This is a RSS news feed for the outdoor capital. http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/index.asp http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=845 The Wilderness ARC is a 5-day multi-discipline, expedition-style Adventure Race. The 2006 event will take place inLochaber from 27 May - 4 June and is also the British Adventure Racing Championship. The Wilderness ARC is a World Series event and qualifier for the Adventure Race World Championship. As such, the race is a truly international affair. This May teams of 4 will race together, unsupported, over a 250-mile course through the magnificence of the Western Highlands of Scotland. The journey involves onlyhuman-powered transport and disciplines may include trail running, mountain biking, canoeing, rope work, swimming and others. Adventure Racing is the ultimate human challenge. The Wilderness ARC captures the spirit of this adventure within the beauty of one of nature’s most evocative landscapes. To find out more about Wilderness Arc and other adventure races visit www.aceraces.co.uk/wildernessarc Wed, 5 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1884 Following concern for team safety organisers of the 2007 Adventure Racing World Championship, being staged in the Fort William and Lochaber region of the Western Highlands of Scotland, have insured their 196 competitors against attack from the Loch Ness Monster for a section of this week’s event that will see them swim and kayak in the UK’s most voluminous freshwater lake. In the 500 kilometre unsupported, non-stop, multi-discipline, endurance race a dip in the world famous Loch Ness is just one of the many challenges that the toughest endurance athletes from 22 nations across the globe will face. Other disciplines the 49 mixed teams of four will tackle during the race include navigation, mountain biking, mountain running, abseiling, mountaineering, river crossing and gorge swimming. Participating regularly in a series of adventure races around the world, the determined athletes expect the limits of their minds, bodies and spirits to be tested but never before have they faced the risk of coming face to face with a legendary monster. The Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie as she is known locally, is one of the best-known mysteries of cryptozoology, the first reported sighting being in 565AD and depicted in the Life of St Columba by Adamnan. Since then a number of sightings of a creature with a small head, long neck, small front fins and a humped back have been reported at the beauty-spot prompting a number of scientific explorations, none of which have provided any solid evidence of the existence of the creature. However a lack of evidence has not reduced the interest and some people still believe in the existence of Nessie. The race organisers don’t want to take any risks as the Adventure Racing World Championship makes its first ever visit to the UK. They said “We are committed to making the course as safe as possible, but sometimes a balance must be made and we therefore thought insurance might be a good idea. Of course it will scare some of the international teams, but also add extra intrigue to this fantastic race”. Competitors from as far afield as Australia, Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States will be covered with a policy arranged by the UK’s leading event insurance specialists ESR, who also provide insurance for Edinburgh’s world famous Hogmanay celebrations. Pamela Choat of ESR, admits this is a strange policy request: “We’re used to being asked to provide insurance cover for the most unusal eventualities but this is the first time we’ve been asked to cover a ‘monster’ sized risk like this one… ” Adventure Racing courses are always kept a closely guarded secret until the night before the starting sequence as navigation is a major part of the sport. After the route was announced a number of athletes were surprised and concerned to find that they will be taking a dip with one of Scotland’s best known figures of folklore. Mike Kloser, captain of Team Nike, the defending world champions, said: “we can’t wait to get to Loch Ness and hopefully the legendary monster will make a special guest appearance for us. We’re not afraid…..bring her on”. Another competitor added: “An encounter with Nessie could be scary, but for us the real problem is the ‘ lack of sleep monster’”. To find out more about this amazing endurance race go to the Adventure Race World Champs website http://www.arwc2007.com/ For live on-line coverage of the event visit the sleepmonsters website http://www.sleepmonsters.co.uk/racereport.php?race_id=2905&story_order=asc # Photo credit: Chris Owen Halper http://adventureart.ca/ Tue, 29 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1078 What an action-packed weekend we had in Lochaber over 27th and 28th May! With the Mountain Bike World Cup, the start of the Wilderness Arc adventure race, Sail Caledonia regatta AND the huge Party in the Fort on Saturday night – it was certainly a weekend to remember! Thousands of visitors joined Lochaber locals to celebrate one of the Outdoor Capital's biggest weekends of the year. Mountain bike madness Mountain bike competitors from around the world were in town for the 2006 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, held at Nevis Range. 400 world-class riders, 20,000 spectators, 2 days of non-stop action - the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2006 was awesome, despite the added challenge of some seriously heavy rain on Saturday! The weather was kinder on Sunday, clearing up in time for the extreme thrills of the downhill racing. The best riders from more than 35 countries competed in three of the most gruelling events in extreme free-sports - Downhill, 4-Cross and Cross Country. For race results visit fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk . Think you’re fit? Try adventure racing! The Wilderness Arc adventure race kicked off with a 2-hour prologue event around Fort William on the evening of Saturday 27th May, giving the competing teams (which included some of the world’s best endurance athletes) a chance to warm up and get a feel for the local terrain. The official race started on Monday 29 May and the 250 mile (400 Km) course took the competing teams through some of the most spectacular and demanding terrain of the Scottish Highlands. The teams used a mixture of outdoor skills to make their way. Trekking, night-navigation, deep-water crossings, trail running, mountain biking, kayaking, rope work – you name it, they did it! For race results and more about adventure racing visit www.aceraces.co.uk/wildernessarc Sailing the high seas The week-long Sail Caledonia event (a race and moving festival of small boats up the Caledonian Canal from Fort William to Inverness) kicked off in fine style on Saturday 27th May, with a regatta on Loch Linnhe, followed by a procession through the picturesque locks of Neptune’s staircase in Banavie, Fort William. It was certainly a sight to behold and many spectators came along to cheer the racers on and admire the fleet. For more details visit www.sailcaledonia.org Party time in the Fort! Fort William’s first ever ‘Party in the Fort’ was aresounding success. Despite initial concerns over wet weather, the show went on in fine style and theskiescleared up nicely in time for the evening’s main events. Up to 3,000 people packed into the high street to enjoy the range of activities on offer. Family events ran from noon, with a bucking bronco, sumo-wrestling, climbing wall and a bungee run to entertain children and adults alike. To tempt the taste buds, delicioussnacks from local food producers and restaurantswere cooked up fresh at the 'Lochaber Larder' food tent. Awesome stunt bike riders, fire swingers and street entertainers kept everyone amused into the evening, when the music kicked off on the main stage. With shops, cafes and bars all open late, there was something for everyone. The all-day party finished in a blaze of triumph at midnight with a fire-swinger performing alongside the fabulous band ‘Peatbog Faeries’, whose blistering performancedrew an enthusiastic audience of almost 2,000to the town square. If you couldn’t join us this time, make sure you’re here to celebrate the next Party in the Fort! Sun, 4 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1155 Wilderness Arc Adventure Racerecently announced details of the 2007 World Challenge, which will again take place in Lochaber. The event will be held over 500km of Lochaber terrain between 24 May and 3 June and will require teams to kayak, run, and climb over mountains, rivers and glens with minimal support in the shortest possible time. It has been confirmed that a maximum of 45 teams will be allowed to take part in the event. Organisers say that the Highlands offered the most suitable terrain for the challenge and after successful events in the last two years were looking forward to the race as the highlight of the 2007 racing season. Race Director Phil Humphreys is looking forward to welcoming the best adventure racing teams in the world to Scotland , but points out that the course and entry criteria allow for any experienced team to compete. “Within the race we will also have the option of an ‘adventure course’, for those teams who find the World Championship distance too much, but still wish to achieve a finish at Wilderness ARC and experience the Scottish wilderness. “With the sport of adventure racing continuing to expand and grow worldwide we expect to host teams from as many countries as possible, alongside a strong entry from teams in the British Isles . We want ARWC 2007 in Scotland to be a celebration of the very best of worldwide Adventure Racing.” Click here for more information from Wilderness Arc. Fri, 21 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1109 After the World Cup Mountain bike championships three weeks ago, there was an air of quiet confidence that the weather could not do it again, however on Saturday morning the 800 plus mountain bikers gathered at Lochaber Rural Complex for the second10 Under the Ben were bracing themselves for the sequel. 10 UNDER THE BEN is an endurance mountain bike event. 10 hours of riding, a 10 mile course, at the foot of Ben Nevis. Orginisers Lochaber based No Fuss aims for the event are to appeal to a broad range of riders, to be as inclusive as possible. If you are new to riding you can ride as part of a four person relay team of friends, just for fun. If you are experienced and looking for a challenge, try riding solo! 10 Under the Ben combines great riding on the World Cup Witches Trail with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, with a dose of efficient organization added! Held at the Lochaber Rural Complex, it must be one of the few UK mountain bike events with an indoor base. At 0930 competitors gathered at the new Forestry Car Park at Nevis range where team mates and spectators were treated to the spectacle of 363 riders setting of back towards the Rural Complex and into the forest, this year saw riders having to dismount and walk through the transition area to the sound of the pipes spectators were able to enjoy the action out on the Thompson’s trail courtesy of the Big Screen, camera and sound system supplied by John Haggerty of Inverlochy. Riders were treated to what is being touted as the best course on the endurance mountain bike calendar, with some new bits of single trail being kept secret until the day before the event some of the local teams had to quickly change team strategies, there was a healthy mix of technical sections, open fire road and fast flowing trails. Throughout the day riders spectators and family and friends were treated to entertainment in the form of local band Skales and Funk Rock band Lost Reality, MC for the day was Johnny Meres, a Perrier nominated comedian and writer. Evening entertainment was provided by The Raggaels from Glasgow and those who managed to stay awake and enjoy the evening were treated to a brilliant night of music, one rider from Cumbria commented that he would come back just for the band if No Fuss could arrange that for another weekend as well as the race. No Fuss are delighted with the way the race has been received by everyone a special mention goes to the marshals who made every rider welcome and gave that extra encouragement they needed to keep going the full 10 hours. No Fuss are looking forward their next event the Big Triathlon in September which will see competitors Swim 1900m in Loch Linnie a 90km Mountain Bike Ride followed by a 21km run up and down Ben Nevis. 10 Under the Ben Results: Mens Solo 1st Ken Russell 11 laps Ladies Solo 1st Elaine Hopley 8 laps Male Pairs 1st James Sanford & 12 laps Ewan Thorburn Ladies Pairs 1st Aelish O’Rourke & 8 laps Karen MacInnes Mixed Pairs 1st Iona Robertson & 10 laps Richard Wild Male Trios 1st Gavin, James and 12 laps John Shirley Female Trios 1st Three Wise Monkies9 laps Mixed Trios 1st Peter Beattie 11 laps Billy Matthews & Dagmar Heyer Quads Male 1st Euan Cartridge, 13 laps Marcus Shields, Euan Pope & Barry Crumlish Quads Mixed 1st Aaron Milward, 10 laps Danelle Crake, Phil Craker & Adam Robats Mon, 26 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3390 No-one can accuse The National Trust for Scotland of not moving with the times, as this week they produced a downloadable podcast which will take visitorson afascinating tour of the dramatic landscape of Glencoe. The Trust rangers offer information on how to spot wildlife in the area, and give an insight into the tragic 17th-century massacre. NTS marketing manager Clare Willis said: "Glencoe is an amazing place for walks and there is so much to see. Joining a guided tour or a ranger-led walk is a great way to learn more, but it's just not convenient for every visitor. "Free podcasts give us a great opportunity to highlight the very best of the trust's properties. "Whether it's a secluded spot in a beautiful garden, an impressive mountain vista or a fascinating fact about village life, there is something extra in there for our visitors. "We hope the downloads will be used by visitors of all ages who want to get even more out of their time at a trust property." The second in a series of six walking podcasts available for free at www.nts.org.uk/multimedia , the download features the trust's Glencoe ranger Scott McCombie. