Nevis Range Green XC Cats Eyes

To access the trail you have the option of riding the blue XC access route, riding up the forest road (beware of lorries using this road) or taking the Nevis bike uplift which is available at weekend. The blue XC ascent is a great way to whet your appetite, get your legs warmed up, and give you a taste of what’s to come on the Witches Trails. The ascent is mostly wide single track with a gravel surface. The ascent is ideal for all abilities, as although there are a few narrow and testing features for more experienced riders, those who haven’t ridden as much can easily ride around while sticking with the group. As you continue up the access route, you’ll reach a short faster section, which acts as a taster of the flowing track that ahead. After approximately 2km, you’ll exit on to a minor 4X4 track. From here, the start of the blue and green XC routes are clearly signposted.
 The Cats Eyes trail is short, only around 1.3km in length, making it the perfect option for families with younger children or less experienced mountain bikers. The track is smooth the whole way down, and is mostly constructed of gravel. This smooth surface lends itself well to hybrid or hardtail bikes. 

As you descend the track, you’ll encounter many wide, high berms, allowing you to let the bike run a bit faster and get the adrenaline pumping. There are also a couple of short boardwalk sections, although these are fairly flat and wide, so they can be ridden by everyone! 

The woods gradually become less dense, before eventually reaching the open section beside the blue XC climb with more twists and turns, winding back and forth down towards the forest road. This section can be ridden fast, as you have a great line of sight.

Towards the bottom you’ll ride alongside the forest road, with a few final small berms, before crossing the road for one last short section in to the Nevis Range car park. Be aware that large lorries use this road frequently to access the nearby quarry, so be sure to check around before crossing the track.