The multi-award-winning Limitlass Mountain Bike Festival concluded on Sunday after an incredible, sun-drenched weekend that brought 120 women together in Dunkeld from August 9-11. Hosted by Katie May, Fiona Finnie and Anna Riddell, this year’s event provided a safe, fun and inclusive atmosphere as participants – from beginners to experienced enduro riders – networked, built skills and inspired each other to push beyond their comfort zones.

A weekend full of sunshine and good vibes

With perfect weather, the sun shone all weekend, adding to the good vibes and vibrant energy of the festival. Riders roasted in the hot sun during the guided rides on Sunday, and many took advantage of our guided wild swim for a refreshing post-ride cool down. This unique focus on wellbeing alongside mountain biking is what sets Limitlass apart. The festival combined the excitement of tackling Dunkeld’s famous trails with more relaxed activities such as wild swims, sauna sessions and sports massages, ensuring positive energy and good vibes prevailed all weekend.

Strengthening the role of female leadership

The festival highlighted the importance of female leadership in the mountain biking community, with 17 female coaches, guides and mechanics providing riding technique coaching, workshops and guided tours throughout the weekend. Wherever possible, partner brands were also represented by female representatives, further underlining the festival’s commitment to promoting women in the sport.

Coaching sessions with leading Scottish female coaches inspire and build confidence and skills.

Support from leading brands

Scottish cycling clothing manufacturer Endura took centre stage as presenting partner for the second year, underlining its commitment to driving female involvement in mountain biking. Its involvement was marked by an update on the results of its ‘Women’s Fit Survey’, which will be presented at Limitlass in 2023 and will help shape the future of Endura’s women-specific cycling gear.
Limitlass also benefited from the generous support of long-standing sponsors Hope WMN and Deuter, as well as new sponsors Madison Clothing, Shimano, Vittoria Tyres, Highland Bikes, Crankbrothers and Deviate, who all contributed to the success of the event and helped to ensure an unforgettable experience for all participants.

Hope WMN from Hope Technology held workshops, showed its colorful Hope products and performed demos of its HB916.

Event highlights

The festival kicked off on Friday night with a screening of inspirational female-led bike films, accompanied by wood-fired pizza, setting a warm and welcoming tone for the weekend. Saturday began with a guided sunrise swim, followed by a day of training sessions led by Scotland’s best female mountain bike coaches. These sessions, held on the challenging trails of Dunkeld, built the confidence and skills of riders of all levels.
In addition to coaching, various workshops gave the women practical experience and valuable knowledge. Topics ranged from adjusting suspension and indexing gear to technical talks, bunny hopping and even creative activities such as making bracelets. Entertainment in the evening was provided by the female-led band Atomic from Dundee, who had festival-goers dancing all night long.
The evening also included a panel discussion on resilience with inspirational contributions from Julia Maclean, the first and only female UCI World Series suspension engineer; Kerry MacPhee, XC athlete and 2024 HT550 winner; Pip Delamere-Wright, wild swimming coach and Britain’s first female commando; and Claire Bennet, Sales and Events Manager at Hope Technology and Head of Hope WMN.
On Sunday, riders explored some of Dunkeld’s best trails on guided tours. The choice ranged from scenic, non-technical routes to challenging, tricky downhill tracks. There was something for everyone, regardless of ability. Riders were encouraged and supported by experienced guides and new friends, allowing them to step out of their comfort zone and tackle trails they wouldn’t have thought possible before the weekend. After the tours, many took advantage of guided outdoor swims to cool down, while others relaxed in the sun, played cycling games or checked out the event expo. The festival ended with a fantastic raffle raising funds for the Tayside Trail Association and DMBinS’ Scottish MTB Health Fund.

The Spirit of Limitlass

The Limitlass Mountain Bike Festival continues to set the standard for women’s mountain bike events by combining skills development with wellness, creating a unique and supportive environment that empowers women in the sport.

For more information contact Limitlass at [email protected]
Photo credit: Sadie Aldridge Photography / Limitlass