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3467 The 2008 Round Britain Offshore Powerboat Race hit the Highlands yesterday for only the third time in 39 years. Having powered around the south and west coasts of the UK over the last 4 days, Wednesday was a chance for some of the boats to take things easy as they made their way from west to east along the Caledonian Canal. However, some of the larger boats had to make the transition by road as the 5 mile an hour speed limit on the canal could have blown their engines! According to the race's official website : "The transit of the Caledonian Canal is a seminal moment in the circuit of Britain and some teams professed to be doing the race just to experience it." See them making their way along the canal on the Race Website . Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3490 Having covered389 nautical miles, not to mention scaling Snowdonia, Sca Fell and Ben Nevis, in less than 3 days, the JourneyMaker 5 team crossed the finish line today a mere 19 minutes ahead of their rivals, EADS Innovation Works. The runners for the winning team included Greg Marsh, who became the first man to ever to win as a runner and as a skipper (on his boat Vlad the Impaler in 2007). For full race reports and photos , visit the official 3 Peaks Yacht Race website Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=559 In a great scoop for Fort William and Lochaber, two of the area’s mountain biking events have been nominated for the “Best Event of the Year” award by Singletrack magazine. The award is voted for by readers of Singletrack, the UK’s biggest cycling website and cult mountain bike magazine. The Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup Finals were expecting a nomination, which they received, and it was also a very pleasant surprise for No Fuss, the organisers of the 10 Under the Ben event, held for the first time in June of this year in Leanachan Forest. Ruari Watt, of No Fuss said “We knew it went well, and to be nominated for such a prestigious award in our first year is fantastic. We had over 500 riders this year and from the feedback it’s going to be even bigger and better in 2006.” 10 Under the Ben started as an idea to bring more cyclists and tourists to Fort William to keep the town busy during the shoulder months of the summer season. In its inaugural year the event far exceeded expectations and next year the organisers expect to have over 700 riders at a relaxed and friendly event suitable for all abilities. The success of the two events in gaining recognition further enforces Lochaber’s place as the Outdoor Capital of the UK. With a varied and expanding events calendar the area is fast becoming recognised as a venue for local, national and international events. To vote for 10 Under the Ben, and find out more about the event visit www.singletrackworld.com. Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1879 See our members' current special offers for a great break in the Outdoor Capital. Princes House Hotel – 01397 722 246 Enjoy a ‘Taste of Glenfinnan’ with a fantastic 2-night break at the Princes House Hotel, Glenfinnan. Break includes dinner, bed & breakfast, plus Eagle Watch wildlife cruise on Loch Sheil and entry to the National Trust Glenfinnan Visitor Centre. All for only £160 pp. Call for details and mention ‘OCUK offer’ Rockhopper Sea Kayaking – 07739 837 344 Grab a great late deal on multi-day sea kaying trips in June. Learn new skills on a three-day sea-kayaking introduction course on 15/16/17 June. All kayaking equipment, 2 nights B&B and lunches included - £229 pp. Tulloch Outdoor Activity Centre - 0845 0945513 Choose your favourite activities from quad-biking,canyoning or gorge walking, white water or scenic rafting trips,funyakking, clay shooting, paintball, 4x4 driving and mountain biking. Choose 2 of your favourites on a Double Whammy Dayfor £75, 3 activities for £110 onaTriple Whammy Dayor go all out with the Awesome Foursome - £140 for 4 activites - a guaranteed weekend of fun and adventure! Snowgoose Mountain Centre – 01397 772 467 Enjoy the perfect outdoor adventure break for families this summer and grab a Family Freedom Break (for children 8+). Book for 5 nights in the hostel bunkhouse (Sunday – Thursday) and only pay for 4! Enjoy outdoor activities as a family with the great value ‘Family Activity Day Tickets’ or have a break and let the kids enjoy a huge range of supervised outdoor activities from 9.30am – 4.30pm. Available June – September 2007. See the website for activities or call for more info. Vertical Descents – 01855 821 593 Get a 20% saving on group bookings for under 18s in June. Activities include canyoning, abseiling, white water rafting, fun-yakking, gorge walking, target sports and paintball. Perfect for school or youth groups. Call for further details. Birchbrae Luxury Lodges – 01855 821 261 Treat yourself to a break in one of Birchbrae’s luxury self-catering lodges, just 8 miles south of Fort William. Special offers are available till the end of July – book online or call for details. Fri, 25 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2297 Not for the faint of heart, this year’s Big Triathlon will take place on Saturday 29th September in the heart of Lochaber, the UK’s Outdoor Capital. Organised by local company No Fuss Events, the Big Triathlon is a multi-disciplinary sporting challenge for those who like it ‘epic’. The Big Triathlon will offer competitors the opportunity to test their skills, stamina and endurance away from smooth, predictable tarmac and calm inland waters of other more traditional ‘tri’ events. Under the foreboding shadow of Ben Nevis, our intrepid athletes will endure a 1.9km loch swim in the choppy, icy waters of Loch Linnhe, a 90km mountain bike ride and a 21km run up, and then back down the slopes of Ben Nevis! The No Fuss Events team have shaken up the traditional Triathlon format by introducing elements from the extreme ‘x-terra’ triathlon series, such as replacing the road biking with mountain biking and requiring competitors to complete an off-road mountain run, rather than the traditional ‘road run’. No Fuss Events staged the first Big Triathlon in 2006. Its success gained it recognition amongst the multi-sport athletes and it has been nominated as a contender for one of the Ten Toughest Triathlons in the UK. In 2006, 39 competitors started the event. In 2007 there are already 80 competitors signed up to take part. The 80 competitors will be giving it their all tomorrow (Sat 29th)and there's sure to be a great night of celebrations at the Ben Nevis Inn afterwards! If you're in the Fort William area come along to the Inn at the foot of Ben Nevis to join in the fun! Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2549 Cameron McNeish opened a great new path today,that makes accessing the North Face of Ben Nevis a lot more pleasant.Upgrading the rather muddy start to the Alt a' Mhuilinn path into the North Face of Ben Nevis has been on a lot of people's wish lists for a long time. It wasfirst mooted approximately 6 years ago by the Lochaber Mountain Access Group ,and ealier this year the Forestry Commission were able to purchase a key piece of woodland. With support and help from the Nevis Partnership, HIE Lochaber and Scottish Natural Heritage a new path has been put in. There are several great view points including a detour that goes onto a knoll in the forest that gives one of the best views of Ben Nevis's awe inspiraing buttresses and ridges. The path is steep in parts but despite some recent very wet weather was easy and pleasant to walk on today. The path is accessed from the North Face car park, north of Fort William on the A82 - follow signs at Torlundy for the North Face car park. For more information on the Nevis Partnership go to www.nevispartnership.co.uk Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1722 TODAYIS A GREAT DAY FOR SKIING - LET'S MAKE THE MOST OF IT! As a result of the recent heavy snow showers and 2" more overnight, there is ample skiing for all standards at both Nevis Range and Glencoe ski areas. This time it looks hopeful for the winds to settle. If you are a powder hound - be here!Both areas arehoping to open up more of their mountains as the week progresses, so take a day off later in the week and head for the slopes. Before travelling check conditions at the SkiScotland website http://ski.visitscotland.com/conditions/ Nevis Range alsohave couple of great events on this weekend. So why not enter? Can you cycle, run, ski or board? Put a team together for the Park to Peak Challenge or enter the Slopestyle competition on Saturday. See www.nevis-range.co.uk for more information, or see below for further links: Saturday 24th March: PARK 2 PEAK TRIATHLON - Cycle, run and ski in a winter adventure race. Entries available at http://www.nofussevents.co.uk/Local%20events/Local_home.htm BIG AIR AND SLOPESTYLE COMPETITION at Summit Terrain park. Entries on http://www.snsc.demon.co.uk/calendar/snowboard_entry_form.pdf Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2754 A new mountain bike endurance from No Fuss Events adds even more thrills and spills to a packed sporting calendar in the Outdoor Capital of the UK. The new Fort William Downhill Endurance race will be staged in September on the internationally renowned downhill track at Nevis Range , near Fort William, which last year hosted the UCI mountain bike world championships to great acclaim. The new event isjust one of a gruelling series of open endurance sporting events runby Fort William-based company No Fuss Events . Bikers in the new Downhill Endurance will need physical strength, quick reflexes and superb cycle control in tackling the downhill track at Nevis Range, with the aim of completing as many circuits as possible in six hours. In normal downhill events riders race individually against the clock but this will use a Le Mans-style mass start. Other events planned for Lochaber include the Ten under the Ben (part of the Three Tens Series run in Lochaber, Moray and Kirroughtree) and Relentless 24, cross-country mountain bike endurance events at venues across Scotland, and the Big Ben Nevis Triathlon . This yearNo fuss is also bringing back the popular two-mile Glen Nevis River Race - but it's not for the faint-hearted: it's widely regarded as one of the world's top 25 most dangerous events! The river race on July 19 sees competitors navigating the Gurgling Gorge, the Leg Breaker and the Lower Falls Leap aboard rubber inflatable air beds. Proceeds will again go to Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team (one of the UK's busiest teams). And don't forget, there's the Wee Triathlon on Sunday 17th February! Check out www.nofussevents.co.uk for info and entry details for all the races. Fri, 1 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3163 If you’ve already been to a World Cup or the World Championships in Fort William you are part of the team that has made it such a famous name in global mountain biking, and you know what to expect. If you are a keen mountain biker, the chances are you’ve heard of Fort William, but if you've never made it up before now’s the time to make the journey to see for yourself what all the fuss is about. And if you don’t know the first thing about mountain biking and its stars but you want a great day out in a very special location come and join us in the Highlands this June. This will be the one opportunity in the UK to see all the potential Cross Country Olympic medal winners in action as they prepare for Beijing. Best riders. Best courses. Best crowds. Best be here... from 6-8 June 2008. Tickets go on sale in first week of April. To find out more and to buy tickets visit www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2482 Outdoor Capital of the UK member, The Old Forge pub, Inverie, is the proud winner of the ‘Best Visitor Experience’ award in the 2007 Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards . So, what is it that makes the Old Forge so special? Well, you’ll have to discover it for yourself to really get a feel for the experience. In the meantime, check out www.theoldforge.co.uk to find out more about this award-winning pub. Situated in the heart of the highland village of Inverie in the ‘rough bounds’ of Knoydart , the Old Forge is the UK’s most remote mainland pub - with no roads into this wilderness area of Lochaber in the west highlands,the only options for getting there for a drink are an 18-mile hike over the rugged Munros of Knoydart or a 7-mile sea crossing from the nearby fishing port of Mallaig . But, as the award shows – it’s well worth the effort! The Old Forge’s remoteness certainly hasn’t hindered its popularity – in fact, it’s a big part of the unique appeal of this lively village pub that specialises in good craic, live folk music and fresher-than-fresh local seafood. So next time you feel like an escape from the everyday, pack your boots and head for the hills of Knoydart to work up an appetite for a lunch or evening in the Old Forge (or if that’s a bit too much like hard work at this time of year, catch the ferry from Mallaig for a relaxing day out). For more fantastic outdoor experiences in the Highlands, see our activities section. Well done to all the team at the Old Forge! Sun, 25 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3339 A number of competitors