 Poster: A snowHead
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Potentially I'll be in Glasgow visiting family for the best part of a week in mid-February. Obviously I know conditions could change a lot until then but the good time they seem to be having up there has got me thinking about squeezing in a cheeky day or two of skiing. Will have probably have a car while I'm there.
Where would you recommend and why?
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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Tirol, Nearest is Glen Coe about one and a half hours drive, after that you have Nevis Range just after Fort William. All depends on snow conditions, these two are the nearest. Cairn Gorm and Glenshee are a good bit further away.
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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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Glencoe is the closest to Glasgow at around 80miles drive
Use this website to keep upto date with the weather and conditions http://ski.visitscotland.com/
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given more or less comparable snow conditions which is considered to better Glencoe or Nevis Range? Don't mind driving a little further to Nevis Range if it's worth it.
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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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Nevis seems to be a bit better at the moment but they're both good from what I hear.
To be honest the Ski-Scotland website is a bit of a waste of time, to get a real picture of what's going on and to ask questions and chat the best places by far are Winterhighland and Highland Instinct - you should find expert advice there as well as up-to-date pictures and reports from the slopes.
Enjoy 
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Glasgow has an airport doen't it? I think they do flights there to all sorts of alpine desitnatons. Slip away while eveyone.s shopping, fly to, say, Salzburg, jump in a cab to Saalbach or Zell, ski all day, get out on the lash, up early the follownig morning and back to the airport for the flight home. If you're lucky nobody will even notice you've been missing for 36 hours!! I learned to ski at cairngorm 20 years ago and made a vow.... never again
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^ I appreciate it takes dedication and a true love of the mountains (not just in sunny weather, on overdeveloped pistes and with little effort needed from the skiier) but Scotland can be marvellous thanks very much.
Why not take your cold water over to Saltzburg and pour it somewhere there - might even turn into snow if you throw it up in the air - have they got any yet? 
P.S. Glasgow being one of the larger cities in the UK does indeed have an airport - top marks for general knowledge too!
Tirol, I'd suggest you ignore people like this and make up your own mind.
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brian
brian
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| Sage wrote: |
Nearest is Glen Coe about one and a half hours drive, after that you have Nevis Range just after Fort William. All depends on snow conditions, these two are the nearest. Cairn Gorm and Glenshee are a good bit further away.
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Actually you could do Glasgow to Glenshee a good bit quicker than Nevis I would've thought. Cairngorm might well be quicker as well, the A9 is pretty quick (if not very safe) whereas there is serious risk of getting stuck behind soemthing sloooooow on the A82.
If you go at a reasonable pace I would say from Glasgow:
Glencoe - 1 hr 30
Glenshee - 2 hrs
Nevis & Cairngorm 2 hr 30
Given ideal conditions, all 4 have some brilliant skiing. At the moment Nevis or Glencoe would be your best bet but that could easily change in a couple of weeks.
I'd wait until a couple of days before, the weather can be vastly different between say Glencoe and Glenshee even though they're probably less than 100 miles apart.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Tirol,
I wil try some advice . These are all my own opinions, but I started skiing in scotland in 1979:
Lecht : nice, compact, beginners area, has had great snow record, high, and pain to get to from glasgow.
Glehshee: probably th elargest skiable area, spread over 3 valleys, so plenty of space to ski , several good cafes, lifts are looking dated now - the tiger chair ( if it is still there has been going since 1960's). Good skiing on tiger and cairn oasda side, but no huge challenges. Still a pain from glasgow.
Cairgorm: Newish funicular has made getting uphill nicer. Ptarmigain restaurant is good. large skiiable area if cover is good, but the west wall lifts don't run any more and if there is full cover that was the best skiing. Having said that the white lady run when it gets good moguls is an excellent run, and a good place to show of you skills . About 2:15 from glasgow.
Glencoe: The closest to glasgow. When snow cover is very good you can ski a lot of lines down most of a very large mountain. With lesser snow cover still lots of interest and challenges. The wildest feel of all the places in scotland. On hill facilities limted compared to others, and old lifts. Piste marking "restrained". For me on a good day glencoe is just a stunning , unrestricted place to ski , but you need some mountain sense. 1:40 mins from glasgow.
Nevis: Newest . High, large area with good facilities ( nice restaurant). Skiing the back corries is fabulous. Even if "pisted" finding a nice entry over the cornice lip is always good. Similar to glencoe in that if cover is good you can ski the whole hillside.
