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Skiing in Scotland for the first time.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Snowsartre wrote:
Sorry snowHead but nothing on here encourages me to even consider Scotland for a ski trip - which is good news for those that will! Better off doing more trips next season or putting the money wasted (?) towards a trans-atlantic trip!


I started doing some research for a long weekend ski trip to Scotland. I looked up the new Caledonian sleeper train which looked quite promising. However then realised Aviemore is some miles from the nearest skiing so assume you would really need a car. Then looked up reviews of the skiing on Trip Advisor and found a few complaints about the price of sausage rolls in the mountain restaurant Laughing I would love to try skiing in Scotland one day but will probably wait until I am able to go at an off peak time.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
OP
I know it wasn't, but your original post looks a bit like you're trolling. It's so far off the mark it is unreal. You clearly have no idea what it is about. ( Which is fine, BTW)

For example, complaining about the cost of skiing in Scotland is completely missing the key priority factors.

When it's poo-poo in Scotland ( which is a lot of the time) any price is too expensive. When it's good I happily pay over £200 for a day skiing there and consider it money well spent.

It is nothing like skiing in Europe and any comparisons are likely to disappoint.

Don't look at the piste maps, it's pointless. Just because there are greens and blues on the map means nothing at all. They may have snow, they may not. They may be sheet ice or mainly mud with sprigs of heather poking through.

If you can't happily ski groomed alpine reds then you may be limited.

IF you are lucky and do score good conditions at half term, and the above turns out to be wrong, then it will be mobbed beyond belief.

You must organise kit before you go if you value your sanity. Buy Rocces adjustable ski boots for the kids and some cheap skis.


I've skiid perhaps 150 days in Scotland including many of the best days of my life. However nearly all the worst skiing days have been Scotland too, and certainly 90% of the worst DidntSki days were Scotland.

I've always known that booking a week skiing in Scotland in advance is a bad idea. Twice I have let my optimism get the better of me and gone for a week. Both times I managed less than 2 skiing days in the week, and both times we came home early.

Go, but be realistic with your aspirations.
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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?
Scottish skiing can be exceptionally good but we shouldn’t really compare it to an Alpine ski holiday. It just isn’t reliable in the same way.

One very good thing about Scottish skiing though is that it has a comparatively light environmental impact. You don’t have to fly to get there and with the exception of the funicular at Cairngorm, most of the infrastructure will be reversible without permanently changing the mountain environment.
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Snowsartre wrote:
Sorry snowHead but nothing on here encourages me to even consider Scotland for a ski trip - which is good news for those that will!


Great news, as you say. More space up there for those of us who love snowsports! Very Happy
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
TheGeneralist wrote:
For example, complaining about the cost of skiing in Scotland is completely missing the key priority factors.

Have a look at the prices for the Fife Arms Hotel mentioned above, it used to be inexpensive and good value, not now.

Scotland is an expensive place to stay.
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rjs wrote:
TheGeneralist wrote:
For example, complaining about the cost of skiing in Scotland is completely missing the key priority factors.

Have a look at the prices for the Fife Arms Hotel mentioned above, it used to be inexpensive and good value, not now.

Scotland is an expensive place to stay.


Frankly that's a bit of a ridiculous jump from the Fife Arms in Braemar to the conclusion Scotland is an expensive place to stay! The Fife Arms has just undergone what's rumoured to be upwards of a £20million (yes that says 20 million not 2.0) refurbishment which also slashed the number of rooms.

Aside from Christmas and New Year, to a lesser extent Feb half term, it's very much low season in winter so looking around can get some very decent accommodation offers, though that some big hotels haven't reopened may have a knock on effect on price.

Of course planning ahead has even more unknown variables than usual, but an uncontrolled rammy with many miles of tailbacks from full car parks is looking an unlikely scenario. If you consider the number of skier days undertaken by all UK skiers in in recent seasons, and compare to Scotland in a decent season, it doesn't take a maths genius to work out the potential for trouble if things operated normally under current circumstances!

Thus expect the ski areas to only sell tickets online for specific dates with no on-site snowsports ticket sales. Given the potential for Covid restrictions and requirements to change on top of the weather factor, at least a couple of areas are considering only releasing ski tickets a few days to a week in advance.