from The Glen Nevis River Race 2008 today tested the extreme two-mile course ahead of the challenging fundraising event to be staged on Saturday 19 July 2008. Clutching their air-beds (lilos), the intrepid adventurers navigated down river through rocks, rapids and deep, narrow gorge pools before jumping off the 30ft high Lower Falls waterfall (the Lower Falls Leap), one of the last of many obstacles on the course. The local athletes were kitted out in wetsuits, crash helmets, life vests and carried inflatable devices of assorted shapes and sizes, including sheep, crocodiles and the Loch Ness monster! BACKGROUND TO THE GLEN NEVIS RIVER RACE 2008 Glen Nevis, Fort William Saturday 19 July 2008 Re-introduced to the Fort William and Lochaber (Outdoor Capital of the UK) events calendar for 2008 by No Fuss Events after a five year break, The Glen Nevis River Race involves participants navigating through the icy waters of a 2-mile stretch of the River Nevis on an air-bed (Lilo) through rocks and rapids, negotiating the Gurgling Gorge, Dead Dog Pool, the Leg Breaker and the Lower Falls Leap! In a thirty year run from 1973 to 2003 the Glen Nevis River Race enjoyed a high media and public profile as an awe inspiring spectacle, a unique challenge (for the likes of John Noakes from Blue Peter) and as a worthy fundraising event (funds raised going to Lochaber Mountain Rescue, the UK's busiest winter mountain rescue team). The time taken to complete the course, depending on the amount of water at the time, can vary from 20 minutes to over an hour. The state of the water also determines the amount of minor scrapes and bruises, although no one has been seriously injured as yet! In its thirty-year history thousands of pounds have been raised for the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team based in Fort William. The first race raised a mere £25.00 that just about bought a pair of boots. The final race in 2003 raised in the region of £10,000 which only helped to cover the cost of running the busiest team in Scotland with around 70 callouts each year. Every competitor is expected to raise his or her own sponsorship and in the past amounts over £1000 have been handed in. Previously the prizes consisted of various amounts of locally produced quality whisky and every finisher received a miniature of the same. This was administered purely for medicinal purposes. You won't see competitors with masks, flippers or other swimming aids as these are banned from the race. Entry fees are £30 / person. To enter online go to the No Fuss website For more information on the Glen Nevis River Race and to download the sponsorship form go to: http:// www.nofussevents.co.uk / Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3330 Looking for accommodation during the MTB World Cup? Look no further, download our accommodation directory here Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3367 This is the biggest week of the year for mountain biking in Scotland, when world class riders will return to Fort William for the seventh successive year. The current downhill course has an enviable reputation, but often proves too difficult for the majority of keen mountain bikers. The existing track will now be complemented by a 2.8km intermediate downhill track, thanks to a £67,000 investment from sportscotland. The new track will be more suited to recreational mountain bikers and those wishing to develop their skills for competition downhill biking, before progressing onto the more advanced track. Mountain biking is an exciting and growing sport in Scotland which attracts riders of all ages. It is crucial that there is a network of good quality tracks and facilities across Scotland to ensure riders from general participation to excellence level are catered for and the new track being developed at Fort William will go a long way to achieving this. In addition, the tracks at Fort William are unique as they are the only specialist mountain bike tracks in Britain that are served by a ski lift making them easily accessible. Anna Trafford, Project Director, Outdoor Capital of the UK Ltd said: “The award of the grant is great news and will enable recreational cyclists to take their riding to the next level, and to ride a downhill course at the home of the World Cup and World Championships. Facilities like this are vital if Scotland is to keep on producing champions like Ruraidh Cunningham (Junior Downhill World Champion). The community in Lochaber has been instrumental in putting this application together and our thanks go to Nevis Range, our local cycling club - the West Highland Wheelers, the Forestry Commission and Highlands and Islands Enterprise for their hard work in making this application successful. We can’t wait until it’s built so we can get out and have a go!” In her first official engagement as the new sportscotland Chair, Louise Martin CBE teamed up with Sports Minister Stewart Maxwell to announce an investment of £781,904 for sports facilities that will benefit communities across Scotland, including the world-renowned mountain bike facilities at Fort William. She said: "The investment in the new intermediate mountain bike track at Nevis Range will undoubtedly attract an increased number of mountain bikers of all ages to the area reinforcing Fort William and Lochaber as a hub for outdoor sports in Scotland.” Thu, 5 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3169 Fort William-based Scottish climberDave MacLeod has become the first man to climb the scarily named "Don't Die of Ignorance" traverse on Ben Nevis without the use of aids, more than 20 years after the route (thought to be the hardest in the UK) was last conquered. MacLeod's successful bid last Sunday was caught on camera for a climbing documentary that is to be released later this year by local film-making companyHeatherhat productions. Film-maker and amateur climber Joe French also completed the climb with MacLeod, who used a method called free climbing. This entails the climber relying solely on his body strength and skill to scale the entire route. Until last weekend, the route had only been completed once, in 1987, by climber Andy Cave, and his partner Simon Yates, who featured in the famous climbing film 'Touching The Void'. Theterrain on Ben Nevis is considered perfect for climbing and thousands flock to the mountains in Lochaber every year - a fact that partly led to the area being named Outdoor Capital of the UK three years ago. Congratulations to Dave and Joe fromthe Outdoor Capital of the UK team! Read more about the epic climb and see great pics on Dave's blog at www.davemacleod.blogspot.com This is an abridged version of an article by Catriona MacPhee in the Sunday Herald on Sunday 23rd March -read the full story here : Photo credit: Joe French Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3137 'Friends of Nevis' was launched by The Nevis Partnership to encourage individuals, families and organisations to help support and manage Ben Nevis and the surrounding Nevis area. This precious and unique environment includes mountains, wild land, glen and river Nevis and a range of visitor facilities such as a visitor centre and numerous low and higher level walks. Ben Nevis and its surroundings mean a great deal to a large number of people from all over the world. Protecting the area, whilst making it accessible and pleasurable to visit, is a real challenge and Friends of Nevis can help through subscribing, donating or contributing time and resources on a range of practical projects such as path maintenance, wildlife monitoring, fundraising etc. There are three ways tobecome a Friend of Nevis: JOIN- for a small annual subscription you can help to protect this special place VOLUNTEER - from repairing paths to fundraising or counting butterflies, you can get actively involved in maintaining this unique landscape DONATE - contribute to the vital ongoing management of the Nevis area To find out more visit www.friendsofnevis.co.uk or call 01397 701 088. Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2839 Trish Gordon from the Scottish Highland and Islands Film Commission presented prizes last night to winners of the Fort William MountainFestival film competition. Sponsored by the Outdoor Capital the winners receivedprize money and commemorative plates made by Fired Art Pottery Cafe. The winners were: Best Scottish Film '68 Degrees North' by Simon Christy of Ridestyle Productions. This film tracked the progress of a group of young Scottish skiers who flew to Greenland to make first descents of unskied peaks. Best Young Film-maker 'Mountains - they are not just for climbing' by Oliver Smith. Oliver attends Fortrose Academy and has already received the Donald Dewar Award, been a finalist at the IFF Digital Eden Competition 2006 , and has been nominated for a National Young Film-maker award and for a Bafta award, and shortlisted for the Blue Peter MyMovie Mansion competition. His short animated film describes abudding musicians search for somewhere to practice. Best Short Film by Simon Gee and John Houlihan for the 48 hour film marathan of the Adventure Film Academy a the 2007 Kendal Film Festival. This short provides a twist in the tale story of the end of a relationship. Best International Film 'Tepuy' by Pavol Barabá.This documentary film shows a group of scientists and cavers expedition to explore the unique quarzite cave systems in the Venezualan rain-forest. Exploring territory never seen before by man they discover new species and unique life forms, such as rock dissolving bacteria ,and expose themselves to great risk. All the films were worthy winners and showed the breadth and scope of interesting film-making inspired by mountain culture. Your next chance to see more international prize winnnig films is on Friday 22nd February 2008, at the Best of Banff night at the Fort William Mountain Festival Tue, 19 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3174 Scottish west coast communities are working together to win improvements on one of the most scenic stretches of trunk road in the United Kingdom. The A82 Tarbet – Fort William - Inverness road is famous for passing the landmark destinations of Loch Lomond, Loch Rannoch, Glencoe, Ben Nevis and Loch Ness. But it is also infamous for being narrow and winding, and having a high number of collisions. The A82 Partnership consists of MSPs, local politicians, local businesses and the police, and they are campaigning to improve the road. There is a Scottish Parliament e-petition to sign which has now become the most signed e-petition since the e-petition process was introduced by the Scottish Parliament in 2004. The petition has already attracted over 6000 signatures. The longer-term aim of the campaign is to achieve an upgrade of sections over the entire stretch from Tarbet to Inverness. However, the immediate target of the A82 Partnership is to win funds to improve the four most hazardous stretches of the road between Tarbet and Fort William, that have already been identified by Transport Scotland at a total cost of £90M. Transport Scotland is carrying out a Strategic Review of the entire Scottish transport programme at present. The aim of the campaign is to secure the commitment of the Scottish Government to regard the upgrade of the A82, between Fort William and Tarbet, as a top priority and make sure that all the work included in the £90M appears in the final programme. Help make your journey up to the Outdoor Capital safer and more pleasant to drive by signing the petition; there is just one week left to sign before the petition closes on the 4th April. To find out more about the campaign go to the A82 Partnership website Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2524 Fort William today unveiled a Mountain Festival programme that will put the Outdoor Capital of the UK at the centre of Scotland’s events programme in 2008. One of the UK's top slackliners John Ritson launched the programme by balancing across the roaring Waters of Nevis - for a video of his daring exploits go to the Outdoor Capital blog Chairman of the Highland Mountain Culture Association, Mike Pescod said: “Our 2008 programme includes top climbers, paddlers, mountain bikers, inspirational speakers, international films and public art and will cater for everyone of all ages from extreme adrenaline junkies to outdoor enthusiasts and creative writers. “We are also delighted to be welcoming a superb line up of guests from the worlds of mountaineering, biking and paddling including Jo Gambi, Kenton Cool, Billy Savage, Cameron McNeish and Corran Addison to Fort William throughout the festival” The 2008 Fort William Mountain Festival will host the first ever UK Slacklining Championships, The UK Slacklining Masters in association with EventScotland. Slacklining is a balance sport distinct from tightrope walking in that the line is not held rigidly taut; it is instead dynamic, stretching, bouncing and swaying like a long rubber band. The dynamic nature of the line allows for impressive tricks and stunts testing both focus and nerve. On Saturday 23 February 2008 balance enthusiasts from all over the UK will battle it out to discover who is the Master of the Slackline, with spectators also able to have a go in the try out zone. After the success of previous years’ film competitions the Fort William Mountain Festival 2008 has again offered the opportunity for both amateur and professional filmmakers from across the globe to showcase their work and share their passion for sport, culture and the environment. This year the organisers have worked with the Outdoor Capital of the UK to more than double the film competition prize fund; now the best prizes in the UK for a mountain film competition. The short-listed films will receive their premieres at the Nevis Centre on Monday 18 February 2008. Entries for the film competition are being