Skiing in Scotland
Discussion
Chris71 said:
Anyone here been skiing at any of the Scottish resorts recently?
I've been invited up to, er, one of them (not actually sure which one) at the end of the month and debating whether it's worth driving up from London. Assuming it's actually possible.
Yes, you can drive from London to Scotland.I've been invited up to, er, one of them (not actually sure which one) at the end of the month and debating whether it's worth driving up from London. Assuming it's actually possible.
HTH
Bloody Londoners
Chris71 said:
I'm relieved to say I'm not a Londondoner. I'm also not inclined to the 'oh no, snow!' approach to driving, but right now you'd be forgiven for thinking you need a snowmobile to leave the Home Counties.
Been to the Lecht a few times. Better range of single malts than in the alps...
Went to Aviemore on Dec 27th - awake at 5am (in Edinburgh), up a very snowy M90/A9, and enjoyed fresh powder all over the mountain. No wind that day, and some cloud made for a flat light, but apparently the following day was perfect sunshine and deep fresh snow. Don't know what it'll be like now, but hopefully they have a good base for the season.
Unfortunately, all my gear was in London, so had to hire. This took ages thanks to some very inefficient processes at the hire shop, plus the skiing kit was very old (rear-entry boots). The snowboard kit was more up to date though. My advice, take your own kit or hire before you get there - we lost 2 hours of skiing!
It can get a touch icy on the Scottish slopes, especially with the wind picking up, but with the fresh snow, we had nothing but huge fun. I think Aviemore is the largest ski area (?) so find out where you're going. With the east seeming to have more snow, Aviemore, The Lecht and Glenshee may be better than Nevis Range or Glen Coe.
Good luck. Long drive from London for a day though; Chamonix isn't that far away either....
Unfortunately, all my gear was in London, so had to hire. This took ages thanks to some very inefficient processes at the hire shop, plus the skiing kit was very old (rear-entry boots). The snowboard kit was more up to date though. My advice, take your own kit or hire before you get there - we lost 2 hours of skiing!
It can get a touch icy on the Scottish slopes, especially with the wind picking up, but with the fresh snow, we had nothing but huge fun. I think Aviemore is the largest ski area (?) so find out where you're going. With the east seeming to have more snow, Aviemore, The Lecht and Glenshee may be better than Nevis Range or Glen Coe.
Good luck. Long drive from London for a day though; Chamonix isn't that far away either....
If you've been invited, thend I'd go, for sure. Its not exactly impossible - I've done Leedsto Fort William a few times peice of piss, add 3 hours on for London, still do-able in a day.
But if your paying for a proper trip, dont bother. Cos i've just booked an 8 day trip to Tignes which comes to bang on £400 for EVERYTHING except Lager and lunches.
It would cost me £120 just in Petrol to get to Nevis Range/Aviemore.
But if your paying for a proper trip, dont bother. Cos i've just booked an 8 day trip to Tignes which comes to bang on £400 for EVERYTHING except Lager and lunches.
It would cost me £120 just in Petrol to get to Nevis Range/Aviemore.
Well, a mate's being given a cabin or something for a week. The idea is we could split the petrol costs and driving, but it would still be self catering and also a fixed date (so if the snow is crap we're screwed).
Half my gear needs replacing at short notice if I do go. To be honest, with time and money a bit short I'd sort of written off a proper alpine trip, but he's quite keen to drag me along. Mostly to absorb the petrol costs I suspect.
Half my gear needs replacing at short notice if I do go. To be honest, with time and money a bit short I'd sort of written off a proper alpine trip, but he's quite keen to drag me along. Mostly to absorb the petrol costs I suspect.
snotrag said:
If you've been invited, thend I'd go, for sure. Its not exactly impossible - I've done Leedsto Fort William a few times peice of piss, add 3 hours on for London, still do-able in a day.
But if your paying for a proper trip, dont bother. Cos i've just booked an 8 day trip to Tignes which comes to bang on £400 for EVERYTHING except Lager and lunches.
It would cost me £120 just in Petrol to get to Nevis Range/Aviemore.
Mind if I ask where? I'm looking for a deal at the moment...But if your paying for a proper trip, dont bother. Cos i've just booked an 8 day trip to Tignes which comes to bang on £400 for EVERYTHING except Lager and lunches.
It would cost me £120 just in Petrol to get to Nevis Range/Aviemore.
I've had at least one weekend's skiing in Scotland for the last few years. When it's in nick it's great, but there's no doubting that it can be a bit ropey. The conditions right now just look incredible - there's 1.5 metres of snow in the 'Gorms - and I can't see it vanishing any time soon.
I'll be leaving home in Berkshire after work next Friday, stopping off for a few hours at a mates in Cheshire before carrying on up overnight, aiming to get there just as the slopes open. Bunkhouse in Aviemore on Saturday, a few beers, back on the slopes for Sunday and then reverse the journey. Couple of hours kip in Cheshire and then should be back at home in time to start work at 9am on Monday. 2 days skiing for petrol money, £57 two-day ski pass (yes, not cheap) and £13 for the bunkhouse. Job's a good'un.