Scotland remains in phase 3 of a routemap out of full lockdown, the 5 tier system the basis of which announced today sits within that, hence level 0 which is the phase 3 basestate we were in during the second half of summer (after tourism and indoor hospitality reopened on 15th July). As this has to go through the Scottish Parliament, details could change and there is some potential for specifics to change based on how to interpret things, but at all levels outdoor recreation is currently exempt from travel advice limitations and the understanding at this point of time is even under Level 4 lockdown the ski areas will be able to run uplift, but not have lift accessed sightseeing nor offer equipment hire or provide lessons, catering would be limited to takeaway - consider your car to be your daylodge sort of thing. However, in tier 4 serviced accommodation is for essential purposes only, ie no tourism overnight stays but that would only apply if the accommodation itself was in a level 4 health board or council.

A note of caution is that the 5 tiers do not replace the spring phased route map, positive aspect is if we move to phase 4, the 5 tiers would cease to apply and there would be fewer rules than level 0 in phase 3, but we could potentially go back to phase 2 which completely shuts all indoor hospitality and would reintroduce a 5 mile travel limit.

Frankly this season just about anything could happen and you should be prepared for it, planning ahead will be best avoided unless you can only go at holiday times. But even then if you are bringing a car, it is likely you could find reasonably priced accommodation in villages or towns placed to access two or more of the ski areas in reasonable driving range. Oh and if you are either hard enough or have genuine all season gear, camping is free at Glencoe during the ski season! Toofy Grin
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Over the last few years, it's cost the 2 of us about £65 a night (for an ensuite double + cooked breakfast) in January up to £80 in March/April. Don't know about the coming year, obviously: price or availability. Some of that's been private or small guesthouse, mostly larger and sometimes very posh hotels. Always booked within 24 hours.
Lift passes from memory around £30 a day (+/-), snacks and squash on the hill costs little, evening food is McDonalds, chippie or whatever else cheap is going (but could be standard UK pub meal price, I suppose, or self catering if could get that easily, which is often difficult last minute or for a couple of days). That's ex travel costs (car fuel & wear & tear).
So, that's say £70-80 a day all in, ex car costs. £560 equivalent for 7 days, call it £600. Could I do Europe for that? Tour Operator prices: no. DIY and really cheap flights...? With lift pass probably still no. Hard to compare as infrastructure and week-long useable conditions aren't the same.
Point is, Scotland is cheaper if you live reasonably near; but not by a lot, considering what you can well get. Then again, in Europe I've skied in a week's worth of rain, conditions which make a full Cairngorm hoolie look mild and balmy, and visibility which was just as non-existent as last March's abortive visit to Glenshee.
Still, it was easier to say "buggrit" and go home from Scotland...
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@haggishunter, you probably said a lot of sense there, but lost me on the first tier rules explanation? Mind, it'll all change soon enough, many times I don't doubt.
Only thing that worries me is going to the loo on the hill (as it were) - not exactly huge loads of non-queuing facilities at any if the resorts. Interested to see how that's handled: memories of long indoor queues at Coe a week before Lockdown 1...
Also memories of very very overcrowded car parks. That's probably us sleeping in the car /tent (yes, do have Arctic gear if really desperate!) Confused Skullie
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It sounds like the OP might have, understandably, been put off. But for anyone else wondering about a first ski trip to Scotland, here's my tuppence, which generally echoes what others have said:

1. It can be world class, but it can also be truly awful. The most important thing by far is to choose your day and ski area with extreme care with respect to a) snow b) weather and c) queues. These variables can only be estimated a few days before (or less). And this year there's extra uncertainty caused by covid restrictions, of course.

2. Because of point 1., it's not worth booking a Scottish "ski holiday" in advance. If you have to book early, plan a winter holiday (walking, ruined castles, long pub lunches, museums...) with the option of skiing.

3. It's completely different to Alpine skiing, and especially compared with big Alpine resorts. Not necessarily worse - just different. Slow lifts, different culture, different scenery, more varied snow and weather. The differences are what makes it special, so embrace them.

4. Having said that, if you choose your time wisely and also get a big dose of luck, there are occasional parallels with the Alps, which are all the more memorable because they're unexpected.

