Outdoor Capital of the UK Blog
Want to know the latest about your favourite outdoor activities? Get an inside look at what's happening in Lochaber with our blog.
Lampkin & McAskill Take Edinburgh by Storm
Friday, April 30, 2010
Danny McAskill and Dougie Lampkin faced off in Edinburgh yesterday to launch the final countdown to the SPEA FIM Trial World Championships, which kick off on June 26th at Nevis Range, Fort William.Danny told the BBC that his year has been 'unbelievable' and Dougie said "Fort William is a world class stage for riding and easily the biggest event of the year for me. [It] really is the Outdoor Capital of the UK".
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 11:13 AM 15 comments 
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From One Capital to Another!
Monday, April 26, 2010
An exciting new development on the West Highland line was launched this week. Whestrail will run weekly train journeys from Edinburgh, via Glasgow, to the Outdoor Capital during the summer months, offering much needed extra capacity for those wanting to experience the best place in the UK to enjoy the outdoors.
Full story here.
Full story here.
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 12:16 PM 0 comments
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I Love Trials - Do You?
Friday, April 16, 2010
The UK leg of the 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship will be rocking the Outdoor Capital over 25/26/27 June. Ex multi FIM Trial World Champion and legend Dougie Lampkin stars in a new 6 minute masterpiece ‘I Love Trials – Dougie Lampkin vs Nevis Range’ which sees him enjoying an action packed day which takes him out of his usual Trials comfort zone to experience snowboarding and mountain biking as well.
Dougie says "this film is very different to anything I have done before. It was great fun making it and I am really pleased with the end product. Nevis Range is the ultimate extreme sports playground and I think that really comes across well in the movie. I just hope everyone enjoys watching it as much I did making it.”
We love trials - do you?
Labels: dougie lampkin, Nevis Range, Outdoor capital, trials
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 11:02 AM 0 comments
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Wild Lochaber
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A group of wildlife operators, under the umbrella of the Outdoor Capital of the UK, have formed Wild Lochaber to raise the profile of wildlife tourism in the area. They recently launched their new Facebook page and are posting great photos and clips on there - my favourite is the fighting pine martens!Just about every iconic wild creature of the Highlands can be found in Lochaber as we benefit from mountains and coast line - hence our strapline of "From Summit to Sea" : we've got it all!
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 2:45 PM 0 comments
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Who's 'Bean' Seen in Knoydart?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
You never know who is going to turn up in the Outdoor Capital! Mr Bean (aka Rowan Atkinson) dropped into the Old Forge Inn in Knoydart recently and can be seen in the picture with Nat, the bar man at the Old Forge.
Rowan is clutching a copy of the Knoydart charity calendar, proceeds from which will go to Combat Stress. Combat Stress has provided a unique lifeline to almost 100,000 veterans suffering from chronic conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - incurred or exacerbated in the course of conflict and peace keeping activities.The pictures in this calendar are from the collection painted by Geoff Allman over a decade of visits to Knoydart and Loch Nevis. They have been painted from life, mostly outdoors, come rain or shine, using water for his watercolours and inks sourced from the local burns. Get your copy here.
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 4:09 PM 0 comments
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A week in the Highlands
Monday, July 20, 2009
Looking into Coire Ardair, on the Creag Meagaidh round.
Skerryvore play the Nevis Centre, Fort William
Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis beckons...So far our summer up here in the Highlands has been great - the odd shower or thunderstorm but no relentless rain. Great weather for getting out and ticking some classics.
The weekend of the 11th of July I re-did Tower Ridge. Before when I'd done it it had been clagged over, drizzly and quite intimidating. Last weekend it was broad sunshine all the way and it gave the day a very different feel. We moved together, just stopping to put the odd belay on until we got to Tower Gap which we pitched. For those who haven't done Tower Ridge - the gap is the notch at the top of the ridge that although not a technically hard climb has great exposure, as you down climb into and out of a gap with hundreds of metres of air beneath your feet. Last Saturday it felt very do-able and I enjoyed it, very different to the previous time when it had been pretty windy and I admit to being very nervous when tackling it.
The North Face of the Ben is so big that although there were other climbers on various routes you still get a feeling of being on a big remote mountain. It is a completely different feel when you top out - the summit of Ben Nevis on a sunny July Saturday is very, very busy with all the charity walks, and vistors 'bagging the Ben'. It makes me appreciate how many people go up and down this mountain and the great work the Nevis Partnership and all their partners do in maintaining footpaths and habitat on this iconic mountain.
This weekend the weather was much more mixed with quite a bit of rain, but this didn't stop an unusual hen night going ahead. Making the most of living up in the Highlands a friend's hen night consisted of a trip out on the train to Corrour Resturant to eat at what must be one of the remotest resturants (although may the Old Forge in Knoydart beats it), suitably fed and watered we sang our way back to Fort William on the train, much to the amusements of other travellers, and made our way over to hear Skerryvore play at the Nevis Centre.
A great night, followed by a cheeky bagging of three Munro's the next day. Despite a crack of noon start we managed to do the round of Carn Liath, Stob Poite Coire Adair and Creag Meagaidh before getting relentlessly rained on in descent. Let's hope the rain moves through quickly - we have all got used to sunshine and warm weather and rather like it!
Anna July 20th 2009
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 8:54 AM 0 comments
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Cracking Highland Weather
Friday, July 10, 2009
Up here in the Highlands we have had much of the sunshine experienced by the rest of the country but without so many severe thunderstorms (although we have had a few). With the forecast for today good and a free night last night I was able to organise myself to do what must be one the best commutes to work in the world. It demands an early start but the payback is worth it! Read on to find out more....
Living in Kinlochleven it is a 25 minute drive to the Corran Ferry, where I take my bike out of the car and ride for free on the short 5 minute crossing to Ardgour. Then it is a 10 mile flat cycle along the loch past working crofts and ancient woodlands with veiws back to Ben Nevis and the Mamores. Not a single vehicle past me today and I had the views and birdsong to myself. Once at Camasnagaul I was in plenty of time for the 8.15 community ferry to take me across the loch to Fort William and work. The banter on the ferry was worth the trip alone with the Skipper threatening to take change his/our plans and carry on out along the loch to the sea, stopping only to fish along the way! If only...but common sense reined and we motored across to Fort William and I continued into work.
The veiws across from Camasnagaul to Ben Nevis are great and the village hall doubles as a cafe during the day in summer. The Highland Council Rangers lead walks out to the woodlands around Camasnagaul on a regular basis. If you are in Fort William this is a great day trip.
I'll cycle back tonight - if time is on my side I'll stop at the Ardgour Inn whilst waiting for the ferry.
posted by Outdoor Capital of the UK @ 1:48 PM 0 comments
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