Skiing in scotland is different the weather is less important ( except for wind speed) there is a spirit of goodwill pervading. The queues are places to chat. And when it is good it is very , very good. Hope you get a good weather window! Enjoy!
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Given that a a snowboarder I hate drag lifts, my choice in the past has been Cairgorms. I could get the funicular up and board down the M1 run back to the bottom.
I am considering travelling to one of the areas this Sunday, but wondered if any other boarders have any thoughts on which is the most snowboard friendly resort?
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brian
brian
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| stevepick wrote: |
the tiger chair ( if it is still there has been going since 1960's).
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Yep, you even get the delights of a safety bar nowadays! The tiger tow doesn't run any more though, seemingly for health and safety reasons because of the steepness of the uptrack 
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but the west wall lifts don't run any more and if there is full cover that was the best skiing. |
West wall poma still runs so you can ski all of the west wall and nearly all of the ciste gulley. East wall can leave you a bit low and needing a wee walk now though. Sadly the Aonach poma is history so you can only ski the top part of the Aonach bowl.
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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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roga, Oh relax pal... no offence intended and all very tongue in cheek... But, on a serious note, I did learn to ski in Scotland 20 years ago. Was there for 2 weeks and of the 14 days managed 8 days actual skiing on ice and slush in cold weather. The lifts were closed for the other 6 days due to high winds, and we went home early on 2 of the 8 days cos it was goddamned freezing... my mates 7 yr old daughter was blown UP a blue run... the "mountain retaurants" were atrocious, and I use the term mountain retaurants very loosely. The was little or no "resort atmosphere" in Aviemore, the slopes were a 15-20 minute drive from our cottage in Grantown on Spey to which it took me just about as long to drive to from Nottingham as it does to get to a large number of Alpine Resorts. Also, I'm fully aware that Glasgow has a very nice airport having used it many times on business.
As for "sunny weather, over developed pistes and little effort required from the skier" in Europe.... try the top of La Grave or the Valluga in minus 35 degrees, or a whiteout on the Col du Gentiane. In fact, put your hand on your heart and tell me that any of these descents require "little effort from the skier". Anyone who's been skiing in Europe will know that the weather can range from "summeresque" to "Arctic", that resorts are busier in school holidays, and that some years are better for snow than others. Anyone who's skied at all will know that there are demanding descents in every resort for every grade of skier, and most people who've skied Scotland AND various Alpine Resorts in Europe will probably appreciate that, whilst it may have a certain appeal in terms of it's location for people who live within a couple of hours drive, it really can't compare to European Resorts in any department - resort ambience, extent of terrain, quality of snow, lift network, resort ambience, apres ski, variety of accommodation etc etc etc.
If Scotland is "your bag" Rog, then good luck to you, and you're welcome to it mate. Personally, and it is only my opinion, I think Europe has so much more to offer and is a much more pleasurable experience for a "holiday", which is after all why i go skiing. Fine for a weekend or day trip if you're local or happen to be in the area (like Tirol), but for me it doesn't appeal for a week or more's holiday, in fact it doesn't appeal at all.... ever.....
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Scotland AND various Alpine Resorts in Europe will probably appreciate that, whilst it may have a certain appeal in terms of it's location for people who live within a couple of hours drive, it really can't compare to European Resorts in any department - resort ambience, extent of terrain, quality of snow, lift network, resort ambience, apres ski, variety of accommodation etc etc etc.
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Quite possibly true, although this thread is not about Scotland V's Europe, it was Tirol asking which Scottish resorts were best because he had the opportunity to go to one. Skiing in Scotland is better than no skiing at all.
I've had some great skiing in Scotland and some very poor, it's just you luck.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've never skiied in Scotland (other than a bit of cross country in the Cheviots years ago) and am considering a trip lin ate Feb after I have been to Serre Chevalier. I have been looking at the piste maps. Am I right in thinking there are a fair number of T bar lifts? I haven't used a T bar for many years - the last time being a school ski trip to St Michael in Austria and I never got on with them very well then. Is it possible to avoid them? I'd hate to make a complete fool of myself all weekend if I can help it.
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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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| SnowGod wrote: |
| roga, Oh relax pal... no offence intended and all very tongue in cheek... |
I'm sure my tongue was in my cheek as much as yours was.