accepted until the end of Dec 2007. For more info go to www.mountainfestival.co.uk Anna Trafford, Project Director of Outdoor Capital of the UK, said: We are proud to work with the Fort William Mountain Festival in celebrating mountain culture. With significant prizes now on offer (£1000 for the best Scottish film, £1000 for best International film, £600 for best short film and £400 for best young film maker) we urge all film makers both professional and amateur who value our unique mountain heritage to enter (go to www.mountainfestival.co. uk to find out how). Here in Lochaber we are already looking forward to a great evenings entertainment watching the results of the competition. The festival will close with The Modern Face of Everest. The climber Dave MacLeod will be joined by mountaineer Kenton Cool and climber/film-maker Matt Dickinon to discuss the ethics of today’s Everest. The exciting finale will include the presentation of the inaugural Scottish Award for Excellence in Mountain Culture and the screening of the BBC Film ‘Everest The Hard Way’. For more information on the festival go to www.mountainfestival.co.uk Read the full press release here Tue, 4 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2338 The Lime Tree An Ealdhain Gallery in Fort William is hosting one of the finest visual arts exhibitions of Scotland’s year of Highland culture. You may not have heard of Highlands Open Studios yet but you soon will. Highlands Open Studios (usually abbreviated to HOS) is a pan-Highland organisation of artists, craftmakers and galleries who have joined together to promote and showcase the best of art currently available in the Highlands. It is part of a growing national trend where visual artists support each other and make direct contact with the public by all members guaranteeing to open their studios to the public at the same time on one specific week in the year. If you missed the open week in September, there is now another chance to see local artists’ work, admission free at the Lime Tree An Ealdhain. Gallery, an attractive, bright gallery run by artist- owner David Wilson. This is the second exhibition by Highlands Open Studios (HOS) and promises to be very exciting with 58 members contributing in a huge variety of media. There’s something for every artistic taste. Exhibition runs till Friday 14 November, 10am - 10pm every day. Admission free. Tue, 9 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3340 There will be an 'Open Day' for Lochaber College's BA Adventure Tourism Managementon Thursday 12th June 2008. The Open Day will be in the Adventure Tourism Management Classroom and starts at 11:00 am, lastingfor 2 hours. Refreshments will be available. For more information, please see Lochaber College's website . Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2666 Well everyone, we did it again! For the third year running Fort William has won the Best Mountain Bike Event in the World. The international mountain bike teams, tech support and race organizers organization (IMTTO) has awarded the prestigious "IMTTO Event Of The Year" trophy to Rare Management who were the organizers of the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in the classic venue of Fort William, Scotland. Close to 60 members voted (teams and tech support companies only), and of the 25 events voted for, it was clear that Fort William was again the obvious favorite. Unlike other awards, this one recognizes any mountain bike event held in 2007, and is voted on by the industry main players when it comes to mountain bike racing and events. Mike Jardine from Rare Management said: 'Once again it's down to the huge team of volunteers, heads of department, medical staff, town organisers, PR team, venue staff, contractors, host broadcaster, partners and sponsors that make it all happen - and happen so well. Thanks to everyone for being part of such a special event - and we look forward to aiming for award number 4, with your help, at this year's World Cup, 6-8 June 2008.' So come spring along and ride on the world champs course - right now Nevis Range is in ski mode but we look forward to seeing you on the slopes. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2290 Fort William shinty team triumphed over rivalsInverary in the prestigious Camanachd Cup Final 2007 in Inverness on Saturday 22 September. Broadcast live on BB2 Scotland, Fort William stormed to victory with a 3 - 1 win in the 100th final of the Cup. To find out more about thisfast-paced traditional Highland sport and to see latest fixtures, visit www.shinty.org.uk . More about shinty: Shinty isone of the fastest, physically demanding and most skilful sports in the world. Played on an outdoor surface that can be up to 155m long, shinty is about two teams of players striking a small leather ball with a curved stick, known as a caman. With the ball being hit around the field of play at speeds of over 100 miles per hour, a game of shinty is a thrilling experience for both players and spectators. Shinty evolved in the Highlands of Scotland, but is now played (by children, men and women) in other areas of Scotland, England and in the United States - testament to shinty's wide appeal. Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2422 ‘Lament: The Massacre of Glencoe’ is the exciting new production from community Theatre Company ‘Celts and Comrades’. This exciting new community production is part of Highland 2007 and promises to be the biggest theatre event in Lochaber this year. Over 60 actors, 10 gymnasts, 4 dancers and 5 musicians will take to the stage to perform their dramatic interpretation of the infamous event at the Nevis Centre, Fort William next week. The performers from all over Lochaber have been devising their thrilling take on this infamous piece of local history for several weeks. The play brings together performers from all over Lochaber, and of all ages (from 7 to 60 year-olds), and even includes three generations of one family. Celts & Comrades Community Theatre Company’s last grand-scale community show “Revolution” used Russian music and language. This time it’s the Gaelic language that plays a vital part of the show. This has been a challenge for the group, as most of the performers don’t actually speak Gaelic! Fortunately, help has been on hand: Ceilear, the Gaelic Choir from Ballachulish has been an inspiration and Mary Ann Kennedy has helped the performers learn the Gaelic words and melodies. Eden Court’s Gaelic Drama Worker, Debbie MacKay has also had a hand in teaching the group some “choice” Gaelic phrases. ‘Lament’ also weaves English language and song, ensemble acting, dance, gymnastics and live music through the retelling. There is even a spot of storytelling and humour to lighten the dark tale. This project is supported by Highland 2007, Eden Court Theatre, Highland Council, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Clanranald Trust for Scotland. Lament: The Massacre of Glencoe can be seen on Wednesday 7th, Thursday 8th and Friday 9th November, at 7.30 pm, at the Nevis Centre. Tickets cost £6/ £4 concessions, and are available from the Nevis Centre on 01397 700707 or by calling 01855 831 119. Tickets can also be booked through Eden Court Theatre box office on 01463 234 234. Thu, 1 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1780 Princess Anne opened Lochaber College's new extension today. The extension, designed by architects Kearney Donald Partnership will nearly double the space offered by Lochaber College. New facilities include a library, construction industry block, new computer facilities, video conferencing links and a business 'HUB' area with free internet access. Exciting things are happeningat the collegethat reflect the areas status as the Outdoor Capital; a new Adventure Tourism Degree is planned to start in Autumn 2007, and a Path Building course and entry level Adventure Tourism Scottish Vocational Qualification are already being taught. The Adventure Tourism SVQ works much like an apprenticeship , with students recieving a wage and gaining work experience in one of Lochaber's many outdoor activity providers. The course aims to prepare students for SVQ level 3 when they can expect to gain national governing body coaching qualifications in, for example, kayaking or climbing. An SVQ level 3 Apprenticeship course in Adventure Tourism will start this September at the college. For more information on the courses on offer at Lochaber College telephone 01397 874000 The picture shows the Princess Royal admiring a gift ofa photo of the Royal Yacht Brittannia moored in Loch Linnhe on her last visit to Fort William; with her are Councillor Michael Foxley chair of the board of Lochaber College, and College Principal Laurence Young. Wed, 11 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1966 Whilst the rest of the country has been battling the rain, an elite group of athletes have been battling the storms at sea and on the UK’s highest hills. The Barmouth to Fort William PowerBar Three Peaks Yacht Race combines yachting, mountain running and cycling into one of the greatest adventure challenges in British sport. Teams consist of three sailors and two runners, who set sail from Barmouth on the Welsh coast to Fort William in Scotland, via Caernarfon and Whitehaven, racing to the summits of Snowdon (3560ft) Scafell Pike (3208ft) and Ben Nevis (4408ft) on the way. The race which celebrates its 30th anniversary, consists of 389 miles of difficult coastal sailing, 18 miles of cycling and 72 miles of running, and a total ascent of 14,000ft to the highest points in Wales, England and Scotland. 27 boats took part and the winner, Vlad the Impaler made it to Fort William in just 3 days 9 hours and 20 minutes. Defending champions, before they race they were quoted as saying: Our priority is to enjoy the race, but there is more enjoyment when you win ... They obviously meant it! There was a hard fought battle for second place with dramatic team to team racing on the final mountain,Ben Nevis. Nanatuckwere just in the lead, ahead ofrivals Lightening Reflexas the two teams were becalmed on Loch Linnhe beside Ben Nevis. Nanatuck's crew had to row in to get their runners on land first but Lightning Reflex's runners proved faster on the hill. They clinched second place with an hour margin. Boats are still coming in with the field spread out by the challenging weather. For the latest reports, satellite tracking and leader board info. go to: www.threepeaksyachtrace.co.uk or the sleepmonsters website Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2172 Free shuttle buses will operate from4 locations to the World Championships Village during the week. DOWNLOAD INFO AS A PDF HERE Shuttle Bus Routes Route 1: only goes to Fort William town centre (pick ups from the service bus stops opposite the police station, on Middle St, behind the post office, between Ellis Brigham and the Lochaber Leisure Complex and opposite Nevis Bank Hotel (near Glen Nevis roundabout) Route 2 : goes to Carr's Corner, the High School, Banavie and Corpach with a number of marked stops. Route 3 : goes to Spean Bridge. Friday, Saturday and Sunday only Route 4: goes from Accreditation Centre at The Rural Complex to the Worlds Village Shuttle Bus Timetable Monday 3rd Sept 09.00 - 17.00 Continuous shuttle Route 4 Tuesday 4th Sept 08.30 - 17.00 Every hour on Route 1 and 2 08.30 – 17.00 Continuous shuttle Route 4 Wednesday 5th Sept 08.30 - 20.00 Every hour Route 1 and 2 08.30 – 20.00 Continuous shuttle Route 4 Thursday 6th Sept 08.30 - 20.30 Every hour Route 1 and 2 08.30 – 20.30 Continuous shuttle Route 4 Friday 7th Sept 08.00 – 16.00 Every hour Route 1 and 2 08.00 - 22.00 Continuous shuttle Route 4 16.00 - 22.00 Every 30 min Route 1 and 2 16.00 – 22.00 Every hour Route 3 Saturday 8th Sept 08.00 - 18.00 Continuous shuttle Route 4 08.00, 0830, then 0845 – 18.00 Route 1 08.00 - 10.00 every hour then 10.15 – 18.00 every 15 min Route 2 09.00 – 18.00 Every hour Route 3 Sunday 9th Sept 07.30 - 17.00 Continuous shuttle Route 4 07.30, 08.00, 0830, then 0845 – 17.00 every 15 min Route 1 07.30 - 10.00 every 30 mins then 10.15 – 17.00 every 15 min Route 2 09.00 – 17.00 Route 3 Mon, 3 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=777 To enter the competition please email us Find your way to the Outdoor Capital and win one of four great GPS prizes worth over £860. The Magellan eXplorist range of GPS are both rugged and reliable, compact and yet pack with features and there is no better place to test them out than in the Outdoor Capital. First prize in the MAgellan eXplorist XL with 30MB of memory, 3.5" colour screen, unlimited SD expandability plus many more features. You need never be lost again - and it's waterproof to booth! RRP £399 There are two runners up prizes of the Magellan eXplorist 300, with 8MB of memory, compass, barometer and altimeter built in. RRP £180 Third prize is the Magellan eXplorist 100, a great entry level GPS. RRP £100 Wed, 8 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1088 And you thought it was time to relax after the Bank Holiday weekend... A whole host of events for the 17th and 18th of June Not pausing for breath there’s another full weekend of the outdoors in Lochaber this weekend. One of the country’s biggest mass participation mountain biking events kicks off on Saturday 17th. 10 Under the Ben does exactly what it says and challenges mountain bikers to do as many circuits of the testing course as they can in 10 hours! The event takes place in Leanachan Forest and the event base is at the Lochaber Rural complex, have a look at www.10undertheben.com to see whose going and what’s happening. The track takes in part of the Mountain Bike World Cup cross country course and there’s also some new single track built specifically for the event by the organisers. Also starting on Saturday morning is the Lochaber Yacht club regatta