Mountain Festival Dig Day blazes a trail

Monthly Dig Days have been a feature of LTA since increased collaboration in the area’s mountain bike community during the Covid pandemic. Their aim, said LTA’s Mark Clark, is not only to ensure the fun and sustainability of trails, but to work with landowners to aid safety.

“Mountain biking is inherently a dangerous sport, so the safer that we can make the trails, the less likelihood that someone can hurt themselves - which then reduces the landowner’s liability, so it is better for them if we are making trails safer,” Mr Clark said.

“You can’t make them completely safe, but you can make unnecessary risks and unnecessary hazards a bit less severe.”

As several riders, including Mr Clark, were also engaged in this year’s 21st edition of the Mountain Festival, which included a Friday night Bike Night, bike maintenance workshops, and a Saturday family bike ride, repeating the 2024 festival’s Dig Day made sense. It also saw an increase in volunteers, up from 32 last year.

With the next Dig Day scheduled for March 30, LTA is stressing that despite the group’s strong mountain biking connections, all are welcome, with many of the trails doubling as walking routes. Volunteers have included foresters, rangers and even a local lollipop person.

“It is hard work, but it is a very social environment, and even if people are just coming along for the jolly and drinking tea, it is a way to be connected,” Mr Clark said.

LTA expressed its thanks to the Fort William Mountain Festival, Deviate Cycles, the committee, and all the volunteers who attended the special February event.