Skiing in Scotland
Discussion
Has anyone done this recently?
I went to Glenshee a few times in the mid 80's but not been back since. I'd like to organise a cheap lads trip away sking for the weekend and am considering it. Arrive late Thurs, ski Fri, Sat, Sun morning, hit the road at lunch.
Anyone have any tips on which 'resort' and a decent place to stay for a group of 6 blokes?
Ideally like somewhere close to the action if that's possible these days. I remember we stayed in Blairgowrie and had to drive to the slopes back then.
Cheers all.
I went to Glenshee a few times in the mid 80's but not been back since. I'd like to organise a cheap lads trip away sking for the weekend and am considering it. Arrive late Thurs, ski Fri, Sat, Sun morning, hit the road at lunch.
Anyone have any tips on which 'resort' and a decent place to stay for a group of 6 blokes?
Ideally like somewhere close to the action if that's possible these days. I remember we stayed in Blairgowrie and had to drive to the slopes back then.
Cheers all.
I went a few years ago, to the Nevis Range. The salient point are, I think:
- It took far longer to drive Glasgow - Fort William than it did to drive Derby - Glasgow!
- Queues for kit hire were enormous, and slow moving.
- I'm glad I didn't take my own kit as there were rocks poking through all over the place on piste
- It was incredibly, bitterly cold. And windy as hell. I ended up buying a balaclava at the top to make sure none of my face was exposed as it hurt so much.
- The days are short at this time of year, you'll need to be there early to make the most of it.
Great fun though
- It took far longer to drive Glasgow - Fort William than it did to drive Derby - Glasgow!
- Queues for kit hire were enormous, and slow moving.
- I'm glad I didn't take my own kit as there were rocks poking through all over the place on piste
- It was incredibly, bitterly cold. And windy as hell. I ended up buying a balaclava at the top to make sure none of my face was exposed as it hurt so much.
- The days are short at this time of year, you'll need to be there early to make the most of it.
Great fun though
Good points, especially how b
d cold it gets!
We'd all take our old kit. In fact it could be a good opportunity to pull out my 210cm Blizzard Thermo V20 skis and do it properly old school!
Just found this pic of the last time I was at Glenshee (maybe 1985 or so) - particularly enjoying the plethora of C&A's 'Rodeo' ski wear. I look ok in the red though I suppose.
d cold it gets!We'd all take our old kit. In fact it could be a good opportunity to pull out my 210cm Blizzard Thermo V20 skis and do it properly old school!
Just found this pic of the last time I was at Glenshee (maybe 1985 or so) - particularly enjoying the plethora of C&A's 'Rodeo' ski wear. I look ok in the red though I suppose.
I'm not sure ski-wear has come on all that much if I'm honest... 
Just found these on my Flickr, I think they convey quite nicely just how wintery it was up there...
We had a great time, and I'm glad we made the effort and actually went. It's not a patch on France though for facilities, choice/length/difficulty of runs though.
I'm trying to work out how long ago we went, must be at least 8 years ago now that I think about it...
Just found these on my Flickr, I think they convey quite nicely just how wintery it was up there...
We had a great time, and I'm glad we made the effort and actually went. It's not a patch on France though for facilities, choice/length/difficulty of runs though.
I'm trying to work out how long ago we went, must be at least 8 years ago now that I think about it...
Are you north or south of the country? We live in Kent and it's actually quicker/easier to drive to the Alps than to Scotland and you have a much wider choice, often better conditions, less cold, etc etc etc. But as I say, that's predicated on where you live. From us to Glenshee is 550 miles, from us to Morzine is 600 (and 22 of those are on the train!). Factor in that c.500 of those french miles are at 82mph (gendarme) with little or not holdups and it's a no brainer for us. We often do it for weekends as you describe, frequently more than once a season.
I try to get up a couple of times a year, and if you get the conditions right then the skiing is just sublime. Get it wrong and it's icy, rocky, and you can't see anything. Each of the main areas has their own pluses and minuses -
The other thing to bear in mind is that the Scottish season goes on much longer than the Alps - April is often the best time to go, as the snow has had all winter to accumulate and the days are longer. Skiing in t-shirts in May is very definitely possible most years!
A couple of photos from Glencoe in April 2013 to whet your appetite...
- Glenshee has the most terrain and best uplift. It's the easiest drive from the main population centres so can get busy particularly if Cairngorm is having access problems.