which host a whole series of boat races over two days. Racing starts at 12.30pm on Saturday and has both dingy and keelboat racing – walk south out of Fort William along Achintore Road and cheer the boats on from the shores of Loch Linnhe! The Island of Muck is holding its annual open day on Sunday 18th June, get the ferry from Arisaig (www.arisaig.co.uk), get a guided tour of the island, get some great tea and scones and enjoy the fantastic scenery around the west coast of Lochaber. There have already been a lot of sighting of basking sharks, whales and dolphins off the coast and you may be lucky! There is also a full weekend of shinty with Kilmallie taking on Newtonmore at Canal Parks, Caol and Fort William taking on another Newtonmore side in a North Divison Two game at An Aird Park, Fort William. The throw up time is 2.30pm on both games so go along and see this fast paced Highland Game being played by some of the Highland’s best teams! And last but definitely not least you can find out more about what those fabulous mountain rescue boys get up to on a Glencoe Mountain Rescue display day at the Glencoe National Trust Centre. The Glencoe Mountain Rescue team are one of the busiest teams in the country head along from 11am to find out what goes on behind the scenes. One last note (really last this time!) - good luck to all those participating the Caledonian Challenge, a 24 hour event where participants raise (an awful lot) of money for charity walking the West Highland Way non-stop, it really is a weekend for those with stamina! Thu, 15 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1035 ...Join in on seven days of sensational walking up, over and between the remote and rugged mountains of Lochaber, centred on Ben Nevis and Fort William. This brand new event takes place on the 10th - 16th September and offers an exciting, enjoyable and sometimes challenging selection of walks. The highlights of the festival include: • Large variety of routes, difficulty and strenuousness every day. • Themed walks and other low level routes of outstanding interest. • Seven Day Packages with or without accommodation • A full programme of evening events from ceilidhs to weather and equipment lectures • A guided tour to Skye on the Wednesday. (For those with energy who do not need a break there will still be a full programme of guided walks on the Skye trip day) Totally immerse yourself in a Lochaber experience. WALKLOCHABER is offering a seven day package for adventurous walkers to enjoy the magnificent mountains and glens around Lochaber. Find out more at www.walklochaber.com Mon, 15 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1507 After a teasing start with a huge dump of snowin November, it’s finally time to dig out your skis and snowboards - winter is officially here and Nevis Range was able to start 2007 off ona high when it opened the slopes to enthusiastic skiiers and boarders on 2nd January.Talk aboutthe perfect hangover cure!The Summit, Goose & Alpha runs were openfor skiingand boarding and conditions were good, suitable for intermediate level and above. After last year's late start to the season which saw great skiing in Lochaber until well into April, it's wonderful to start getting out there so soon in the New Year. Keep an eye on www.nevisrange.co.uk for up-to-date ski reports, eventsand web-cam images. Gondola and restaurant open daily from9.30am – 4pm. Fri, 5 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1093 The Fort William UCI Mountain Bike World Cup 2005 hasrecently been named the ‘Mountain Bike Event of the Year’ by the IMTTO, whose membership is made up of international mountain bike teams, technical support companies, and top level organisers. Martin Whiteley, Vice President of the International Mountain Bike Trade Teams Organisation (IMTTO) called the event “the model that all other major events should try to emulate”. Martin Whiteley said "Fort William was a clear winner in the voting and it's no secret why. They go out of their way to assist our members and put on a consistently impressive bike event. If you are serious about running a great event, visit Fort William first." The Fort William World Cup held at Nevis Range, upstaged more than 30 other popular international mountain biking events from USA and Portugal to Italy. Event organisers Rare Management were delighted with the award and said it is just reward for all the hard work by everyone in Lochaber who helped ensure its success. Further information For results from the 2006 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Fort William, click here . For more about mountain biking at Nevis Range, click here . For more about the IMTTO click here . Mon, 19 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1825 THE UCI MOUNTAIN BIKE & TRIALS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Powered by Nissan Sports Adventure FORT WILLIAM, SCOTLAND – 03 – 09 SEPTEMBER 2007 The Highlands of Scotland came to Londonlastweek,when10 of Britain’s leading mountain bikers descended on Trafalgar Square to promote the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships, taking place in Fort William, Scotland, from 3 to 9 September 2007. Local MP, the Rt Hon Charles Kennedy, (MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber) joined event organisers and the athletes, to unveil some exciting news about a British sporting success story and one of the biggest participation sports in the UK. The 2007 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships - powered by Nissan Sports Adventure – is not only the first ever mountain bike World Championships to be staged in the UK, it is also one of the highlights of Highland 2007 – the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture. In September more than 700 of the World’s top riders from more than 50 nations, riding for country rather than for trade teams and sponsors, will descend upon Scotland to compete across the four mountain bike disciplines of Cross Country, Downhill, 4-Cross and Trials for a total of 19 World Championship titles. With Nissan Sports Adventure as major sponsor, the Fort William World Championships will set a new standard for global mountain biking, complemented by the significant level of partner funding from UK Sport, EventScotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, VisitScotland, and Highland 2007. Wed, 2 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1811 FORT RESTAURANT NOMINATED AS ‘NEW SCOTTISH RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR 2007’ The new Lime Tree Restaurant on Achintore Road, Fort William has been shortlisted for an award in the prestigious 11th Annual Scottish Chef Awards to be held in Glasgow in May. The Scottish Chef Awards are the most prestigious event in the Scottish culinary calendar. The shortlisting of the Lime Tree Restaurant in Fort William is an amazing result for a restaurant that opened just 16 weeks ago. Michelin Award winning Head Chef Allan Donald, a previous winner of the Scottish Chef of the Year said: ‘ This nomination vindicates our efforts to bring the highest quality of fresh food cooking at a reasonable price to the centre of Fort William. At the Lime Tree we have set out to do something special with food, by serving food fresh. What I mean is that nothing served here is cooked off-site, brought in prepared in advance. All our dishes start as raw ingredients and through our skills as chefs, are made into something special.’ David Wilson, proprietor of the Lime Tree commented: ‘I’m very pleased that our efforts are starting to be noticed by the Edinburgh ‘cognoscenti’ It been far to easy for city based critics to put down our Town and not see the quality of things available here. The recent Shackleton Exhibition attracted over 3000 visitors to the Lime Tree, many stopping to enjoy Allan Donald’s excellent food.' PHOTO: The Lime Tree Restaurant being opened by Charles Kennedy MP. From left to right: Katie Lamont, Charlotte Wright, David Wilson, Charles Kennedy MP, Allan Donald and Sarah Kennedy Fri, 27 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1851 The new UCI World Championships Downhill course is now open to the public! It opened on 12 May and will be available to 27 August inclusive, opening times 11am - 3pm. Apart from some special World Championships features, just for the Worlds week in September, this will be the same course as the stars will ride. If you are planning a visit, remember it is a full-on downhill, very tough and very long. It’s a great chance to test yourself on one of the most demanding courses in the world. And the good news is that youdon't have toslogyour way UP the hillfirst -bikes can be carried on the Nevis Range Gondola between 10:30 – 14:45. So, the question is, are you feeling brave?? See www.nevisrange.co.uk for directions to Nevis Range, ticket prices and further info. Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1627 Entry for the Wilderness ARC, the 2007 Adventure Racing World Championship, taking place in Fort William and Lochaber from 24 May until 3 June 2007, has now closed. The Wilderness Arc is the culmination of the Adventure Racing World Series which is is an international circuit of premier adventure races in 8 countries. The race has been heavily oversubscribed with more than 80 of the World's leading adventure race teams from more than 20 nations applying to secure one of only 45 coveted places. Race organisers, ACE Races and Detail Events, have been so overwhelmed by this unprecedented response they have not only reviewed and revised their entry criteria, they have also overcome some logistical obstacles in order to increase the field from 45 to 60 mixed teams of four extreme endurance athletes. The teams include the world's finest adventure racing squads from round the world, from 22 countries including the UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Trinidad, South Africa, Sweden and the United States. The current hot favourites, at this early stage, are the awesome Team Adventure Sport (NZ) and Team Nike (USA). The teams will race unsupported over a 500km course, with over 25,000m of ascent through the spectacular and rugged landscape of the Western Highlands of Scotland, one of Europe's last great wilderness areas. They will be guaranteed an epic adventure with a mix of uncompromising challenges involving navigation, mountain biking, mountain running, kayaking, climbing, abseiling, mountaineering, river crossing, canyoning and open water swimming, with the terrain and unpredictable weather throwing up many surprises. As with all adventure races, dedicated team-work, meticulous planning and cunning strategy, coupled with awesome mental and physical stamina, will be key requirements of this massive test of mind, body and spirit. The course will be kept a closely guarded secret until the eve of the event. It will be designed by Gary Tompsett, who has devised many of the UK's most demanding and memorable endurance events, including the two previous Wilderness ARC races. A final entry list will be published on 19 February on the event website - http:// www.arwc2007.com /. Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1250 Conditions could not have been better for the UK’s first-ever ‘Big Triathlon’ in Fort William on Saturday 23rd September. At 0715 a great cheer went up from the parapets of the old Fort on the shores of Loch Linnhe as friends, family and spectators encouraged the 37 hardy triathletes on their way. After a brisk 1.9km swim in Fort William's sea loch, the athletes jumped on their bikes for a challenging 90km-mountain bike ride around Cow Hill and Glen Nevis. After the bike section, perhaps the biggest challenge of the tri awaited - the 21km run, which was not just any run - oh no, the competitors had to run to the summit of the UK's highest mountain, Ben Nevis and back! Many local runners turned out to support the competitors on their run up Ben Nevis, operating a buddy system to run alongsidethem on the top half of the Ben route. A spoksman for event organisers, No Fuss Events said “This event has been a great advert for the people of Lochaber. Everyone has really got behind the event and the feedback from the competitors has been phenomenal, some calling it “the toughest and yet the friendliest event ever”. Overall winner was Donald Paterson (Fort William) in an amazing 6hrs and 57mins, in second place was Eliot Challifour (Bath) in a time of 7hr 27mins, and in third place Paul Currant (Dundee) of 7hrs 33mins. First (and only) lady competitor, Sian Tovey completed in 9hrs 43mins. Full race results are available on www.thebigtriathlon.co.uk Well done toeveryone who took part! If you’re inspired to give triathlons a try but fancy something a little less gruelling, Sunday 1st October sees the Offbeatbikes/No Fuss Triathlon at Lochaber Leisure centre for a 400m swim and a 10mile cycle and a 2.5 mile run. See www.nofussevents.co.uk for more details. Tue, 26 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1413 Fort William has unveiled a Mountain Festival programme that will put the Outdoor Capital of the UK at the centre of the celebrations for Highland 2007, the Year Scotland celebrates Highland Culture. Organisers of the 2007 Fort William Mountain Festival, have promised a sixteen day extravaganza of films, lectures, workshops, art, writing, photography, theatre and music for residents and visitors who want to learn about and celebrate mountain culture. To mark the launch of the festival local mountain enthusiasts demonstrated their skills and nerve at the Vertical Descents outdoor activity centre by jumping, kayaking and abseiling down a 45 foot drop at the Inchree Falls. This year’s expanded programme of new events and old favourites sees the most ambitious selection of cultural and sporting events and activities in Fort William and Lochaber during the best winter walking and climbing conditions of the year. The diverse range of events which includes top climbers, paddlers, singers, international films and public art will cater for everyone of all ages; from extreme adrenaline junkies to Gaelic language enthusiasts. Visit www.mountainfestival.co.uk/programme.htm for details of the full line-up. Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1095 Congratulations to the Ice Factor Indoor Climbing and Ice-Climbing Centre in Kinlochleven! The mountain activity centre has today been chosen as one of the five national finalists for two top Scottish business awards: • The Baker Tilly Entrepreneur of the Year Award • The Visit Scotland Tourism Business of the Year Award The £3.5million mountain activity centre, which boasts the world's biggest indoor ice wall and the UK's highest articulated rock wall, has enjoyed meteoric success since its launch in December 2003. The centre attracts over 180,000 visitors and has already won a host of top industry accolades. Jamie Smith (36), Managing Director, said "We are absolutely delighted to be in the finals for these extremely prestigious awards. Last year was a great year for us: our business grew by over a quarter, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visited the centre, and we collected a host of awards - The Scottish Thistle Award for Innovation, The Caledonian MacBrayne Award for Best New Tourism Business AND we were voted Scotland's favourite lottery-funded project." But the Ice Factor isn’t going to be resting on its laurels anytime soon. The centre has recently added another string to its bow with the completion of a new £250,000 bar-bistro which offers late-night food and entertainment in a laid-back and welcoming ambience. As Jamie says, “The challenge for us now is to keep building on our high standards and exceeding our customers’ expectations into the future.” With nominations for top business awards and the new bar/bistro already proving popular with locals and visitors alike, it looks like the Ice Factor is well on the way to achieving that aim. To find out more about the range of activities on offer at the Ice Factor click here . Mon, 19 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1209 An event in which four wooden batons are carried along four different routes, covering 2,500 miles, is reaching its peak at Ben Nevis today. 'The Journey for the Wild' has involved almost 1,000 people, walking, kayaking, cycling and sailing around Britain. Conservation group The John Muir Trust organised the journey to promote the country's wild places. The handcrafted batons will eventually be presented to the Scottish Parliament to form a sculpture. The batons are due to come togetherat 2pm onFriday after being carried from the Isles of Scilly, Shetland, St Kilda and the North Sea. Covering 2,500 miles, the journey comprised 70 individual legs lasting a day to a week. Speaking of the event, journey co-ordinator Sam Baumber, said the journey was undertaken with the interests of the environment at the heart of it. He said: "The volunteers are travelling with a minimal environmental footprint and raising sponsorship to help protect wild land. The collaborative effort of everyone involved is truly inspiring." Everyone is welcome to attend the Open Day event at the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre on the outskirts of Fort William on Saturday 26th August.Visitors will get a chance to add their message for the wild, and enjoy a range of activities for all ages, including environmental games and guided walks in the glen. For more information visit www.jmt.org or call Glen Nevis Visitor Centre on 01397 705049. Photo shows baton on the Garvellach islands, near Oban, taken by Dave Picken. Courtesy of John Muir Trust. Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=311 The UCI World Cup mountain bike Finals are to be held for the 3rd year running in Fort William, on the 10th&11th of September 2005. Check out more info at http://www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk Fri, 16 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1204 ...Join in on seven days of sensational walking up, over and between the remote and rugged mountains of Lochaber, centred on Ben Nevis and Fort William. This brand new event takes place on the 10th - 16th September and offers an exciting, enjoyable and sometimes challenging selection of walks. The highlights of the festival include: • Large variety of routes, difficulty and strenuousness every day. • Themed walks and other low level routes of outstanding interest. • Seven Day Packages with or without accommodation • A full programme of evening events from ceilidhs to weather and equipment lectures • A guided tour to Skye on the Wednesday. (For those with energy who do not need a break there will still be a full programme of guided walks on the Skye trip day) Totally immerse yourself in a Lochaber experience. WALKLOCHABER is offering a seven day package for adventurous walkers to enjoy the magnificent mountains and glens around Lochaber. Find out more at www.walklochaber.com Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1197 Guidebooks recommend that walkers tackling Ben Nevis allow three and a half hours for their ascent and two and a half hours to come back down - but try telling that to super-fit Fort William man Charlie Anderson!He's just made it into the record books - by conquering Britain's highest mountain an amazing six times inside 24 hours at the weekend. Charlie, an ultrasonic operator with Network Rail and part-time firefighter, set himself the incredible challenge to raise funds for two local families affected by cystic fibrosis. And he had to brave the elements of wind, rain and mist to run up and down the 4,406ft Ben - completing the challenge with one hour to spare. Throughout his allotted 24 hours, father of three Charlie pitted himself against the mighty mountain in twilight, darkness and then daylight. His respective times were two hours and 45 minutes, three hours, four hours; three and a half hours; four hours and three and a half hours - "with a bit of rest and a change of running gear in between each trip". Charlie completed his sixth and final leg by 5pm on Saturday, an hour inside the 24, when he arrived at the Ben Nevis Inn at Achintee, at the foot of the Ben. "It was a personal challenge on the one hand, but it will also, hopefully, bring in around £3,000 in sponsorship to add to the efforts of two Fort families who are fundraising locally for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust's gene therapy project." Fri, 11 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1910 It has been a bumper year for wildlife sightings on Loch Shiel. Jim Michie, from Eagle-Watch Wildlife Cruisesoperating on Loch Shiel, has over ten years of experience in eagle watching. He has recorded over 80 sightings in the last nine weeks. "This is an exceptionally good year for eagle spotting and certainly the most successful since I started the business in 1998. There are two pairs of eagles in the loch area and sightings have been assisted by a lengthy spell of good weather." Apparently eagles don't get out so much when it is wet, visibility is bad or there is low cloud. If visibility is bad they can't hunt, however this doesn't stop them successfully living and breeding around Loch Shiel. Jim hasn't been able to catch any of the eagles on film as they fly so fastyou need to be very quick to be able tophotograph them, but he was a bit luckier in October of 2006 when he got a picture of a sea eagle. This was identified as a bird fledged in 2002, from Loch Fresa in Mull and progeny of "Itchy and Scratchy" as featured on Springwatch. To find out more about Loch Shiel wildlife cruises go to www.highlandcruises.co.uk and for informtion on other cruises operating in the Lochaber area click here Fri, 8 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=609 For nine days in February, during the best winter walking and climbing conditions of the year, we will be entertained by a varied and very full programme of lectures, films, activities and exhibitions. The Film Festival was a huge success in 2003, 2004 and 2005 ensuring that it will be an annual fixture. Book the dates now for your winter walking, climbing and skiing in the Outdoor Capital of the UK and enjoy the entertainment provided by the Fort William Mountain Film Festival. Tickets are now available to book online and to buy in person. Find out how here . Main Speakers include: Catherine Destivelle Nick Bullock Andy Kirkpatrick Ian (Spike) Sykes Gerry Moffatt Cameron McNeish plus many more Festival highlights include: The Party Up A Mountain will kick start the festival this year with the band Spagnum Moss who got us all up and dancing last year! Make sure you don't miss the best party of the winter! Winter Mountaineering Workshops will be run at Nevis Range and The Ice Factor covering Avalanche Awareness, Winter Walking Skills and Winter Climbing. Indoor rock and ice climbing workshops at The Ice Factor with Dave MacLeod and Niall McNair. There will be a week long exhibition of art and photography from local and national artists including Colin Prior. Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1143 Nevis Range is a valued member of the Outdoor Capital of the UK, and we are offering them all the support and assistance we can to help them deal with the incident that occurred on the afternoon of Thursday 13th July. The top priority now is doing everything possible to support the five people injured, their families, the visitors and staff involved. Nevis Range is working closely with the relevant agencies to ascertain the facts of the situation and the Outdoor Capital will co-operate in any way required. For further information visit the BBC website. Fri, 14 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1340 MOUNTAIN FILM, PHOTOGRAPHY, ART & WRITING COMPETITIONS ANNOUNCED Fort William Mountain Festival 2007has justannounced details of open film, photography, art and writing competitions, that will form part of the exciting programme of events at next year's festival. After the success of the 2006 film competition the Fort William Mountain Festival 2007 has created another opportunity for both amateur and professional filmmakers from across the globe to showcase their work and share their passion for sport, culture and the environment. The aim of the the 2007 Fort William Mountain Festival is to celebrate mountain life and culture. As in previous festivals, there will be evenings focusing on mountain sports including snow sports, mountaineering, mountain biking and kayaking. Wild places and mountain culture are also important themes within the festival programme. The Fort William Mountain Festival runs from 16th February to 3rd March 2007 and is a two week celebration of mountains and the culture that surrounds them. The full programme will be announced in late November 2006, highlights will include the Best of Banff Film Festival, lectures, activities, films, skills workshops, music, theatre, book readings, art and photography. For competition entry forms and more infovisit www.mountainfestival.co.uk Fri, 27 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3494 An Appeal from the Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network. Policy towards Scottish sea angling has been hindered because little is known about it. The Scottish Government is now rectifying this by funding a team of economists to produce an economic assessment of sea angling in Scotland. When completed, this study will help to ensure that policy makers are well informed about Scottish sea angling’s true significance and how best to realise its future potential. The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (www.ssacn.org) strongly supports this study and is appealing for sea anglers’ to provide information. We believe that it is absolutely essential that as many sea anglers as possible complete an online questionnaire. If you have fished for sea species anywhere in Scotland in the past three years we urge you to click on the address below and complete the questionnaire. Even if you fished once for a couple of hours, the study team would like information from you. http://www.gcal.ac.uk/econsurv/seaangler3.htm . Visit us at www.ssacn.org Thu, 3 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1636 Scotland’s first Mountain Culture Summit, 'Moving Mountains' , takes place on Friday 2nd March in the Nevis Centre, Fort William. We’d like to extend a warm welcome to everyone interested in mountain culture. Mountains inspire artists, athletes, and adventurers. They’re spiritual, symbolic, striking. But is the notion of a distinct ‘mountain culture’ where all these views converge fully established yet – or does it need to be fostered? Moving Mountains brings together enthusiasts and national agencies to explore how it can happen successfully. The Summit will be chaired by broadcaster, Mary Ann Kennedy, and feature contributions from: - -Cameron McNeish, conservationist - Dick Balharry, John Muir Trust - Angus Farquhar, nva - Bob Kinnaird, Cairngorm Mountain, - Andew Thin, SNH - Mike Pescod, Mountaineer - Tim Walker, Glenmore Lodge Plus representatives from: - Scottish Arts Council - Event Scotland - Banff Mountain Festival Moving Mountains is a key event in the Fort William Mountain Festival and an important contribution to Highland 2007, the Year of Highland Culture. It will consider establishing a new national award for excellence in mountain culture. The day is open to all those with an interest or a direct involvement in developing the mountains of Scotland. It’s free (lunch is included!) and can be booked easily via the following link: www.creativeservicesscotland.co.uk/mountainfestival/ Tue, 20 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=3538 On Sunday 13th July the Ice Factor climbing wall in Kinlochleven opened a great new High Ropes facility, as well as an high level aerial obstacle course there is an outdoor climbing wall and a terrifying swing. There are height restrictions for some of these activities so not all of the new facilities are suitable for young children but there is already a soft play climbing area suitable for toddlers upwards in the main hall. To go round the High Ropes course costs £18 for adults and £15 for kids and the swing costs £12 for adults and £10 for children. This combined withthe existing indoor climbing walls and ice wall already at the Ice Factor means it really is a great day out of all. To see a video of someone on the swing go to the Ice Factor's blog. