusiasts from across the Globe.
Cycle tourism, which is largely made up by mountain biking, represents eight per cent of all trips to Scotland. In 2003, revenue from cycle tourism was calculated at £219 million.
Every year, more than 40,000 spectators flock to Fort William for the World Mountain Biking Championships, contributing £2 million to the local economy.
Mr Davidson, who was part of a management buyout of the ski centre in September 2003, added: "We hope to have it up and running for next summer. The sooner the better, from our point of view.
"We need to diversify, there's no way we can rely on our winters. The future of skiing in Scotland, not just at Glenshee, is in very grave danger of being wiped out altogether."
Glenshee currently only employs seven staff during the summer months, but with a fully-operative mountain bike trail, that figure could treble.
VisitScotland welcomed the proposals, with adventure spokesman Steve Duncan describing Scotland's mountain bike industry as "thriving".
He said: "Mountain biking is an important part of our adventure tourism offering, attracting visitors from far and wide.>.
"It is great to hear that Glenshee will be providing even more facilities for mountain bikers in Scotland."
Mr Duncan added: "We aim to promote Scotland as Europe's number one mountain biking destination underpinning the overall adventure campaign aim of being Europe's adventure capital."
Skiers, and latterly, snowboarders from across Britain once flocked to Glenshee to enjoy immaculate powder conditions for around 90 days during the season, which peaked during the Easter break, and often lasted well into late spring.
But this year, after only 30 "decidedly average" days skiing and recording the mildest conditions in recent history, Glenshee officials were forced to close the season on March 25.
David Stewart, chairman of the local tourism association, admitted: "The winters have been diabolical for skiing, especially this last season. It certainly was the worst that we've seen in a long while and we can't continue to rely on it. "The snow just isn't there, simply as that."
The Glenshee Tourism Association is re-branding itself, and plans to attract a new breed of tourist to the 'The Glen of the Fairies', including ramblers, cyclists, and sightseers.
One of the glen's best-known hotels has already been abandoned and another turned into housing as the skiing season vanishes.

Tony Haresign
Mountain Biking Scotland
"Get Out of the Woods!"