 Poster: A snowHead
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This is as much for me as well as anyone else that may be interested.
Essentially I have been trying to encourage my youngest daughter to go skiing for years since I split with the wife and was always rejected. However this year she asked me and wanted her 14 year old friend to come to. Bad timing as my oldest daughter and I have a two week ski trip to Japan booked in March.
So bit iffy taking a 14 year old away that isn't yours so I thought I would try Scotland. Always been put off but always wanted to go.
Booked skis online at the Nevis Range and found a nice cottage (just arrived) halfway between the Nevis Range and Glencoe ski area. Passed Glencoe on the way about 25 minutes drive and I am told Nevis Range is similar.
Girls live Cornwall so had to pick them up first. Daughter doesn't like the leather seats in my car (makes her car sick apparently) so hired a 2.0 diesel. Driving here from Cornwall took just over 10 hours so I estimate 7 from London. Not always at 70 but a nice clear, dry day and a couple of quick pit stops on the way. Diesel for the journey was amazing at just under £70 so already confident of recovering the hire fee.
Cottage is nice with all mod cons inc big screen TV and wifi (will have to check views in the morning). Got a three bed (5 person) place for £395 including booking fee. To be fair this is better than any equivalent I've found abroad.
Arrived to find a local Co Op with decent normal pricing (another plus) so brought the stuff for a roast chicken. Second thoughts, save it for tomorrow, been a long journey so a meal down the pub in order. Friendly people and good old steak and chips.
So now the gamble of the holiday, the snow and skiing, roll on tomorrow.
Forgot to mention my two ski buddy's are beginners so opting for the first two days at the Nevis range on the discounted but appears quite large area covered by the beginners pass.
Will update tomorrow once we see how it goes.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Snow forecast tonight there. It`s probably going to be quite busy. If you need to hire kit i`d get there very early, online booking has sold out.
There`s also a big morrisons in Fort William if you need more supplies.
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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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@Londonboy50,
Great effort. Well done on the driving. Glencoe to County Durham took us 4.75 hours on Saturday night, so I'm staggered by the time of your trip from Cornwall.
I hope you have a great time skiing. It will be interesting to hear what you think of it up there. Nevis Range and Glencoe are both excellent areas. Glencoe was in great nick on Saturday. Great snow and no lift queues despite the car park being almost full.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Londonboy50, fantastic effort, well done, and I hope the girls enjoy themselves. If you possibly can, book up some lessons for them. Enjoy the chicken tomorrow.
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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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hope you get the weather and conditions after all that effort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the encouragement. Day one at Nevis Range. 45 minute drive but very pretty. Two beginners and me so opted for the beginners pass to get us going £50 for the three of us. As Deedee points out big queue for the ski equipment but being experienced at this I had booked online which was just as well as I saw two families turned away being given little hope for equipment for the week. Apart from the resorts the nearest hire is in Glasgow 105 miles away!! Strange nowhere in Fort William though there is a big Ellis Brigham. After the elongated equipment hire and a free for all on poles (never saw a matching pair) headed for the Gondola (6 man cable car to you in Europe). On to the nursery slopes and get the girls snow ploughing after the tantrums of 'I can't do this'. Patience prevailed and the falls decreased. Late morning drink then back on the slopes but this time the button lift (hate tow ropes). First little slope a bit mushy, this one a bit patchy but easily skied. Girls now top to bottom with minimum falls so I went off for a little ski. Nicely groomed and easy to follow runs felt good. Weather was a real mixed bag of rain, snow, wind and sunshine, it was all going on with the usual 'should have been here last week, sunshine and good snow'. By 4 I was thinking time to go but the girls were still at it. They stayed until the last run which meant a big queue waiting for the Gondola. Into the cafe / bar for a drink to let the queue die. Good little place, simple but not too expensive considering it is on the mountain. All in all a good ski day. Maybe everyone who told me to avoid Scotland wanted to keep it to themselves  Beginners pass is more than enough for beginners.