All these people saying that the Alps are cheaper must either have access to magical travel websites or are more flexible than me - yes it's cheap if you can fly at Wednesday lunchtime, but I can't find any flights go Geneva, or anywhere else, Friday-Monday for less than £250 return. Chuck in transfers, ski pass etc. and we were looking at £500 plus 2 days leave for 3 days skiing, which just isn't good value.
PS - I have 2 seats free in the XC90 if anyone wants to join us
I'll be leaving home in Berkshire after work next Friday, stopping off for a few hours at a mates in Cheshire before carrying on up overnight, aiming to get there just as the slopes open. Bunkhouse in Aviemore on Saturday, a few beers, back on the slopes for Sunday and then reverse the journey. Couple of hours kip in Cheshire and then should be back at home in time to start work at 9am on Monday. 2 days skiing for petrol money, £57 two-day ski pass (yes, not cheap) and £13 for the bunkhouse. Job's a good'un.
All these people saying that the Alps are cheaper must either have access to magical travel websites or are more flexible than me - yes it's cheap if you can fly at Wednesday lunchtime, but I can't find any flights go Geneva, or anywhere else, Friday-Monday for less than £250 return. Chuck in transfers, ski pass etc. and we were looking at £500 plus 2 days leave for 3 days skiing, which just isn't good value.
PS - I have 2 seats free in the XC90 if anyone wants to join us
it's been mega this weekNot a skier myself but like some of the skiing websites for the photograhpy.
Anyway conditions at present are as good as they get anywhere.
check out this website http://www.winterhighland.info/
Anyway conditions at present are as good as they get anywhere.
check out this website http://www.winterhighland.info/
Edited by kenwood on Friday 8th January 21:18
Just back from Cairngorm - pretty busy for a Friday so I guess it will be mobbed over the weekend. I'll give it a miss and maybe pop back up on Monday
There are areas with snow cover that I haven't skied for 30-odd years - the whole left of the White Lady has a complete cover of unpisted stuff, plus the whole Anoach bowl. Only down side is the powder's getting a bit skied out and ther is some windblown slab - jeez, this is Scotland and I'm complaining about skied-out powder! Plus the east wall gullies are all closed due to an avalanche risk (although there were some tracks in them).
However, by the end of the day there were some scoured areas so it's not all 'packed powder' as the reports might suggest, but just a few patches and worse at the foot of the Cas. Loads of folks were skiing/boarding the headwall - looked really great, but I'm too lazy to hike up; of there ain't a lift up, I ain't skiing down.
Biggest problem in these conditions is the lack of uplift; with the demise of the White Lady Tow and Ciste chairlifts on busy days there's just not enough capacity for the number of skiers out there. No queues on the Ciste poma (where I spent mist of the day), but maybe a 15 minute wait for the M1 (on a Friday!), and there looked like long lines on the Ptarmigam lifts. Maybe a good option is to ski off the funicular as it's pretty quick up to the top even if you've got to wait for the 'next' train. But I can't be bothered skiing all the way to the bottom (which is complete) and taking the skis off.
Note that even on Friday, I pulled in to the top Cas carpark at around 9:00 and as was about the last one in - only got a space on a snowy bit as I had the 4x4. Then it was the Cas overflow, and I could see from the hill that the Ciste carpark had filled by around 11:00, with folks being bussed round (since the lifts are no longer operative there).
Anyway - good snow, no wind, blue skies and sun...although at this time of year it doesn't hit much except the M2 and the left side of the 'Lady.
There are areas with snow cover that I haven't skied for 30-odd years - the whole left of the White Lady has a complete cover of unpisted stuff, plus the whole Anoach bowl. Only down side is the powder's getting a bit skied out and ther is some windblown slab - jeez, this is Scotland and I'm complaining about skied-out powder! Plus the east wall gullies are all closed due to an avalanche risk (although there were some tracks in them).
However, by the end of the day there were some scoured areas so it's not all 'packed powder' as the reports might suggest, but just a few patches and worse at the foot of the Cas. Loads of folks were skiing/boarding the headwall - looked really great, but I'm too lazy to hike up; of there ain't a lift up, I ain't skiing down.
Biggest problem in these conditions is the lack of uplift; with the demise of the White Lady Tow and Ciste chairlifts on busy days there's just not enough capacity for the number of skiers out there. No queues on the Ciste poma (where I spent mist of the day), but maybe a 15 minute wait for the M1 (on a Friday!), and there looked like long lines on the Ptarmigam lifts. Maybe a good option is to ski off the funicular as it's pretty quick up to the top even if you've got to wait for the 'next' train. But I can't be bothered skiing all the way to the bottom (which is complete) and taking the skis off.
Note that even on Friday, I pulled in to the top Cas carpark at around 9:00 and as was about the last one in - only got a space on a snowy bit as I had the 4x4. Then it was the Cas overflow, and I could see from the hill that the Ciste carpark had filled by around 11:00, with folks being bussed round (since the lifts are no longer operative there).
Anyway - good snow, no wind, blue skies and sun...although at this time of year it doesn't hit much except the M2 and the left side of the 'Lady.
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