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=727 Tickets are going fast so book your place on this amazing opportunity for Lochaber! The Outdoor Capital of the UK Company has pulled together an amazing opportunity for the people of Lochaber and the wider Highlands, by arranging to bring top personal and corporate development coach Jack Black, to give a special 2-day seminar in Fort William on 27th and 28th March. Everyone can benefit from this seminar from local businesses to volunteer groups, sports clubs to school children and everyone who believes in improving the area. Account will be taken of particular issues that affect Highland people and organisations. Jack has experience in this area, having successfully worked on a similar project in Cornwall, helping realise the ambitions of their community with great success. Jack Black’s normal venues are in Glasgow, London and Dublin where he can speak to audiences of thousands but he has never been persuaded to come to the Highlands before for a major event. The two day event has been made possible at a very affordable price through support from Lochaber Enterprise and business sponsorship. The normal price for a 2 day Jack Black course, is £575+vat but the price of this special course less than half price at £220+vat There may also be the opportunity for voluntary organisations and clubs to tap into that sponsorship to allow some members to attend free. The Outdoor Capital is pleased to announce that it’s members are entitled to a £20 discount per ticket, which means the price per ticket for before the 10th March is £200 +VAT. If you are interested in becoming a member of the OCUK, please contact the office on 01397 705765, or email the office . Jack’s development techniques provide a way to set and achieve big goals. His methods have been used by thousands of people and companies around the world, including world-class athletes and business leaders. The Scotsman described Jack Black as: ‘one of the top Scotsmen to shape our nation’. Ticket prices: Before 10th March £220 + VAT per ticket £1000 + VAT for 5 tickets After 10th March £245 + VAT per ticket £1125 + VAT for 5 ticket If you are purchasing more than 5 tickets or would like more information please contact the Outdoor Capital office on 01397 705765 Tue, 21 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=312 This is the new holding site for the Outdoor Capital of the UK, with the main site due to go live in the autumn. For the time being you can find out about events and useful links to our members on these pages and keep checking back to find out what's happening in Lochaber. Fri, 16 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1995 Local Fort William residents and visitors to the area will be in for a real treat over the summer as the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year Touring Exhibition comes to town. From 30th June until 5th August people will be able to view the most fabulous collection of images from around the globe. This annual competition aims to find the most stunning and original wildlife pictures taken by photographers worldwide of all ages. Vivid, colourful landscapes and intimate portraits of animal behaviour will be on display. The Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition offers an extraordinary insight into the beauty, drama and diversity of the natural world. The photograph shown was taken by Rick Stanley (USA), Shell Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year. The exhibition will be making its Highland debut at the state of the art Lime Tree Gallery in Fort William where 95 images from the collection will be on show. Dave Wilson, Gallery owner and artist in residence at the Lime Tree said, ‘this is a fantastic coup for the Highlands, having an internationally renowned exhibition on display for members of the public to enjoy. It is without doubt the most successful wildlife photography competition in the world, inspiring millions of people with the richness and variety of life on Earth and it's here in Fort William. Amazing! The exhibition is free and open daily and everyone is welcome.’ The Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine, and is sponsored by Shell. PHOTO CREDIT: 'The Dilemma' by Rick Stanley (USA), Shell Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year. While on an expedition in the Dominican Republic, in the Caribbean, with a group of naturalists, Rick wandered off with his Dominican friend Rubio to look for wildlife in the forest. ‘Suddenly,’ says Rick, ‘we heard a loud squeaking’. Rubio was the first to discover its source – a distressed Hispaniolan treefrog, which had been caught by a green vine snake. ‘I photographed the drama as the frog dangled in front of me, but Rubio was unable to resist helping the victim and gently touched the snake, which promptly dropped its meal and slithered away along the branches.’ The frog, seemingly unaffected by the snake’s mild venom, hopped off. Rick was left wondering whether it would have been morally better to let the snake have its meal – and, indeed, if it would have succeeded in swallowing such a large frog had it been left to try. Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1449 On Thursday 7th December2006 Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup won the Scottish Sunday Mail Sporting Event of the Year at an awards dinner in Glasgow. These are the first such awards in Scotland and the World Cup was up against the Barclays Scottish Open (golf) and the Tiree Wave Classic (windsurfing). Tracy Moseley and Scottish riders Chris Ball and Stu Thomson accepted the award with Mike and Lesley from Rare Management. The award was presented by David Williams from EventScotland and rugby star Chris Patterson. This is great recognition of the event as we start the build-up to the big one - the World Championships in 2007. Mike Jardine of organisers Rare Managment said 'Congratulations and thanks to everyone involved. It's another award for the best workers, sponsors, partners and spectators - the whole team that makes it all happen.' For more information on the Mountain Bike World Champs go to www.fortwilliamworldchamps.co.uk Tue, 12 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1742 We've just received stocks of our new, updated Fort William and Lochaber booklet. This handy pocket-sized booklet is packed with loads of great activity ideas plus accomodation and eating out contacts. The booklet will be available from Tourist Information Centres throughout Lochaber and further afield, but if you'd like to order a copy directly pleasepop your name and postaladdress into our contact form and we'll send you out a copy as soon as we can. The pocket-sized guide includes information about: walking - hill walking, coastal walks and long-distance walks mountain sports - climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing snowsports - skiing and boarding at Nevis Range and Glencoe watersports - kayaking, canyoning, sailing, canoeing, diving cycling - road biking, downhill and cross-country mountain biking country sports and golf - fishing, stalking, golf motor-sports - quad-biking, 4WD, go karting environment and wildlife - wildlife cruises and wildlife information events guide eating and drinking - pubs, restaurants in Fort William and Lochaber accomodation - from bothies to luxury! In short, it's got everything you need to plan a great break in the Outdoor Capital! Tue, 27 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1409 On Friday 24th November 2006 in a prestigous awards ceremony at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness the Outdoor Capital of the UK won the Highlands and Islands 2006 Tourism Award for New Tourism Business, and was runner up in the Working Together for Tourism category. The awards were attended by 350 people from all over the Scottish Highlands and Islands and were hosted by hosted by STV's Stephen Jardine, with the awards presented by Alex Norton who plays DCI Burke in the popular Taggert TV series. The evening was a glamourous black tie event with a film and TV theme in recognition of the large number of programmes and films that use the Scottish Highlands and Islands as a setting, and the benefit this has on the tourism industry with 'set-jetters' seeking out film and TV locations as holiday destinations. Fort William and Lochaber has hosted film makers from the crews shooting 'Local Hero' to the 'Harry Potter' films, amongst many. The award for Best New Tourism Business was accepted by Steve Ham, an Outdoor Capital Director and Anna Trafford Project Director who said " The Outdoor Capital of the UK is delighted to win this prestigious award; which highlights the huge amount of work the local community and local businesses have put into getting this unique business of the ground. Lochaber is a very special area, both scenically and in the wide range of activities you can do here and we are well underway as establishing it as a world-class destination. We are lucky in having many people in Lochaber who are passionate and committed to promoting and developing the tourism industry. This award would not be possible without the hard work and support of all our volunteer directors, members and supporters and my thanks goes to them." Caledonian MacBrayne supported the New Tourism Business Award and communications director Hugh Dan MacLennan congratulated the Outdoor Capital of the UK on winning the title. He said, “We are fortunate to have so many of Europe’s most scenic tourism areas in the Highlands and Islands, but the development and maintenance of a successful, vibrant tourism industry in any area requires a constant supply of new ideas and business start-ups. The success of this project includes significant involvement of the local community and presents an area which is vibrant, inclusive and fun, featuring a range of activities, attractions and diverse pursuits. The group is fully committed to driving this initiative forward; I’d like to congratulate them on their efforts and wish them success in developing the area into a world class destination”. Photo (L-R): Alex Norton, Lisa Wharton (Outdoor CapitalProject Officer), Hugh Dan MacLennan (Caledonian MacBrayne),Anna Trafford (Outdoor Capital Project Director), and Steve Ham (Outdoor CapitalDirector). Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1831 The annual Scottish Six Days Trial motorbike competition is back in Fort William this week for a battle of trials skills - the competitors pit themselves against the challenging rugged environment of Lochaber over the course of six days. Spectators can see the riders in action at scenic locations around Lochaber from Monday 7th to Saturday 12th, or catch the buzz in town at the opening on Sunday 6th May: The 'Weigh-in' starts at 10am in the West End Car Park, followed by a mountain bike trials demo outside the Alexandra Hotel in Fort William Parade at 13.30. Who needs engines? These guys are amazing! 15.30: Don't miss the Cavalcade of Riders - the competitors take to the High Street of Fort William, escorted by Fort William Junior Pipe Band, the Army, and sponsors. Great fun event to kick-start the programme! To find details of the week's routes, good viewing spots and more..pick up your copy of the official 2007 Programme from Fort William Tourist Information Office (price £3) For information on riders, routesand discussion boardsvisit the official site at http://www.ssdt.org/ Fri, 4 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2094 Renowned Scottish climber, and new Lochaber resident, Dave MacLeod has recently climbed the hardest sport route in Scotland and the hardest overall rock climb in Lochaber on Steall Crag.This climb hasbeen attempted by all of Scotland’s best climbers for 15 years (Dave 'Cubby ' Cuthbertson and Malcolm Smith among them). Dave moved to Fort William a couple of months ago, expecting to take a year or so working on this route but he's done it already. Another amazing achievement for Dave! To read an inspirational account of his experience on the new route visit Dave's blog at http://davemacleod.blogspot.com/2007/08/ring-of-steall-project-sent.html You can see Dave in action on the rock this weekendas he takes part in aspecial one-off live TV climbing special filmed in the Cairngorms. The show is onBBC Two Scotland from 1-7pm on Saturday 18 August,and follows a team of top climbers from around the world as they attempt different routes. Find more details at www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/greatclimb . Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=561 On the 31st December Fort WIlliam will welcome the Peat Bog Faeries to Fort William to welcome in the New Year in style. The band have recently won the "best live act of 2005" award and revellers will be hoping they live up to their billing. Tickets cost £20 and are available from Fired Art on Fort WIlliam High Street, telephone705005 or alternatively online through The Booth www.thebooth.co.uk . Find out more at www.highland-hogmanay.co.uk Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=2171 A great walk in the Outdoor Capital, from Corrour Station through to Glen Nevis has a three page write up in Autumn's edition of Walk magazine, and the cover shot. Corrour Station is one of the most remote stations in the country and the relatively low level but demanding walk starts at the station and ends up in one of the UK's most dramatic valleys and gorge - Glen Nevis. To read the article and enter the great competition click through to the Ramblers Association Walk magazine website Mon, 3 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=862 To enter the competition please email us Find your way to the Outdoor Capital and win one of four great GPS prizes worth over £860. The Magellan eXplorist range of GPS are both rugged and reliable, compact and yet pack with features and there is no better place to test them out than in the Outdoor Capital. First prize in the MAgellan eXplorist XL with 30MB of memory, 3.5" colour screen, unlimited SD expandability plus many more features. You need never be lost again - and it's waterproof to booth! RRP £399 There are two runners up prizes of the Magellan eXplorist 300, with 8MB of memory, compass, barometer and altimeter built in. RRP £180 Third prize is the Magellan eXplorist 100, a great entry level GPS. RRP £100 Tue, 11 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1749 Cracking weather, enthusiastic spectators and some of Brittain´s finest skiers and boarders ensured a great success over the weekend! There were 42 entries in this year Slopestyle Competition. With the Summit Park being in top condition, competitors battled it out in 6 different categories. Jam sessions in-between gave competitors a chance to relax and show off all their best moves. Spectators had a great time watching the comp, chilling out at the Summit Bar (big hit on a cracking day like Saturday) and enjoying the blue sky, sunshine and good conditions. Afterwards, there was time for a few runs down the Goose before heading down for the Snowgoose Restaurant where the prize giving took place. The day ended with a spectacular sunset on the balcony. For those of you that missed out, have a look at the Slopestyle gallery on http://www.nevisrange.co.uk/winter/mountain/gallerydisplay.asp?id=145 Pictures courtesy of Steven McKenna Slopestyle Results Snowboard Women´s: 1- Kate Ballard (5) 2- Lillian Archibald (42) 3- Kara Anderson (21) Men´s: Junior: 1- Adam Cairns (41) Under 18: 1- Fergus Leith (47) 2- Will Nangle (19) 3- Calum Andean (49) Men´s: 1- Stu Cockburn (35) 2- Mark Hartley (17) 3- Fergus Leith (47)/ Colin Andrews (33) 4- Zach Culshaw (28) also winner of biggest slam Ski Junior: 1- Dougie MacKenzie (44) 2- Alec Willoughby (2) Men´s: 1- Charlie Richards (24) 2- Graham McGrath (22) 3- Kieran Hughes (15) Thu, 29 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=601 A Jack Black MindStore Event Jack Black, top personal and corporate development coach, visited Fort William at the start of this month. In an inspirational presentation Jack showed how, over 2 days, he could share his powerful strategies to help you make the most of your time and achieve more. His MindStore programme covers the following areas: • Positive attitude • Managing stress effectively • Whole brain thinking • Goal setting • Relationship and communication skills This is a fantastic opportunity to attend a Jack Black MindSore Event at a fraction of the normal cost. This event could make a huge difference to your life, your organisation, your career, your relationship. But don’t just take our word for it: “A fabulous two days – the impact on our organisation has been enormous. Jack’s enthusiasm is infectious!” Phil Alexander, Human Resource Manager, Calor Gas Ltd. Where & When The Jack Black Event will be held in the Nevis Centre, Fort William, on 27th and 28th March 2006. How much Until 10th March tickets are available at an early booking rate of £220 + VAT per ticket , or five tickets for £1000 + VAT. After 10th March tickets will cost £245 + VAT per ticket. Tickets for Jack Black’s normal 2 day MindStore events cost £575 + VAT. The Outdoor Capital Company has managed to bring this event to Lochaber at a massive discount. To book your place or to request more information contact us at the Outdoor Capital: Tel. 01397 705765 Email info@outdoorcapital.co.uk Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1012 Come and join us for a unique party on Saturday 27 May. From 6.30pm to midnight Fort William High Street will be transformed into the ultimate party zone for all the family! Activities and attractions The High Street will be buzzing with music and fun – street entertainers, music of all kinds, and activities for everyone to try. If you’ve always fancied yourself as a cowboy, test your skills on our bucking bronco! Find out if you’re scared of heights on the climbing wall, or throw your weight around as an inflatable sumo wrestler! But don’t tire yourself out too much – there’s a lot more to do and see. Indulge yourself with delicious local food at the Lochaber Larder marquee, and enjoy a spot of late-night shopping ‘til 10pm. If you’re in need of refreshment, local bars and restaurants will be open for food and drink ‘til late. Ceilidh with the Peatbog Faeries If you like a quiet night – stay at home! With buskers galore, full wind band, traditional pipe band, Gaelic singers and more, music is going to fill the street and you won’t be able to stop your toes tapping! PLUS the fantastic ‘Peatbog Faeries’ head the line-up on the main stage at Cameron Square – be prepared to join in one huge ceilidh! With the Wilderness Arc adventure race prologue race and the fun short race ‘Raiders of the Wilderness Arc’ race kicking off from the main stage earlier in the evening, it promises to be a party night to remember! More details will be availableonour Events page soon. Tue, 2 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1403 Professional prankster Dom Joly had the tables turned on him last week, as readers of the Sunday Times put him on the spot in the new weekly 'Dom Joly vs the Planet' challenge. Each week, readers vote for their choice of3 challenges -last week they chose to see Dom trying the adrenaline sport of canyoning rather than kayaking inthe wilderness area of Knoydart or legging it up Ben Nevis in the snow. Encased securely in skin-tight neoprene wetsuit, Dom took on the challenge with gusto, makingchucking yourself over cliffs and sliding down waterfalls look pretty easy. To listen to the Sunday Times podcast of his Outdoor Capital adventure and to vote for his next challenge, click here . Fri, 24 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1567 On Saturday 27th of January ‘07 the Ice Factor hosted Britain’s annual mixed climbing competition, and climbers from over the UK converged onthe Outdoor Capital. The BBC were there filming for BBC Scotland’s Adventure Show, presenter Dougie Vipond certainly seemed to enjoy himself. Routes were set by Dave Macleod, one of the words best climbers, and Dave Brown, from the renowned adventure film company Hotaches Productions . Turn out was high helped by decent prizes with the Outdoor Capital sponsoring the juniors competition. Main sponsors were Go Fast Sports UK. Fiona Murray, back from a good performance in the Ice World Cup, easily clinched the women’s comp, but the men’s final was more gripping with Edinburgh student Tony Stone getting the title. The speed category was won byBlair Ffyne. There was bags of young talent in the juniors, with Ellen McAskill winning. For a full competition report read Dave Brown’s blog . The competition should be shown on BBC2Scotland's Adventure Show in mid February. Pictures by Cubby Images MEN 1. Tony Stone 2. Ali Robb 3. Alan MacDonald WOMEN 1. Fiona Murray 2. Anna Wells 3. Alison Banwell JUNIOR 1. Ellen McAskill 2. Nikki Addison 3. Steven Addison SPEED 1. Blair Fyffe 2. Duncan Campbell 3. Ruaridh McKenzie Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1159 Nevis Range re-opened at 10am onTuesday 25th July. Nevis Range is hugely popular with bothvisitors and locals - if you've never been, or haven't been for a while, come along and enjoy the fantastic views of Lochaber. Admire truly spectacular views of the area,get a unique perspective onthe Great Glenfrom the Great Glen Chair ride, take a short walk to explore the Aonach Mor hillside onmarked trails, orsimply relax and enjoylunch or a coffee with an amazing outlook from the Snowgoose cafe. View a gallery of the re-opening here . For more about what's on at Nevis Range, click here . Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1201 The newly refurbished Lime Tree Gallery in Fort William opened its doors to the public on Friday 18th August, with the opening of its launch exhibition of rare Francisco Goya etchings. The new half million pound state-of-the-artgalleryis capable of hosting the finest artwork from around the world and will host touring shows from the National Art Collections as well as provide a platform forcontemporary artists to exhibit and sell their work. The first show, which was officially unveiled by local Clan Cameron chief, Sir Donald Cameron of Locheil on Thursday evening, is a collection of 22 original etchings entitled ‘The Disparates’ by the Spanish old master Francisco Goya. This is a priceless historic and unique collection of Goya’s work, from his challenging ‘Black Period’. This rare collectionis on loan from the Hayward Gallery , London on behalf of Arts Council England. The work offive artistswhose work is inflenced by Goya is also being exhibited alongside the etchings. Speakingat the opening exhibition, owner of the Lime Tree Gallery local artist David Wilson, said: ‘Bringing the art of Goya to Fort William is a high quality ‘first’ for the West Highlands. I hope that the people of the Highlands take this opportunity to see this world-class art - free of charge’ here in the Highlands.’ Thisshow isthe first in an exciting programme of exhibition and events planned for the Lime Tree Gallery. Keep an eye onthe Events section for what's coming up. The Goya exhibition runs until September 9th – Admission is free. The Lime TreeGallery isat the west end ofFort William High Street. Open from 10am - 10pm every day. For more information visit www.limetreefortwilliam.co.uk Fri, 18 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1294 The Outdoor Capital of the UK community company has won the coveted title of 'Best Tourism Business Award' in the prestigious Highlands and Islands Business Awards 2006. The Outdoor Capital was among those honoured when Scotland's First Minister, Jack McConnell, presented the 21st anniversary Highlands and Islands Business Awards in Inverness this week. The judges were looking for a quality product or service and success in identifying, meeting and attracting target markets. The Best Tourism Business award recognises the Outdoor Capital's success in promoting Fort William and Lochaber as a destination for everyone interested in the outdoors - whether they prefer adrenaline activities or simply enjoying the spectacular scenery. Anna Trafford, Outdoor Capital Project Director said, 'We are delightedto have won this award. We're a small community company, but with the support of local people and businesses, we're showing that we can achieve great results for tourism in the Lochaber area.' Photo shows Scotland's First Minister, Jack McConnell awarding the prize for Best Tourism Business to Outdoor Capital Directors, Ian Sykes and Bren Gormley. Thu, 5 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT http://www.outdoorcapital.co.uk/news-item.asp?itemid=1896 Mike Kloser, Chris Forne, Monique Merrill and Michael Tobin of the awesome Team Nike (USA/NZ) triumphantly broke through the finish line (Nevis Centre, Fort William) of the 2007 Adventure Racing World Championship at 06.07 this morning to become Adventure Racing world champions for the second year running. Having raced non-stop and unsupported for almost 130 hours in extremely harsh conditions over the 500 km course (that contained some 25,000 metres of ascent!) team captain Kloser flushed with excitement, said: 'Goals are a huge factor in this kind of event. We came to Scotland with the primary goal of defending our title and winning and we are delighted to have done so. It was a good race all round. Our one thought was always to push on, but the trekking was really tough - particularly towards the end - and the cold temperatures a big factor. It was one tough course. Our priority now is to have breakfast, take a shower and get some sleep - we've only had about five hours since the start of the race!'. There to greet the team as they were showered with champagne was race director Phil Humphreys who said 'Wow - what an epic race! It was relentless, brutal and fantastic. To finish the full course is quite remarkable. Respect to Nike and all those other teams who cross the finish line'. During much of the race - the toughest endurance event ever staged in the UK - Nike have been relentlessly pursued by the French/Swiss Team Wilsa HellyHansen, who are now firmly in second position around five hours behind Nike. Team Buff Coolmax (Spain), Team OrionHealth.com (New Zealand) and Bjurfors Adventure Racing (Sweden/ USA) are battling it out behind them on the final stages of the race. Officials expect these teams to finish at various times during the day (1 June). The official start was at 08.20 on Sunday (27 May) when 49 teams, comprising the world's toughest endurance athletes from 22 nations, left the island in a colourful flotilla of kayaks for the mainland via Eigg. The course was to take them across Knoydart, Scotland's last remaining wilderness, over a chilly Loch Ness, through the wild Monadhliath Mountains and across the centre of Scotland, from the A9 to the A82, on lochs and rivers against the natural flow of the water with the added challenge of carrying and pulling their heavily laden boats f