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So for the eagle eyed I reported Monday on Tuesday. Tell you the truth after Monday I felt I had enjoyed a good day's skiing, if a bit relaxed and getting online wasn't top of the list. It was a good day yesterday but high winds affected today. I knew the Nevis Range was always going to struggle so we set off to Glencoe nice and early (hire skis being in the car already). Glencoe was open but nervous. After a bit of debate with the ticket office we got the discounted beginner passes again although the area here seemed a lot less limited than the Nevis equivalent. Two man chair up then a short trip to a button got us to the top of the beginners area. Nice slope well covered and groomed and essentially nice snow. Easy run free style for the girls to warm up and back to the button lift. Of course the problem now is that evrryone else is coming up and a queue has formed. Moves quickly though and time for the girls to start learning parallel. Definitely windy and some stinging snow on occasion but the girls enjoying the longer cleaner run. 150 minutes of up and down with the girls starting to parallel. Usual 'should have been here last week' comment from the Liftie but a nice ski for the beginners. Time for a late morning drink and head for the cafe. 3 large hot chocolates, three very large sausage rolls and £13 later we are ready to brave the wind again when suddenly the cafe gets a radio call that they are closing the slopes and everyone had to head back to the chair. So half a days skiing. An easy day is always nice but not usually the second day. Refunds not available for the discounted pass but a complimentary half day ticket for others. A nice half day but also a bit disappointing as I have been out in worst weather in Europe. Still fingers crossed for tomorrow.
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 sounds terrific. You are obviously a "natural" at getting them skiing. Having a friend along is always a good idea. Has your daughter asked yet if she can come to Japan?
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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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Snow is going to come back tomorrow. Might be a bit blowy though
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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See Glencoe was open yesterday Londonboy50 - amid challenging weather. Did you manage to get any skiing in?
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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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Looks like we have some experts on UK skiing and you're right. Wednesday - checked the sites and Nevis Range unlikely but Glencoe, always trying, opens up just after 10.30 so we gear up and head up. Half day price available and off we go knowing it might not be for long. One thing that hadn't been pointed out is that the nice beginner slope has suffered, lost some cover and icy. The girls are not impressed but press on for a couple of runs before they decide the loop via the cafe is a better option. The nice thing is that they get a 'safe' bit of speed going from the cafe back to the button. This kind of thing is common place in Europe but seems to be lacking a bit here, where you have to get a bit of speed or end up walking. This kind of thing can be good to get beginners to experience speed and allow gravity to aid them. On doing this run we find a slightly more interesting run the other side of the fence that just needs a little push to get there, then complete the loop past the cafe. Girls are showing eagerness now to explore new slopes and practice their parallel across the slope but still struggling with the turns. Then is tarts raining. One thing I like about skiing is the lack of rain, bugs and homeless beggars, but now we have rain and it is fairly persistent. Quick stop for a Hot chocolate. Still good and back out. The thing about rain is it starts getting everywhere and as we are only using the button my recently purchase Killy's show a fault in design near the crutch. After 3.5 hours skiing Glencoe pull the plug and to be fair I was rather glad for the opportunity to get dry though the girls wanted to go on. Thanks for the ski Glencoe, decidedly better than the indoor ski centres and safed me the consideration of following the advise of mountainaddict of heading East . Am feeling happy that I came and the views are stunning. If Scotland is on your list you need to go, if it isn't then it should be experienced at least once.
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Thursday and it's happened. Glencoe unlikely but Nevis is trying. We check at 08.00 both resorts are putting it off until 10.00. Glencoe no go but Nevis is trying, Gondola open and the Day One tow rope slope is open for ski school. Hmm not looking good and what do you do with two teenage girls in the Highlands in February when it's raining. Glasgow shopping 105 miles away, Ben Nevis Whiskey distillery, local museum. Looks like Fort William High Street might get some reluctant visitors. Just 'discussing' the options when the Tweet comes from Nevis that they have opened up a button to service the beginners area. By this time the girls had changed into normal wear but soon changed and we headed off. Got there and rain in the car park but talk of snow higher. Get the half day pass again (£14 cheaper than Glencoe for the three of us) and up we go, happy to be getting something. Cable car pulls in and there is a big crowd there. They closed it whilst we were on our way up! Liftie says get a tea and maybe with a 'shame you weren't here last week' comment. Having just paid £36 decided on jumping straight back on down in case the tea worked against a refund. Very apologetic ticket man gave us a full refund and then declared that they would be shutting for the day. Must say the cable car was a bit shaky on the way up. So Fort William got it's visitors but not for long as little there for teenage girls. Complimentary choice of board games had us playing Trivial pursuit back at the cottage. Shame really but I have spent non skiing days abroad (look at the BB last Feb) and half terms are non negotiable. If you had the flexibility of choosing a week short notice then this could be great. Tomorrow full of promise of fresh snow and reduced winds with a few snow showers. Fingers crossed and will be up early for a full day on the Full Pass to see how much I can push the girls on the last day.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Londonboy50, absolutely top marks to you and the girls. Hope it's a good one tomorrow. Heard forecasts for snow over 300m today. Can you imagine how much those girls would enjoy the Alps!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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And yes, Fort William in the rain; I remember those days from camping holidays in Scotland.  Trivial Pursuits in the cottage infinitely preferable.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| And yes, Fort William in the rain. |
For several years i never saw Fort William without any rain.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Deedee,  I do love Scotland, but..... I once did a week's sailing and we spent more than half of it holed up in various places sheltering from gales from several different points of the compass and donning full oilies just to go to the loos. And drinking lots of whisky. I very rarely drink whisky anywhere else but in those sort of circumstances in Scotland it always seems exactly right. Still, the OP couldn't ply two 14 year olds with single malts, could he?
