 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone
I'm thinking of driving up from Manchester ish for a couple of days mid week.
We usually ski in France but time and money etc.
We don't like queues and we do like well groomed pistes
Where do you all think is the best Scottish ski area and does anyone have any accommodation or other tips please?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Cairngorm is the only place that will be anything approaching alpine levels of grooming, but do not expect anything anywhere close to what you expect from even a moderately we'll groomed alps resort. Especially this year when the teams of staff are more involved in constant digging out of snow and getting lifts running on a day to day basis than making it look pretty.
Mind you, most folk up here seem to prefer it rugged anyway - it's more fun and better for technique 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Out of all the Scottish ski-centres, I'd say that Glenshee is most like an Alpine ski area.
I've found it to be very-well groomed on the occasions I've gone there (better so than Cairngorm), and they've recently invested in a couple of new piste-bashers. It also has a lot more lifts and more marked runs, and although there was still a fair bit of queuing on the nice days, it was nothing like as bad as Cairngorm, which had horrendous queues for everything when I went there (to the extent that we gave up on the lifts and opted for hiking up the mountain carrying our skis instead).
If you like it rough, Glencoe is the place to go.
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the 'coe is currently amazing. If you see it, you can ski it, runs are irrelevant as there is sooooo much snow. They also have a new piste basher this year.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks guys
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The best grooming I've found in Scotland was at Glenshee. Spring 2013 - practically the whole area open, tonnes of snow and blue skies.
The worst grooming I've found in Scotland was at... Glenshee, December 2013.
The point I'm trying to make is that piste grooming isn't as consistent as in the Alps. There are fewer staff - if there's just been a heavy fall of snow, or drifting overnight due to wind, the priority will be digging the lifts out. This has happened a lot this season. If you go after a few days of light winds, you're much more likely to have well-maintained slopes.
You won't get a France-like experience - Scotland is unique. But I'd suggest either Cairngorm (has a funicular railway) or Glenshee (larger area of slopes, but you'll spend most of the time on drag lifts) based on your comments above. Midweek outside of the holiday period you should be OK for queues anywhere.
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We don't like queues and we do like well groomed pistes
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There isn't anywhere in Scotland with no queues and groomed pistes!
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Ive only skied in scotland once(last year) and we went to Glencoe, it was amazing the views/scenary are simply out of this world. It was so good i'll be doing an annual trip up to Scotland(conditions permitting) on top of my abroad ski trip - just got back from skiing in Sweden and thinking of doing Glenshee this time next month.
Glencoe is certainly rugged and for the more intermediate/advanced skiier, there was so much snow last year you could practically ski anywhere. There is a couple of nice green runs at the base of the resort for beginners(where my gf spent lots of time last year) but the blues/reds are definitely not for beginners IMO.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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 Glenshee is fab...but if you want crowd free pistes and no queues, then you have to ski on a day when the sleet is falling horizontally...not so many folk brave those kind of conditions...but my kids can now ski really well in the Alps....!!!
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Micadog, or midweek as long as it's not during the school holidays, and as long as there isn't snow at city level (e.g. in the Central Belt). I've had bluebird days with perfect snow conditions at both Cairngorm and Glenshee - you have to pick your day very carefully though.
Friday may be one such day, but the forecast could of course change.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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From Manchester your closest is Glencoe, then probably Glenshee. Nevis range is probably slightly closer than cairngorm. All will be good, if (and it's a big if) you watch your weather forecasts and manage to catch a break in the weather.
Accommodation wise cairngorm and Nevis are your best bet because they are both very close to large towns and have a wide range, you'll get a cheap deal midweek.
While the snow is amazing the wind and constant blizzards since mid December haven't been a lot of fun.
I would choose Nevis for the least queues, excellent current snowcover and best lift infrastructure, if the weather is playing ball. Last couple of times I've been up they've groomed all day, so you can fire down behind the piste basher and grab yourself some corduroy. Glenshee has recently been open quite a lot when the others have been shut because of it's lower altitude, surface lifts and valleys which offer some wind protection. They do groom the place well. Glencoe is rough and ready but has the charm, and the best view on earth.
Must stress again, be flexible and be prepared to change your plans ie go east instead of west and vice versa, and you will have a great experience
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Cairngorm says it has 900cm of snow on the upper slopes - as in 9 metres?!? I know there has been a lot of precipitation but I've not been following it (been lucky enough to get to the Dolomites and Canada this year, so the usual: " maybe I should go to Scotland" thoughts haven't kicked in) and assumed it has been warm - obviously not!
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Hi Mike I'm looking to head north some time midweek 24-28th March myself From Blackburn Lancs as I'm off all week but can probably only afford to be away for a couple of days. The days I'm going are pretty flexible at the moment and I don't suppose I will decide until the weather forcast is out for that week. Again where I go will be weather dependant and accommodation booked as required off the Internet. It's the best and only real way to ski in Scotland as far as I'm concerned. Go where the weather allows! Ideally I would like to ski Glencoe and Nevis for the views and huge snow cover. If it stays anything as good as it is now it should still be ski anywhere you want in 3 weeks time so fingers crossed.
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You know it makes sense.
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Sorry slightly off topic but being from Blackburn are you hiding from the mighty Clarets?
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