Some of the best moments that have stuck with me:

- finding absolutely deserted pistes with perfect snow and the full ski area open at Glenshee
- skiing deep, light powder all the way from summit to base at Glencoe, with so much snow that we were tree skiing next to the car park
- coming across perfect, wide corduroy at Nevis Range, with piste bashers continually re-grooming the runs even in the middle of the day
- my first time on brand new lifts at Glencoe and Glenshee, and feeling happy that they are investing in their ski areas
- taking a gamble with weather, and being rewarded with thick fog clearing at 10am to give us a perfect bluebird day at the Lecht
- skiing with good snow cover and in falling snow in mid May at Cairngorm

But even with the benefit of often having midweek days off and living within day trip distance, some of my less good days have included:

- heading to Glenshee to find that the forecast overnight snow had actually been rain, resulting in incredibly sticky snow for the entire day
- being scuppered by unexpected wind at Glencoe. Lifts finally opened at 1pm, serving a single green run
- perfect snow but big queues at Glenshee, meaning a 20-30 minute wait for each (short) run
- queuing for over two hours to collect skis and boots at Cairngorm, and then another long wait for the funicular
- sheet ice over the entire open terrain at Cairngorm (this was by far the least bad on this list - which says something about the other ones!)

Nevertheless, I've had more good days than bad ones in Scotland over the last 8 years or so, and the good days have spanned all 5 of the main ski areas. I have a Scottish travel blog which includes a guide to each of the ski areas, with some photos which shows them in the best light. Might be useful:

Cairngorm: www.sobt.co.uk/2012/12/ski-cairngorm-mountain.html
Glencoe: www.sobt.co.uk/2015/01/ski-glencoe-mountain-resort.html
Glenshee: www.sobt.co.uk/2013/01/ski-glenshee-ski-centre.html
The Lecht: www.sobt.co.uk/2017/12/ski-lecht.html
Nevis Range: www.sobt.co.uk/2015/02/ski-nevis-range.html
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Just to echo the thoughts above, thanks, this is a great thread with so much useful info for those of us even remotely tempted to look into it - that’s me told - I had my suspicions this may be the case but very useful to have any misconceptions shattered all in one place Laughing
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Excellent thread, lots of useful info here. Trying to put together a ski touring trip in Jan, but it feels I need to just wait, deal with it and force myself to be flexible (although I'm thinking I will go mid-week, based on the above)
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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.
Just as an aside on the Fife Arms, its now run by a couple of cashed up art dealers with a Picasso hanging in the dining room and staying there is absurdly expensive. I actually really like the refurb, think its been done well though. A friend of my girlfriend works there and while he's not a fan I also think the green jacket/tartan troos uniform is very smart Very Happy. It's still got a reasonably priced public bar with good ale and whisky collection.

Nothing really to add to whats already been said on Scottish skiing. I've done a couple of weeks in Scotland in February but this was with a bunch of mates and the knowledge that our activities would be winter walking/winter climbing/skiing/sitting in the pub depending on the weather and our mood at the time. Trying and spectacularly failing to make our own pizza crunch on a dreich day is a fond memory...

Beware the button lifts at the Lecht though! I was on one when the button decided to drop off from under me. Ski patrol came over and snootily asked me why I was skiing in the lift area to which he received a few choice words about his bloody lifts!
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 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
Must be a snowy winter expected in Edinburgh Very Happy

Think these came from Courcheval

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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@GreenDay,
Perfect timing, a dry, covered place to enjoy a pint when the rules allow outdoor drinking in Edinburgh one more.
I might look into getting a couple for the garden
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
TheGeneralist wrote:
OP
I know it wasn't, but your original post looks a bit like you're trolling. It's so far off the mark it is unreal. You clearly have no idea what it is about. ( Which is fine, BTW)

For example, complaining about the cost of skiing in Scotland is completely missing the key priority factors.


I'm most definitely not trolling. I had heard talk in the past of being able to ski in Scotland, clearly this was when the person had had a rare excellent day and I hadn't been given the full picture.

We are gutted that it's unlikely we'll be able to go to the Alps in February, and wondered if we could get a trip in in the UK, which being closer, should theoretically be cheaper. So it was somewhat of a shock to find the cost of lift passes and instruction to be significantly more than we have paid in Austria. So I was simply enquiring as to whether there were cheaper places to go in Scotland than Nevis. Subsequent posts then educated me about the reality of skiing in Scotland, so now we've discounted the idea. Surely the point of the forum to to be able to ask these (what you perceive as silly) questions?