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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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Up early. Nevis reporting a full day, albeit maybe slightly wet and windy. Will do us, off we go. Full pass today
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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POWDER!! Yep nearly a foot in places. Happy days for me but the girls are a bit lost. At last a full days skiing, though not everything open, but enough to make it good. Couple of warm up runs then on to a main blue and deep powder. Lovely but a totally new challenge to the girls and all the parallel training goes to pot as they try to find a way to deal with this new challenge. So many falls that it was like Ground Hog day for them and never mind how much direction I was giving they were just interested in getting down. Didn't last long though as the piste basher came out to pack things down. Probably not a bad idea as I've noticed that there are a large number of beginners / improvers. New term for the girls as they are looking quite good to some around. So a nice start to the day then snow blizzards, then a bit of sun (very little) followed by more blizzards and winds blowing the new snow around (piste basher came back out after lunch for a quick lap of the main runs). Queues on the lower lifts but considering it is half term nothing terrible, comment by one skier saying I bet you wish you were in France right now - obviously not spent many half terms in France as queuing there is not uncommon. Quite simply, no I'm not sorry, this is a skiing experience I'm glad I took. OK, we have had two full days and two half days out of five and the weather hasn't been great, the resorts aren't world class or as expansive as the European counterparts but there is something about this place that makes it enjoyable. I didn't come with high hopes I just wanted my daughter to experience the joy and exhilaration of being in the mountains on real snow and this does provide it. The new slopes and varied snow led the girls 'retiring' to a simpler slope for the last 90 minutes giving me a chance to explore some of the more challenging slopes (off piste minimal today). It's quiet. Sure there are people about but nothing resembling the M25 like some French slopes in the afternoon. The snow is lovely, the odd blizzard challenging and runs that allow you to glide along making smooth steady turns at your leisure. Chase up the girls but they are determined that they aren't leaving until the lift shuts so another looping run on clear slopes for me. Not world class but very enjoyable. For dinner, proper fish & chips with a decent pint of local Best. Now you don't get that on the continent. Up early tomorrow to go home all too quickly. A conclusion to this trip when I finally get home is in order because there are many plus's to this trip that should be stated. One is for certain, one day I will be back
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Enjoyed reading yor updates, I live about 1.5 hours from Glencoe bit more for Nevis, but don't go much these days. Used to go most Sundays there was snow, but that was always just me and my pal, so only my own lift pass and shared petrol. Nowadays if we go,it's me hubby and son, so best part of £100 just for passes and diesel, which could be put towards a holiday. It is something to experience though
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| pam w wrote: |
| @Deedee, I do love Scotland, but..... I once did a week's sailing and we spent more than half of it holed up in various places sheltering from gales from several different points of the compass and donning full oilies just to go to the loos. And drinking lots of whisky. I very rarely drink whisky anywhere else but in those sort of circumstances in Scotland it always seems exactly right. Still, the OP couldn't ply two 14 year olds with single malts, could he? |
I come from the Highlands (just) but over towards the East where it`s much drier. Every time i visited the Fort for years it was always raining. Now i spend almost every summer weekend up around the mountains in Lochaber. Hopefully going to move there sometime soon. (Fully decked out in goretex).
I`d say 14 is about the average age to start drinking in the Highlands. Seriously.
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| Quote: |
Arrived to find a local Co Op with decent normal pricing (another plus) so brought the stuff for a roast chicken.
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Sorry but I burst out laughing at this comment. You do know we don't actually live in caves up here (I'm further North but it's still the same) don't you?? LOL. But shhhhhh.....don't tell anyone. Gotta love the Co-op. They have recently been doing some upgrades and now you can buy wine from the fridge....result! Great to hear you have had a good time and enjoyed it.
| Quote: |
Still, the OP couldn't ply two 14 year olds with single malts, could he?