- Cairngorm can be very busy as you're restricted to maybe three main lifts which everybody has to use. Coire na Ciste, when it's open, is sheer powdery unpisted heaven. Can be badly affected by storms, due to the aspect, the height of the car park, and the fact that the train track & tunnel mouth get buried.
- Nevis Range is less snow-sure than the others but when it's good it's great. The off-piste around the Back Corries is fantastic but you need to be confident for the drop-ins!
- Glencoe is smaller and generally quieter than the others but still has some great skiing. If the snow is good then there's endless fun to be had on the front face / Canyon area. Nice and easy to get home on Sunday as you're right on the A82 as well.
- Lecht - have never actually been there so can't really comment. Seems to get less snow than the others as the hills are a bit lower; I've always thought of it as more of a beginners resort although that might be unfair.
The other thing to bear in mind is that the Scottish season goes on much longer than the Alps - April is often the best time to go, as the snow has had all winter to accumulate and the days are longer. Skiing in t-shirts in May is very definitely possible most years!
A couple of photos from Glencoe in April 2013 to whet your appetite...
Conditions in recent years have rivalled the Alps! There was too much snow for a while on Nevis Range (recall them having to dig the lifts out). I've not experience of Glenshee/Lecht/Cairngorm but if you base yourself in Fort William then there's a choice - Nevis Range 10mins north, or Glencoe 40mins south.
I'd suggest waiting to see what the snow accumulation is over the next 6-8 weeks, then keep some weekends free and go at short notice. There's very little currently looking out of the window here.
I'd suggest waiting to see what the snow accumulation is over the next 6-8 weeks, then keep some weekends free and go at short notice. There's very little currently looking out of the window here.
sjabrown said:
No chains needed - if the snow is deep enough to need chains the resorts won't be open is the general rule.
Very much this. The Glenshee road can be a little hairy if you're the first up, but generally there's enough traffic to melt away the snow very quickly once the road opens. I've never had any real problem and have always been on summer tyres.How does it compare to France for lessons and somewhere to stay? I'm thinking of taking my 8/9 year old kids for a long weekend and want to try somewhere local before spending a fortune on half-term week when they may not like it. I wouldn't want to put them off for life though which happened to my wife in NZ.
I grew up halfway between Glencoe Mountain and Nevis Range and I have been to all the ski places in Scotland.
I think as a place to go for a weekend Aviemore is the place to go.
However, although the facilities are dated I think Glencoe Mountain is the best of the bunch.
You will still see people with old Barbour jackets and jeans in the resorts but be warned, they are probably the best skiers you will see.
I think as a place to go for a weekend Aviemore is the place to go.
However, although the facilities are dated I think Glencoe Mountain is the best of the bunch.
You will still see people with old Barbour jackets and jeans in the resorts but be warned, they are probably the best skiers you will see.
Scotland is a great place to ski, but its very very different to skiing in Europe. I've had some of best ski days in Scotland.
Booking in advance is usually a no no, you just don't know if there will be snow or if there will be too much snow (It can take days to dig Cairngorm out if they get a really big dump) prone to high winds, and rain too. You can always get some kind of accommodation, so wait to see the forecast and book the day before.
What resort ?
Aviemore has the most "ski resort" feel about it IMO, especially if there is snow in the town, it has a decent selection of lifts, a car makes getting around a lot easier. It also has the biggest selection of accommodation from bunk houses to 4/5 star hotels. The beginners area is at the top of the hill, more snow sure than others but also very exposed.
Lecht is smaller and also lower. Runs are good on the side of a valley and it has the most friendly beginners area at the foot of the hill. No accommodation within miles and even the closest village has limited options.
Glencoe. Hardcore sking for hardcore skiers. Although small, has some of the most challenging terrain. I like it.
Nevis Range AKA Anoch Mor. Good sized ski area all accessed via cable car. Lots of options to stay in Fort William, can have fantastic conditions even if the East coast centres are bare. Seems to open rarely but the off piste is epic and challenging.
Glenshee. Probably the biggest usable ski area with excellent off piste options over the back. Good range of accommodation for a variety of pockets.
When conditions are good all of the centres will be jam packed with big queues for everything at weekends. My In laws and assorted family are in Oban, and I live ~ 4 hours away so I tend to stick my gear in the car when travelling up there between December and April if the snow and weather is good I'll ski if not I wait until next time and rinse and repeat. Usually hit Nevis or Glencoe.
