Mare Island Naval Shipyard — Local services in Great Britain

Visited Thursday 6th Aug. Car park machines only accept coins (£3 all day parking), had to queue up at the kisok to get change then trek back to the car to display the ticket. You would have thought they'd come up with a contactless option to pay for the parking expecially during these difficult times (covid). Non existent staff at the enterence, waited 10 mins for 1 large group to get through the turnstile, staff stood a mile and did nothing. They didn't even encourage those in the group who had scanned to get into a pod, they all just stood there waiting for the rest of their group to get in. The queue behind was massive by the time they finished scanning. Staff seem to be observing a 10 metre rule rather than a 2 metre one, they stood a mile away and litually did nothing. Sign before entering stated we had to use their disposable gloves but there were none in the dispenser. Facemasks have to be worn so do not attend without one. Over 2 quid to purchase one from them if you don't have one. There doesn't seem to be any attempt to clean the pods, one we travelled up in as well as the one we came back down in clearly dirty around the seat, window and seals. Up top no staff again at the enterence or exit. Poor signage so no clear direction where to head/explore. We eventually found 1 sign that gave us some guidance then followed the herd. If the ride was not so expensive I wouldn't have much to complain about but this is clearly overpriced for what you get . No staff anywhere to ask about which walk to take ..it seemed free for all. God forbid if someone trips or falls, they'd run a mile or would be non existent.

Male toliet up top had a sign saying it was being cleaned but no staff inside. Queue mounting people got fed up and rightly so we went in. As we existed a staff member finally turned up and starting waving at the sign she placed with anger. Next time be in attendance when you put your sign up or Lock the door if you don't want anyone to use it.

Drinks Purchased from the restaurant up top were warm, fridge didn't seem to be working or stock was not rotated or replenished quickly enough. Overpriced but view was nice and it was nice and clean inside.

Nice view and good weather up top so my star ratings reflect that...

We visited on a bright and sunny September day, getting to the site was easy with ample parking. The carpark is a gravel carpark with no marked bays. The website did advise there was disabled parking but we could not see it signposted. There was enough space that we could park close to the building. The lady in the ticket booth was extremely helpful. It was £27.50 for an adult ticket and £22.50 for a pensioner. (Quite expensive I thought). Car parking for disabled visitors is free but you have to notify them as you buy your tickets so they can record your registration. The carpark would be chargeable if you do not do this. The gentlemen at the bottom of the ride was very helpful and helped us get the mobility aid through the barrier and onto the gondola. The ride was very smooth taking around 15 minutes, the views were stunning and you could see for miles. Arriving at the top was a little more difficult, the gentlemen at the top offered no help, but we managed. Exiting the building you have two options, up the stairs leads to the restaurant and gift shop, or outside to the mountains and trails. Because we had someone using a mobility aid we had to go the external route. The views at the top are stunning, and there are plenty of photo opportunities. After looking around we went into the restaurant. It was busy, but spacious. I ordered a coffee which was around £4.50, it was nice. All the team working in the restaurant were really nice and helpful. After looking around a little more we opted to stay and have lunch. This was the biggest negative of the trip, I ordered 2 x hotdogs and chips it was approx £23, and it was horrible. Neither of us could eat the hotdog, and the majority of the food was wasted. I would recommend either taking your own sandwiches or sticking to the toasties they offer. We had a look around the gift shop, standard pricing £10.50 for a mug, £3 for a pen etc. We did not queue at any point, however when we arrived back down, there was quite a large queue waiting for gondolas to go up. All in all it was nice visit, I am glad we went, I am not sure I would rush back as it is quite expensive. But...

Great mountain bike tracks. The blue Doon has improved with the addition of some much needed berms. The world cup downhill is a challenge for most! If it is not a challenge go faster! Top chief is fun trail but is still a challenge to clear - slightly spoiled by lack of flow on the uphill bits. Best ridden on an enduro bike or downhill bike Look out for the natural single-track lower down which is hidden but fun There are great views from the snow goose restaurant. The gondola works when windspeed is below 35mph or 50kms. For snow sports the Nevis Range is poor. Bashing of the pistes is often done during the day which delays opening. I have not seen the Brave heart chairlift open in 5 years. The summit button is often out of action and needs an overhaul. A chairlift should be installed to the summit and an easier run back to the top of the gondola created. Multiple bike track from the summit to the base would offer a world class biking facility. The management should benchmark their biking operation against the likes of Bike park Wales, Morzine, Les Gets & Les 2 Alpes. Creation of a bike park would require investment but the Nevis Range would become a destination which would attract its own traffic rather than something that you do only if you are in the area. There are nice walks from the top gondola. With development it could be so much better. its has potential but conveys a...