It's rather unkind to accuse me of trolling because I'm clueless, I never professed to being an expert on the subject. As others have said, this has turned into a useful thread for many. And now I'm less clueless than I was when I started the thread.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Owlette, maybe you read the same travel “mummy blogger” article as me who had a great half term with her two girls and was raving about the benefits of Scottish skiing over the Alos in normal times Puzzled . I’m really glad you started the thread because you can count on snowheads to give it to you straight... I’m in a similar position to you and I think we are both a lot clearer it’s not an option now!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Skimum1 wrote:
@Owlette, maybe you read the same travel “mummy blogger” article as me who had a great half term with her two girls and was raving about the benefits of Scottish skiing over the Alos in normal times Puzzled . I’m really glad you started the thread because you can count on snowheads to give it to you straight... I’m in a similar position to you and I think we are both a lot clearer it’s not an option now!


Well it depends what you are looking for and whether you are looking for a full on ski holiday*, or a family holiday where some will ski as often as the can and others will either not be skiing or just want a day or two here or there. I've spoken to people who dropped everything to come to Scotland 10 years ago because of the news coverage generated by the severe winter of 2009/10 - and they kept coming back in subsequent years taking the rough with the smooth because it suited them more.

A theme I've heard numerous times was being able to lease a sizeable 4/5 bedroom house with great facilities (even in half term in some cases) for less than a shoebox in the big French resorts they'd frequented, so even if they ended up being weather bound inside for a day or two they didn't get cabin fever! It also suited them based in Strathspey or around Fort William to have a lot more options and things to do for those that didn't ski or didn't want to ski on a given day. The ongoing ****fest that is Cairngorm is well documented in other threads, but Aviemore is still a good option to base oneself if travelling any distance and staying more than 1 or 2 nights - the Lecht and Nevis Range are both in comfortable driving distance too and there's a lot more things to for non/infrequent skiers. If snow conditions are good the funicular situation is fairly irrelevant to most skiers/boarders who are comfortable enough with the surface tows.

Others have suggested, an alternative approach of staying in Perth, depending on your priorities of whether you'd like to be in the city centre for amenities or the Broxden Roundabout or A9 Travelodges for easy access in any direction from which its an hour to Glenshee, and around 2 hours to each of CairnGorm and Glencoe. Or go for a Highland holiday in Inverness, which is around 55minutes to CairnGorm and the easier of the drives on the A9, around 1hr 15mins to the Lecht and somewhere around the hour and half mark to Nevis Range.

* - How far ahead you'd want to book or how at short notice you could go is an important factor. Also keep in mind, while the ski areas are going to be very small if you are used to the big interlinked Alpine resorts, the effect of a maritime climate means there can be a big variation in conditions on different parts of the mountain even through the course of a day, let alone a week. That will sometimes be for better and sometimes for worse, but varying weather plus generally more rugged and natural terrain gives a surprising amount of variety even in a smaller area.
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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?
Grizzler wrote:
Point is, Scotland is cheaper if you live reasonably near; but not by a lot, considering what you can well get.

I made a similar post to my one above to a thread on Scotland a while ago. I have done a fair number of ski races in Scotland and the Alps, I find that I can do a road trip cheaper in the Alps. Was comparing Nevis Range with staying near a mid-sized station in France, looked at self-catering and B&B.

Someone with "haggis" in their username got butthurt back then too.
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Quote:


I'm most definitely not trolling

Yes agreed. As I said in my post, I knew you weren't. I just used it as a way of emphasising how different Scottish skiing is.



Quote:

Surely the point of the forum to to be able to ask these (what you perceive as silly) questions?

Yes, totally agree. Hence why I wrote " which is fine BTW " in my post. Again it was just a tool for emphasising the gap.

It's great that you asked the question now and that loads of people responded. You can now make an informed decision.

And if you do luck out and have a great time then it will be all the sweeter knowing how special that is.

Hope you have a great time.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A rare degree of Snow heads consensus. I lived in Scotland for five years, have skied in the Cairngorms, love Scotland and grew up in wet South Wales. In the rare circumstances that Scotland has good snow cover at half term the queues will be insane. In fact they'll probably be insane even if the snow is crap.
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rjs wrote:
Grizzler wrote:
Point is, Scotland is cheaper if you live reasonably near; but not by a lot, considering what you can well get.