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Erm, yes?? And if you find the right distillery tour it might even be free  .
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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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Darn. Wish I had the advice about whiskey drinking for minors was given before the holiday . I was looking at this holiday as an experience but also as a comparison to the many European trips I've had. Now I'm back I can tally up but first thing I notice is that I am below the budgets I set myself. However now I am back, catching up at work and finalising details for the Japan ski so I will do this in a few of parts. First things first, transportation. You can take the train or fly but will need a car when you are there. There isn't really 'in resort' accommodation (though Glencoe had some funny looking cabins) though you don't really want it as you want the flexibility and experience of visiting more then one resort. Our choices on this trip being the Nevis Range and Glencoe. We drove from Cornwall in a 2.0 litre diesel spent a total of £175 over 1588 miles. It was ten hours there and 11.5 hours back (accident on the M6). This included travelling daily to one of the resorts. We had space for 4 in the car so it would have been £44 return each. Even with budget airlines excluding transfers at both ends, in price Scotland wins. From London this could reduce by £10 per person and about 2.5 hours travelling time. Time wise on an average European trip. 40-60 minutes to an airport to be there 2 hours before check in. 2 Hour flight, 40 minutes getting luggage and find transfer. 2.5 hours transfer to resort (average timings). 9 hours as long as there are no delays. Flying beats Cornwall to Scotland (just) but not London to Scotland. However driving you are in total control of where and when you stop, no boring queues and waiting around eating over priced food. Transportation to resort, in my opinion Scotland wins hands down. Far easier and more relaxing by far. Tomorrow accommodation.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@Londonboy50, have much enjoyed your account of your trip. But don't forget you can drive to the alps too - and it doesn't take that much longer, even from Cornwall.
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After mountainaddict comments it seems limited to push on but lets finish what we started. Accommodation - we ended up with a 3 bedroom chalet sleeping 5 for £350 for the week (direct). Double room with ensuite shower room and toilet, twin bedded room and a single room, all good sizes ( twin had a TV) and family bathroom with shower over. Decent size lounge / diner with patio doors to balcony overlooking village with glimpses of the loch, big screen TV with DVD player and DVD's. Good sized seperate kitchen with everything you need plus a washing machine. Parking for two cars just outside the front door. We were situated 7 miles drive around the loch from the A82 that leads left to Glencoe or right to the Nevis range. Couple of friendly pubs, supermarket all in walking distance and for those interested an indoor climbing centre with an ice wall. The thing is that I have had similar priced accommodation in Europe but not to this standard or space. Generally when you get a place abroad self catering it is an apartment with tiny kitchenette, one bathroom and if you fill it to the advertised max someone is going to be sleeping on the sofa and / or a pull out bed. Comfortable enough for a week but sorry not cmparable to our Scottish experience. Scotland wins this aspect hands down. 2-0 to Scotland on transportation and accommodation. Tomorrow the important bit - skiing.
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You know it makes sense.
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Keep wishing there was a like button on snowheads!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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The bit all snowheads live for - the skiing (or boarding if you're cool enough). This particular trip was to introduce two beginners to the joys of the white stuff so hard to write a full review so let's start with the beginners view. To say I had to drag the girls off the slope would not be an exaggeration. There was no way leaving before the lifts shut seemed to enter their minds and to be fair we had some pretty bad weather at times. Shows how dressing well is important. From a beginner's view, budget wise, Scotland was perfect. A discounted Junior's pass up to the age of 17 (not seen that abroad) and a further discount for a beginners pass (not seen that abroad) meaning an under 17 can ski for the full day for £13.50. Please tell me where else you can get a price like that elsewhere because I have never seen it. This pass gives the beginner access to over 6 varied runs that was ideal for a day of fun for the beginner (adults on the same pass £21 (If I could underline I would)). If you have ever enjoyed yourself on Mount Hemel then you would be beside yourself with this. They were groomed each time we went and on the last day which was snowy the basher came out twice during the day to keep it groomed. This was the Nevis Range. Glencoe was not quite as good, bit more expensive (£15 for the beginner junior) and a smaller area but still nice runs which the girls enjoyed. Scenery was stunning looking at the mountains and down into the valley with the Loch glistening. Not being funny but if this was as far as it went then Scotland wins hands down against Europe and would be running away with a clear score, unfortunately