For a few days (more if you can hit the fun stuff and get the conditions) it can be as good as anywhere. I have another reason to be in the area so makes more sense. You need to be able to load the car and go and short notice as a rule. It's not really an alternative to the Alps more a way to get some extra skiing in if it's reasonably convenient distance from home.
Skiing in Scotland was dying on it's arse in the late 90's early 00's after several back to back mild and wet winters and has had a resurgence in the last 5/6 years. Investment in snow cannons would be awesome to offer so more reliability, there's talk of building a large resort style lodge at Nevis and more investment on the ski infrastructure.
ETA some pics all from Nevis Range mid April!
Booking in advance is usually a no no, you just don't know if there will be snow or if there will be too much snow (It can take days to dig Cairngorm out if they get a really big dump) prone to high winds, and rain too. You can always get some kind of accommodation, so wait to see the forecast and book the day before.
What resort ?
Aviemore has the most "ski resort" feel about it IMO, especially if there is snow in the town, it has a decent selection of lifts, a car makes getting around a lot easier. It also has the biggest selection of accommodation from bunk houses to 4/5 star hotels. The beginners area is at the top of the hill, more snow sure than others but also very exposed.
Lecht is smaller and also lower. Runs are good on the side of a valley and it has the most friendly beginners area at the foot of the hill. No accommodation within miles and even the closest village has limited options.
Glencoe. Hardcore sking for hardcore skiers. Although small, has some of the most challenging terrain. I like it.
Nevis Range AKA Anoch Mor. Good sized ski area all accessed via cable car. Lots of options to stay in Fort William, can have fantastic conditions even if the East coast centres are bare. Seems to open rarely but the off piste is epic and challenging.
Glenshee. Probably the biggest usable ski area with excellent off piste options over the back. Good range of accommodation for a variety of pockets.
When conditions are good all of the centres will be jam packed with big queues for everything at weekends. My In laws and assorted family are in Oban, and I live ~ 4 hours away so I tend to stick my gear in the car when travelling up there between December and April if the snow and weather is good I'll ski if not I wait until next time and rinse and repeat. Usually hit Nevis or Glencoe.
For a few days (more if you can hit the fun stuff and get the conditions) it can be as good as anywhere. I have another reason to be in the area so makes more sense. You need to be able to load the car and go and short notice as a rule. It's not really an alternative to the Alps more a way to get some extra skiing in if it's reasonably convenient distance from home.
Skiing in Scotland was dying on it's arse in the late 90's early 00's after several back to back mild and wet winters and has had a resurgence in the last 5/6 years. Investment in snow cannons would be awesome to offer so more reliability, there's talk of building a large resort style lodge at Nevis and more investment on the ski infrastructure.
ETA some pics all from Nevis Range mid April!
Edited by a311 on Thursday 18th December 22:29
cptsideways said:
Don't forget Yad Moss, its only halfway to Scotland & great when the conditions are nice, had some fab days there
It's a long time since I've been to Yad Moss. They didn't have too many days they managed to open last season.There's also the Lake District Ski Club http://www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/
It's members only and an approximate 1hr hike depending on fitness to get to the button lift. However you can join for £30 which includes one days skiing. They had a very good year last year, I got about 20 days in and on the whole reported running the tow on about 35 days I think. If they get enough snow it opens some very interesting routes. A few years back when there was a particualry cold winter managed to ski from the summit to the base of Helvellyn-will have to dig out some pics.....
benjj said:
Good points, especially how bd cold it gets!
We'd all take our old kit. In fact it could be a good opportunity to pull out my 210cm Blizzard Thermo V20 skis and do it properly old school!
Just found this pic of the last time I was at Glenshee (maybe 1985 or so) - particularly enjoying the plethora of C&A's 'Rodeo' ski wear. I look ok in the red though I suppose.
I reckon that was about when we first went thered cold it gets!We'd all take our old kit. In fact it could be a good opportunity to pull out my 210cm Blizzard Thermo V20 skis and do it properly old school!
Just found this pic of the last time I was at Glenshee (maybe 1985 or so) - particularly enjoying the plethora of C&A's 'Rodeo' ski wear. I look ok in the red though I suppose.
It was FREEZING, rocks, fog bloody awful experience, but I will be up for a trip soon
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