An Andy Greig - Trials Central Photo on day 1 of Joe Bradley from the Wetherby Club
From the Scottish Six days web site
Scottish Six Days Trial - Routes
There are many elements that when combined make the Scottish Six Days Trial such a unique and respected event, but perhaps the most significant is the sheer scale of each individual day. Incorporating thirty challenging sections into every flowing loop is a challenge welcomed by the organisers, whose job it is to ensure the event’s heritage is maintained with a mix of traditional sections, epic scenery and physically demanding going.
Day one, Monday 3rd May, will start with a climb above Leanachan. Purposefully designed to wake the entrants up, the revised route boasts two new sections in ‘the burn’, located just off the forest track. This is the third year running that organisers have attempted to use these sections, however, the previous two Thursdays have been scrapped, so logic prevailed and it has been moved to the first day of competition in 2010. Fingers crossed it is a case of third time lucky. The first day will come to a close with the first of two visits to the town centre during the week, where a beefed-up Town Hall Brae section will act as a suitable finale for riders and spectators alike.
Tuesday will see the riders head north from Fort William towards Spean Bridge before they skirt Loch Lochy en route to Fort Augustus. Here they turn left and head to Meall Damh for a group of five sections. From this point the course then works its way south, with the last of the sections being the infamous Witches Burn. The biggest change in 2010 is the loss of the moor along the deer fence between Forest Gate and Clunes. However an alternative route has been agreed with the forestry, which will be even more challenging. In addition, there are a handful of new sections to replace the three groups that have been lost.
With the exception of an early start at Trotters Burn, Wednesday’s course is almost unchanged. This travels anti-clockwise from Fort William to Spean Bridge before following the A86 until it snakes back in a wide loop around Loch Treig and Ben Nevis. The new moor loop proved a great success last year and followed by seven testing sections at Fersit, a group that has been used for over forty years and still takes many marks, day three will present a stiff challenge.
Day four welcomes the introduction of a new six-section finish at Leanachan, a modification to the traditional Thursday route that should prove popular with spectators. Before that though, the competitors have to face a gruelling 2500-foot ascent across the mountain range into Glen Lyon, which will not be easy after the recent bad winter.
As ever, the customary road tour of the peninsula will take place on Friday. Leaving Fort William the party will head west on the A830 and take on four sections in Doire Dhamh prior to a further five at Pipers Burn. From there riders will travel down to the southernmost tip of Loch Shiel before zigzagging east in the direction of Loch Linnhe and heading back, no doubt very tired, to base camp in Fort William.
Why fix what is not broke was the mantra that the organisers stuck to when it came to Saturday’s tried and tested, anti-clockwise route around Aonach Mor and Mamore Forest. The only significant difference this year is the finish in Cameron Square, which will see the town’s focus shifted to just one particular area at Town Hall Brae. It is here where the locals and spectators will welcome the band of exhausted and no doubt humbled riders home, including the 2010 SSDT winner.
By G2F