it's not the full story. The lifts are a bit basic meaning buttons are the main stay with the frustration (entertainment) of watching while the beginner boarders fell off time after time. The slopes were beginner friendly and not too steep but also not too wide so it balanced. They were also not too busy(despite being half term) so space was not a problem. So on the last day I 'sneaked' off to try some of the upper slopes. The thing is that I have skied too many European resorts to mention, without squeezing the memory banks, but I am still finding it hard to find a comparison. This isn't worse just different. Once i got up the long button, which did remind me off a few places, I found myself which is best described as looking at a fairly even downhill road of snow without much variation. It was quiet so I thought I'd take the fall line and see where it took me. I soon found myself turning as it had the height and as I tired a little I found the width was not there for a cheeky ease off, so that's it, pure attack as long as I could. Thankfully it doesn't go on for miles so I can get to the bottom exhilarated by the speed I could achieve. Next time up and break right for a slightly different slope, looping nicely towards the bottom so thought I would take it easy and take a relaxed line 'practicing' my pole turns. So that's it, a variety of runs that does not have the length of Europe but still enjoyable. I think if I was with my older daughter it would be a case of a different resort each day to make up the week. For the beginner I really think Scotland is a winner as an introduction to skiing and as an experienced skier if you haven't been you really should. The home of British skiing it must be but for world class skiing with the challenges we enjoy and equipment we have become used to then Europe wins. So for the section let's give them a point each making it 3-1 for Scotland. To conclude tomorrow a bit about overall budgets and being in Scotland.
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Poster: A snowHead
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First of all budgets. When I plan a trip I budget everything except beer money (a totally unknown factor in my opinion and always hard to guesstimate ) In this instance I did better than budgeted. I rented a car but whilst it was a personal factor and did allow for in my budgets that was a separate factor. We paid for the week at the chalet but went on a Sunday to return on the Sunday with the potential of 5 skiing days. Equipment hire (make sure you pre book) was £78 for the girls to have skis and boots for the week and £54 for skis only for me (my skis are quite old now and whilst fun are not 100% suitable when teaching. So travel, accommodation, food (in and out), ski equipment and hire. We ended up with 2 full days and two half days (half days at Glencoe costs the same as a full day on the beginners pass). Calculated out as about £385 per 'child' and about £500 for me. Not as cheap as one would like but cheaper than most and cost effective. The girls tell me that in the same week their school had taken a coach full away to Austria for £900 per child. 34 hours travel there, 4 days skiing and 34 hour travel back (remember they are in St Ives Cornwall). Admittedly I was teaching the girls so no instructors were paid for but when I compare the finances and experience of both holidays I know what I prefer. Surely Scotland has to be the place for first timers based on my experience so why our schools are whisking pupils abroad makes me wonder. Which brings us nicely to Scotland as a destination. Being from London and a regular visitor to Cornwall, Scotland may not sound as glamorous as Austria but it certainly can match up as an experience. The mountains there may be over shadowed by Europe in size but in splendor they have enough beauty to satisfy anyone with a love for this type of landscape. Waterfalls aplenty, harsh looking rock faces, gentle slopes it has it all and on the last night it snowed and covered the whole area in that lovely white stuff. The people were always friendly in every part, the village where we stayed, the mountain staff, the mountain eatery and the pubs we visited. Standing in the queue at the mountain restaurant striking up a conversation to pass the time was not difficult and they all spoke english (admittedly with various accents). The same in any pub we visited, friendly interesting conversations to be had at all. They also have their own money. So yes it is visiting a different country, totally different to my normal life and yet a certain pride that all this is part of me and being British . OK we had some bad weather, you can't choose when half term occurs but I am betting that there are some very sweet days to be had. If you have the flexibility to watch the weather and pick the right time for both snow and sunshine then it is only a car drive away. Every skier should have Scotland as a destination for at least once. We only visited two of the resorts with 3 others to check out. For beginners surely it is a must for the rest of us it should be experienced. For all the people who have told me that it is not worth the effort I think you are trying to keep it to yourselves so it doesn't get crowded Scotland is a winner on many levels. One final post to make to finish this off, which you see at the end of movies, the Bloopers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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@Londonboy50, I wish I'd seen your commentary earlier. So glad you made the most of your trip, and thanks so much for taking the time to report it. 
