A new skiing resource should be ready this winter in the South of Scotland. I couldn't put this in the 'NEWS' forum but I hope it still gets some exposure here.
Situated above Wanlockhead, which was the filming location used for 'Hope Springs', the fictional Highlands village of the drama series, the 'new' ski lift will make its journey from the Pennines to the Southern Uplands ready for the 2014/2015 ski season. And it's just a dozen miles west of Moffat too.
The Lowther Hills aren't high hills but they're well inland and catch good snow most winters. Access will be easy off the M74 motorway and although a 600 metre ski tow is short compared to most of the other Scottish ski lifts, there's some decent vertical, a nice gully line and a pub in the village for apres.
So cool.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 7-12-14 20:17; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
moffatross, Hmmm..makes a visit to the inlaws a bit more likely
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?
OO like this, the old parents have a place only 30mins away!
The 'new' ski lift is actually a forty year old tractor powered rope tow. The other rope tow from Harwood was sold a few years ago to a vintage tractor collector.
Nevertheless......... there is nothing wrong with rope tows. Going back 25 years all the skiing here was done using rope tows. No doubt the club will organise suitable belts and clips but for those only used to detachable chairlifts, it will be a learning curve
Of course its the Southern uplands so snow is highly variable but Green Lowther can pick up decent snow and has the potential for some really long runs. Their website has a video of skiing there in February and this was a poor winter below 2500'. Access is however fairly easy which is the big plus point.
Great to see a local ski area actually being developed rather than dismantled. For all those involved it should be great fun planning, developing and managing their own facility. I wish them well.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Nice bit of positive news this, I've tweeted the news and the club's website link to help spread the word.
Now I just need to craft a reason to be in the area next winter to fit in a 'whilst I'm up this way' detour
In the link there are now some details of this Sunday's meet at Wanlockhead for those interested in helping out and understanding the layout of the planned facilities.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
With winterhighland, Firstracks and snowplc and the http://www.skiclub.lowtherhills.com , checking out some of the proposed ski runs above Wanlockhead today (the Canadian maple flies as part a memorial to the pilot of a WWII aircraft). Lots of work needs to be done to get it ready for this winter and assistance is sought by the club for working parties over the coming months but it will be worth it. The terrain served by the lifts is more diverse and on a grander scale than we'd thought and the views north to the village and the hills beyond are pretty nice ...
After all it is free
After all it is free
Maybe my relatives in Moffat might see a bit more of me this winter?
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.
Loading lift towers to take back to Wanlockhead ...
Back home after unloading, and looking up to the first of the future ski slopes above Wanlockhead ...
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Anybody that knows these hills will be aware that they're used for grazing and grouse shooting which shouldn't be affected by winter skiing. A private tarmac road runs from Wanlockhead to the summit of Lowther Hill and along the ridge to Green Lowther to service existing infrastructure and we believe that a club hut and ski lifts close to that road shouldn't impact adversely on the environment.
Today is the last day for comments regarding our planning application so if you'd like to be able to access a skiing facility roughly half way between Gretna & Glasgow, or know someone else that might, please spare 5 minutes.
2. Click on Add Comments Here and write a brief comment in support of the application. For example: "It's a fantastic idea", "I look forward to skiing on Lowther Hill", or "It'll be great for the local families and the community in general", etc.
The kindness and support we have received has been incredible and it’s great that more and more people are getting involved.
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.
Done & good luck with it, hope to use it if it comes off.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Seems a great idea. And relatively easy access too - we sometimes stop in Crawford on the way home.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
T Bar wrote:
Done & good luck with it,..
+1 and you could do with a T Bar
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
If the rope tows are anything like those in the NZ club field I visited the last thing you would want is a T Bar, castration at the smallest mistake.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Brilliant work boys, stellar stuff.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Done.
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?
Things are progressing quite well, I's are being dotted, T's are being crossed etc, but we're still seeking more support and anything that might help speed us along the way to a successful new (first) season such as old ski matting, fencing (pallets, wood), ski equipment, sheds, sponsorship, vehicular stuff (we need a people trailer for a quad or tracks for a Landy) or anything else that might come in handy for a nascent ski club. If there's anything you can do, or can give, or anyone else you know (at a dry slope club perhaps) who might be able to help us, please, please get in touch via the club web page at http://skiclub.lowtherhills.com
Ross, keep your eyes peeled for a large road improvement scheme, they often use 100ms of chesnut paling which in theory should be petty cheap second hand.
Failing that if anyone has a sawmill, larchlap makes for long lasting snow fencing.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
A letter dropped on my doormat this morning from South Lanarkshire Council. Planning permission granted, congratulations
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thanks, halfhand. Committee meeting tomorrow will include the thrashing out of duties (assuming we finally get the landowner permission signatures) and there is much work to do. Although I have never driven/ridden a quad bike before, I have been asked if I would like to cut the grass. Could be fun.
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.
@moffatross, . I'll make sure I get the opportunity for a ski when you're up and running.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@halfhand, DITO, cant wait! Parents have a place thats less than an hour away, so lets have some snow please
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
My i laws are less than 1 hour away and I am up there for 10 days over Christmas. Would be great to get s bit of skiing in!
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.
Some good progress today, securing some of the towers we've made repairs to onto Lowther Hill ...
Making new friends - New and existing volunteers, enjoying a bit of a blather
Lunch in the gully - Keeping out of the biting cold wind, some of our morning's work on the skyline
Setting up another tower - the Harwood rope tow is about to start a new life
Lowther Hill sunset - collecting downed tools before descending at the end of the day's work
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
We put the ski tow engine in place on Lowther Hill yesterday. It was a 3 mile journey that began at dawn (pic below) and finished around 2 PM. Unfortunately for all of us in the work party, the rain and strong winds that were expected late afternoon arrived several hours early, but we were pleased to get that job done.
Four of us on the hill today, and despite the snowdrifts on the road, ferried the last of the repaired towers up the hill, dug in four more, and laid out the return rope. Cold, wet and miserable work but we now only have an engine shed to reassemble, six more towers to dig in, and a rope to splice, and then we're pretty much ready to go. Thanks too, oldagedpredator, for making the long, cross-border drive to (quite literally) muck in with us.
Despite the thaw, lack of fencing, and the storm that had blown much of the snow over the east of the ridge, the presence of the gully has left us about a km of skiable snow along the lip.
The rope tow pylons and the upper run - snow fencing would have created a viable uptrack last week
Laying out the return rope behind the quad just as we finish off another tower - The quad is proving invaluable on days like today when the access road is blocked by snowdrifts.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Engine now enclosed by shed and all pylons erected. Here's a super-condensed time-lapse of several hours made by one of the crew at Saturday's work party. I'm in the cast there somewhere (I finished the day with an old Drifters song repeating in my head ).
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hope you get some good snowy days this winter, looking forward to seeing some pics
After all it is free
After all it is free
Hope you get a white Christmas - and plenty more white stuff in 2015. You deserve it for your efforts.
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.
Brilliant effort! Hope you get the snow you deserve .
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thanks all. After a great suggestion from admin to use crowd-funding, we're going to seek support soon to buy a bomb-proof, self-powered pair of webcams (same as winterhighland has installed at Glencoe and Cairngorm) to point at the Lowther Hill snow fields.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Wed 14-01-15 18:42; edited 2 times in total
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Poster: A snowHead
