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The sport of
mountain biking is probably the fastest growing sport in the Caribbean, and the island of Nevis is no exception, offering a wide variety of "on" and "off" road riding to suit all levels of ability
and fitness. For the casual rider there is an abundance of interesting historical sites to discover at your leisure, and for the more adventurous or hard-core trail rider there are numerous sites only accessible
by foot or bike, not to mention hill climbs and descents that give access to vistas that are truly spectacular! The geography of Nevis coupled with its volatile history
gives many clues to the selection of riding available, with Nevis' volcanic peak rising to over 3,200 feet, and numerous hills & ghauts around the island this is a mountain bikers dream location! Historically the slopes and plains of Nevis were littered with plantation houses and mills whose fields were all interconnected by three "ring" roads and their various tributaries, which would fall into disuse as plantations faltered or became amalgamated into the larger concerns.
The lower ring road has now mostly fallen into the sea, the middle ring road is now the islands main thoroughfare which leaves the long disused upper ring road. Through a joint effort
between the historical society and the recently formed "Team Nevis Cycle Club", most of this road has been mapped and cleared for walking and riding. This said however, it is an ongoing project that
still has a host of different interconnecting by ways to be discovered and ridden. Mountain Bike Nevis has a good stock of Trek mountain bikes for rent on a daily or weekly basis, plus guided
tours that are tailored to suit all levels of ability. Mountain Bike Nevis is the home base for the local cycle club that uses the trails as a training ground, competition course, and also hosts a regular
"Around the Island" bike ride every Sunday morning. This is an open invitation to anyone wishes to join in the fun, and is a great way of touring Nevis. |
