Britain's highest mountain bike-able point gets taller

Britain doesn’t have many big mountains but there’s cause for celebration as the biggest peak we do have has grown by one metre.

Ben Nevis has been officially measured this year at 1,345 metres, this puts it one metre taller than when it was last measured in 1949. The change is not due to geological movements but simply a more accurate measuring system.

>>> Seven reasons Scottish mountain biking is amazing

The height has only changed a few centimetres, but this was enough to ensure the figure was rounded up to 1,345 metres not down to 1,344 metres. The official correct height is now 1,344.527 metres.

It is legal to take a bike up Ben Nevis but we warn you, it is a monumental ride which may even require some training (but then people have also taken a Model T Ford and a piano up there so it can’t be that bad!). We last rode it in 2008 and described the 70km loop as one of the biggest and best rides we’ve ever done.

So, will the new measurement encourage you to tackle the fearsome summit of Ben Nevis? Well, the good news is British Airways has just announced it will be launching daily direct flights from London to Inverness meaning more mountain bikers than ever can experience biking in the Scottish Highlands.