| Londonboy50 wrote: |
| So on the last day I 'sneaked' off to try some of the upper slopes. The thing is that I have skied too many European resorts to mention, without squeezing the memory banks, but I am still finding it hard to find a comparison. This isn't worse just different. Once i got up the long button, which did remind me off a few places, I found myself which is best described as looking at a fairly even downhill road of snow without much variation. It was quiet so I thought I'd take the fall line and see where it took me. I soon found myself turning as it had the height and as I tired a little I found the width was not there for a cheeky ease off, so that's it, pure attack as long as I could. Thankfully it doesn't go on for miles so I can get to the bottom exhilarated by the speed I could achieve. Next time up and break right for a slightly different slope, looping nicely towards the bottom so thought I would take it easy and take a relaxed line 'practicing' my pole turns. So that's it, a variety of runs that does not have the length of Europe but still enjoyable. |
That long button also serves the back corries at Nevis where all but one of the pix in this photo album were taken.
| Londonboy50 wrote: |
| Not the happiest bunny by time I reached the car park and in future trust my instincts about following others against my better judgement. |
The infamous Glencoe car park runs. It's usually a a matter of skiing them because you can, rather than for pleasure. Although sometimes they can be very good, more often they're as you describe. I had an ego-bruising experience skiing the 'black' run skiers left of the chairlift a few weeks ago (gully and chair would be to the right as you're going down). It had been transformed by rain and a refreeze from the powdery mogul field being reported on winterhighland a couple of days earlier into a narrow slope of concrete meringue tops on top of a shiny glaze all the way to the car park. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Amazing Pictures. Right day to visit
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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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Fall 2 - Chair lift up from the car park then a button. Top of the button is a run down to the mountain hut and other runs. Then there is a run / ski path going from the mountain hut to the bottom of the button lift / back to the top of the chair lift. The girls quite enjoyed this bit because it gave an opportunity to put their skis together a let go a little bit (sadly lacking on some of the other runs). Anyway this path is not just for skiers and a number of 'tourists' take the trip to the top, walk to the hut and do a bit of sledging. So on my trip on the way along the path and in front of me is a man walking with his little girl. Shouldn't be a problem but as I get nearer I notice the path is narrowing by them, still not a problem but slow down anyway, plenty of room on the right. The guy is wandering along without a care in the world so as I get nearer I decide to call out to him. Wrong move. At first no response and I am getting closer but still enough room without any worry so I call out again. Still no response. Is this guy stupid, surely he knows this is a ski run! I am going slower still and am getting very close so call out again. His response, he glances at me, grabs his kid and the JUMPS INTO MY PATH!!!!!! No option but some rocks and scrub, OUCH, feeling happy I have hire skis. Hurt my arm and hand but nothing serious. Without so much as a by and you OK, the walker rushes off to the lift leaving me to pick up the pieces. Lesson learnt, seriously beware of walkers, actually worst than boarders who decide to picnic in the middle of a piste. One more blooper to go.
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@Londonboy50, you deserve a medal
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Thanks red 27, totally agree. I assume you are saying that as I sacrificed my well being over the walkers? Final Blooper and it wasn't a fall. I have very warm hands, compared to some freakishly warm, so whilst I have a few pairs of gloves 95% of the time I wear my fleece gloves (Musto sailing gloves actually). They are comfortable and give you good grip sensation and as I don't fall much they don't get that wet. However, rushed packing, well normal last minute packing as usual, they were the only pair I packed. Glencoe again with a steady rain all afternoon and they were totally soaked through. Not cold but very very uncomfortable. Pay more attention to packing next time, having options is always best.
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All your posts have made for a very entertaining read, Londonboy50. You clearly "get" Scottish skiing - not everyone with experience of Alpine skiing who visited in the sort of conditions you did would be so positive.
I've skied in several of the "big-name" resorts in France and a couple in Austria, all for a week or more at a time, as well as having a few day trips to each of the five Scottish centres. My best days at Glencoe, Nevis and Glenshee (so far) more than hold their own against my best days in the Alps.
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FAQ
. Last winter, we heard a woman squeal as she emerged with an instructor from the funicular station at the top of Cairngorm into the teeth of the gale 
. The instructor's response? "You're nae in Courchevel the noo!" 
. Doesn't look good I'm afraid.See here for more details:
. The run widened slightly but very patchy with all sorts showing through and then the snow run out a good 300 metres or more from the car park with no clear route. There were various people taking various routes so again skis of and pick a route. Boogy, spongy, rocky ground with numerous little streams running through and under the peat like vegetation cover. My nice boots getting covered in dirt! Not the happiest bunny by time I reached the car park and in future trust my instincts about following others against my better judgement. Fall 2 tomorrow as time sensitive today 