New elite-level downhill, enduro and XC trails, a gondola uplift to take riders to the top, and millions of pounds of investment. That’s the future for Dunoon, a small town to the west of Glasgow that hopes to transform itself into the next Fort William.

Nevis Range and the Dunoon Project have clubbed together to put forward plans for a new adventure resort to be built in Dunoon, Scotland. The resort aims to help Dunoon become a “global leader in adventure tourism” with enduro, downhill and cross-country mountain bike trails being designed and built by those involved in the Nevis Range’s projects. There will also be a bike shop which will include bike hire and a base station with a hotel and dining options.

And get excited, because there will also be a gondola installed – the first of its kind in the area – and a café providing panoramic views situated at the top. So now you don’t have to travel to Fort William or to mainland Europe to get access to one of the coolest uplifts around.

With Dunoon only 1.5 hours away from Glasgow, it’s well situated to attract more explorers to the region

Dunoon Adventure Resort need to know:

• New resort set to include a gondola as link to Dunoon summit
• Elite-level downhill, enduro and XC tracks set to be built
• Bike shop and adventure hotel to be placed at Base Station
• Trails designed by Nevis Range trail builders

The new Base Station will take inspiration from that of Fort William’s, and offer a hotel as well as dining options

What will the Dunoon Adventure Resort offer mountain bikers?

Dunoon is located about 1.5 hour’s drive west from Glasgow, and has somewhat suffered with a lack of tourism in recent years. The Dunoon Project was founded to reinstate it as a holiday destination, and working with the Nevis Range, of, well, the area with that name (where Fort Bill is), the teams have come up with plans that include an adventure resort.

The resort is not just about mountain biking, but about all kinds of adventure tourism. And the centrepiece of that will be the gondola. We assume it will also act as the uplift method for bikes, just like at Fort William, as well as connecting walkers and coffee drinkers to the tops of the hills overlooking the town. The gondola will also remove the need for vehicular access to the top of the mountain, thus creating a slightly more environmentally-friendly way to get to the top. Unless the gondola is powered by coal, of course.

Dunoon already has some trails to attract riders, but this will be the region’s first purpose-built resort

The other famous gondola in Scotland is of course that of Fort William, and according to the Nevis Range, attracts over 250,000 visitors a year. The benefit of the gondola is that it means the mountain can remain ‘open’ all-year-round, too.

At the top of the hill the resort will feature downhill, enduro and cross-country trails with the aim at positioning Dunoon as a “leading international MTB destination.” Will this mean we will be seeing Scotland back on the DH World Cup circuit, we wonder…

The trails have been designed by some of the trail builders from the Nevis Range

There will also be an adventure park, with zip lines and climbing areas alongside a café offering panoramic views of the area.

You and your friends could also be doing group high fives in 2030

Base Station plans

At the base of it all will be an ‘adventure hotel’, which will be aimed at mountain bikers, outdoor enthusiasts and hikers with access to trails and the gondola. There will also be a bike shop with bike hire and a workshop. And if you want to dabble in some other outdoor pursuits, there will be other retail and outdoor-oriented shops there too, as well as restaurants to refuel after a long day on the hill.

Managing Director of Nevis Range, Chris O’Brien, said: “Dunoon has always had the potential to be a world-class adventure tourism destination. With the construction of the gondola, we’re unlocking that potential and creating something truly extraordinary. We’ve seen first-hand how infrastructure like this can transform an area, and Dunoon will now be at the forefront of adventure tourism in Scotland.”

While it’s unclear whether the plans have been submitted or not, the local council has already given its approval to the scheme and the project is going to be funded through both public and private investment. Some of the bike trails have already begun development courtesy of project partner Action Argyll and if everything goes to plan, the whole park should be up and running by 2030.

dunoonproject.org