I made a similar post to my one above to a thread on Scotland a while ago. I have done a fair number of ski races in Scotland and the Alps, I find that I can do a road trip cheaper in the Alps. Was comparing Nevis Range with staying near a mid-sized station in France, looked at self-catering and B&B.

Someone with "haggis" in their username got butthurt back then too.


@rjs : Butt-hurt ?
What is actually dumb is comparing Scottish skiing to a weeks chalet holiday in the alps.
However I am always amused when people who live 8-hours drive away need to justify to themselves why Scottish skiing is "not worth it" Very Happy
Truth is the target audience has always been people who live within day-tripable distance.
Scotland is not a destination for skiing (... though it might be for golf, whisky or scenery).

As mentioned above the key is to watch the conditions and then go when the snow & weather align.
If you live in northern half of the UK then a days skiing will basically cost you petrol plus lift-pass - way cheaper than any trip to the alps.
Personally I feel pretty luck to live in Scotland. Had a season pass at Glencoe every winter since 2001.
Between skiing the lifts and touring I usually manage 20-30 days scottish-skiing each year between Jan and May.
Annual holiday to the alps is nice - though covid probably means that wont happen this year ?

re : queues. Cairngorm will be busy at half-term or Easter weekends.
However all the resorts can often be empty too - particularly midweek or once it gets into March / April.

Episode 4 - Every Few Winters - PERTEX Elemental Journeys from Pertex
https://vimeo.com/262811252
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yes it’s the difference between skiing and going on a ski holiday. Living in Scotland can be more like living near the alps, grabbing a few days skiing here and there when you have the time. You don’t have to plan a whole week away from work or lose two Of your weekends. Nothing is more frustrating than being in the Alps and missing out on some really good skiing at home Laughing

Awesome video and it’s all just out there Cool
Great to see the Welsh crowd at it too on their home mountains.


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 25-10-20 8:17; edited 2 times in total
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Peter S wrote:
Yes it’s the difference between going skiing and going on a ski holiday. Living in Scotland accessible to the slopes is more like living near the alps and grabbing a few days skiing here and there when you have the time. You don’t have to plan a whole week Away from work or lose two weekends. Nothing is more frustrating than being away in the Alps and missing some really good skiing back at home Laughing


Exactly : there are little local ski resorts all over Europe outside of the Alps. Germany, southern Norway, Sicily, Slovakia, Massif Central etc.

Fun places to ski if you live within 3hrs drive and the snow is good : However none of them "alpine resorts" you would jump on a plane to spend a weeks vacation...

Interestingly London is pretty much equidistant between Fort Wiliam and Morzine. About 800 miles either direction. Of course living in London the Alps is more reliable option. However if you live in northern part of UK then Scotland much more accessible / cheaper.
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Hmm... it speaks volumes that a lot of Scots go to the Alps for their annual ski-ing holiday...
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stephen buck wrote:
Hmm... it speaks volumes that a lot of Scots go to the Alps for their annual ski-ing holiday...


Not a statement to make in isolation - most on here probably do both.

I would suggest that most Scots on here are half decent skiers who - for a holiday - want a full on week or more of reliable, lift served skiing at an altitude that pretty much guarantees snow..................a bit like almost all the other people on here !

Scotland is not for "a weeks ski holiday" - and anyone who says that is uninformed.

As I said above, most on here go abroad, but probably also use the Scottish areas as and when they can. Me? I used Glencoe and Glenshee extensively over the last few years as well as travelling to the Alps.

I love the fact that I can jump in the car on a sunny tuesday morning and hit half empty slopes an hour and a half later then travel home whenever I feel like it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
stephen buck wrote:
Hmm... it speaks volumes that a lot of Scots go to the Alps for their annual ski-ing holiday...


^ Amusingly snide comment that deliberately misses point Very Happy

For sure : the Alps has some of the best lift accessible skiing on planet - love skiing in places like La Grave, Chamonix or Verbier. However I still never get bored of skiing at home in Scotland

Fwiw : often do take second ski holidays at home in Scotland. Either a week at Easter or several long weekends when conditions are good. Living in Edinburgh means we don't need to plan ahead and can just go north on a Friday evening when snow / weather is good. Get some superb skiing this way and kids love it.

It must suck if you need to get on aeroplane everytime you want to ski : really limits the opportunity. I feel your frustration wink
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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.
......and you get to live in Edinburgh Cool
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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
@stephen buck, your point might just as well say that it is amazing that people in England go to the Alps when they have easy access to snow in Castleford, Hemel, MK etc. As a Welshman (with a Yorkshire accent) who happens to live in Glasgow I ski in Scotland usually Glencoe, indoors at Braehead (when it is open), in the Alps and occasionally further afield. All these experiences are skiing, but they all different and have different costs and risks involved. In the same way as going to an expensive restaurant, going to McDonalds or having a picnic on the top of a big hill are all eating. My attitude to skiing in Scotland is a little different now to when I lived in Yorkshire, when the prospect of skiing in Glencoe involved a little more planning, a little more cost and a higher risk of it not happening by time I got there. It is still frustrating if you check the forecast and conditions, but the lifts are closed by the time you have driven the 90 miles, but not as bad as if I had driven 340 and booked o/n accommodation. As with most things you pays your money and takes your choice. However, to paraphrase Samual Peyps - to be bored with Scottish skiing is to be bored with life - particularly if you have not tried it.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
stephen buck wrote:
Hmm... it speaks volumes that a lot of Scots go to the Alps for their annual ski-ing holiday...


Hmmm - that’s a bit like saying the beaches in the South of England must be crap as lots of the residents go to Spain for their holidays.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Haggis_Trap, nice video. And "I spied with my one little eye, something beginning with Haggis" Happy
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Poster: A snowHead
GlasgowCyclops wrote:
@Haggis_Trap, nice video. And "I spied with my one little eye, something beginning with Haggis" Happy


The guys who filmed it did a great job Very Happy

Nice overview of Scottish skiing - captures what it's all about nicely
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Haggis_Trap wrote:
If you live in Scotland then a days skiing will basically cost you petrol plus lift-pass - way cheaper than any trip to the alps.

FIFY.

I don't think many people from England will want to do a day trip to ski in Scotland. I certainly wouldn't drive 6 hours, ski all day, then drive for 6 hours back home.
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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?
rjs wrote:
Haggis_Trap wrote:
If you live in Scotland then a days skiing will basically cost you petrol plus lift-pass - way cheaper than any trip to the alps.

FIFY.

I don't think many people from England will want to do a day trip to ski in Scotland. I certainly wouldn't drive 6 hours, ski all day, then drive for 6 hours back home.


No one suggested you should Very Happy

However there are some 5 million people in Scotland (plus another 5 million in north of England). All of them well placed for last minute ski weekend to Scotland. I frequently meet people on t-bar at Glencoe who have come from Newcastle, Lancaster (etc). Manchester about limit people come for a longer weekend.

With web cams, modern weather forecasts (mwis) and websites like winterhighland.com it has never been easier to time your trip based on conditions.


Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Sun 25-10-20 12:33; edited 1 time in total
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Rjs, I would happily drive 6hrs for sunshine powder day.....
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Very true. I often ski at Glenshee and Glencoe - but only ever last minute, if conditions are really good. I go up the night before, stay at a pub, then ski for a day (sometimes two). Normally just a bit more than three hours each way. If I leave home after work I'm up there for supper. I check the detailed mountain forecast and never travel at a weekend. (By the way, Yorkshire alone has a population of 5.3 million).
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@Haggis_Trap, Your argument was that the cost of staying overnight in Scotland doesn't matter because people can just do day trips. Most of the 5 million people in the North of England are outside the range that is reasonable to do this.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Never skied at Glencoe or Nevis, planning to hit them this season...
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
There is a huge variety of accommodation options if anyone plans for coming for more than one day, Glencoe have huts at the bottom of the chair for £50 per night, sleep up to 4, basic but with heat and power and communal showers.
There are also plenty of hostels, travel lodges, premier inns etc within a close (ish) drive to most of the areas.
Glasgow, Perth, Dundee, Inverness or Aberdeen are all also perfectly feasible as a base with other non skiing options a plenty(covid permitting!)

This thread has covered the ups and downs of Scottish skiing perfectly in my view.
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Owlette wrote:

Just been down a Finland/Sweden wormhole. Scotland is looking very reasonable in comparison! Shocked


I don’t know about flights for school holidays, but otherwise Sweden is pretty good value usually, especially if you can avoid peak weeks (including week 9 which is Stockholm region winter break). Check Skistar website for the main resorts.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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For those with a motorhome/campervan £10/night on the bowling club carpark Tomintoul, this includes electric hook-up!!!!
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