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| But, on a serious note, I did learn to ski in Scotland 20 years ago. Was there for 2 weeks and of the 14 days managed 8 days actual skiing on ice and slush in cold weather. The lifts were closed for the other 6 days due to high winds, and we went home early on 2 of the 8 days cos it was goddamned freezing... my mates 7 yr old daughter was blown UP a blue run... the "mountain retaurants" were atrocious, and I use the term mountain retaurants very loosely. The was little or no "resort atmosphere" in Aviemore, the slopes were a 15-20 minute drive from our cottage in Grantown on Spey to which it took me just about as long to drive to from Nottingham as it does to get to a large number of Alpine Resorts. |
Indeed, so you made a bad call in booking your accomodation (anyone knows Grantown is miles away especially if they look at a map ), you were unlucky and got bad weather which happens everywhere (although it's true to say Scotland has more than it's fair share of mist and high winds at some times of the year) and you obviously didn't do you homework about where to go in Aviemore and missed the Winking Owl and other well known venues.
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| Also, I'm fully aware that Glasgow has a very nice airport having used it many times on business. |
Indeed.
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| As for "sunny weather, over developed pistes and little effort required from the skier" in Europe.... try the top of La Grave or the Valluga in minus 35 degrees, or a whiteout on the Col du Gentiane. In fact, put your hand on your heart and tell me that any of these descents require "little effort from the skier". Anyone who's been skiing in Europe will know that the weather can range from "summeresque" to "Arctic", that resorts are busier in school holidays, and that some years are better for snow than others. Anyone who's skied at all will know that there are demanding descents in every resort for every grade of skier, and most people who've skied Scotland AND various Alpine Resorts in Europe will probably appreciate that, whilst it may have a certain appeal in terms of it's location for people who live within a couple of hours drive, it really can't compare to European Resorts in any department - resort ambience, extent of terrain, quality of snow, lift network, resort ambience, apres ski, variety of accommodation etc etc etc. |
Now I think you really need to relax - you'll burst a blood vessel going on like that!
You seem to think this is some sort of Scotland v Europe thread and have tried to make it into one - it's not and you're frankly behaving like a stroppy kid and not offering any useful advice on the subject of the thread at all.
Yeah, anyone and everyone knows that Europe has fantastic places to ski but seeing as you now seem to be saying the weather can be almost as fickle as you say it is in Scotland and just as hard/remote then I really don't see what your point is apart from trying to score off-topic points.
Anyone IMHO judging all resorts in a country on the basis of the brief experience of a beginner (as you apparently were then) 20 years ago really deserves to be ignored. You had a bad experience two decades ago in bad weather on Cairngorm, how exactly does that equate to Nevis or Glencoe in the next couple of weeks?
FYI, I learnt to ski in Scotland more (much more!) than 20 years ago, I lived near Aviemore, and I can say hand on heart you can get days like you describe but you can also get fantastic conditions and stunning skiing, it varies from day to day and from resort to resort. Here, as you may have missed, we're discussing the west coast resorts, Glancoe and Nevis range nowadays not Cairngorm in the east 20 years ago!
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| If Scotland is "your bag" Rog, then good luck to you, and you're welcome to it mate. Personally, and it is only my opinion, I think Europe has so much more to offer and is a much more pleasurable experience for a "holiday", which is after all why i go skiing. Fine for a weekend or day trip if you're local or happen to be in the area (like Tirol), but for me it doesn't appeal for a week or more's holiday, in fact it doesn't appeal at all.... ever..... |
Yawn, I rather think you've made that blatantly obvious and I'm sure no tears will be shed by skiiers in Scotland at your absence - if you want to keep the blinkers on and diss anything you don't like because you had one bad holiday decades ago go ahead but you really don't have to try and convert everyone to your rather unbalanced POV, particularly when it's plainly off topic!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Soozy, T-bars feature pretty heavily in Scotland and there's no getting away from that! Glenshee is probably the least T-barred (Can't say about the Lecht - never been) of them all, excepting the Carn Aosda T-bar.
Come on, you're a grown-up - you can handle it!! 
If you're a bit shaky about it, just tell the liftie and he'll slow it down for you as you get on, and/or put you on with someone who's a bit more experienced. Contrary to popular belief, it's easier to go up a t-bar in pairs than it is alone, as the bar isn't continually trying to escape from the clutches of your backside.
Just get on, relax, and let it pull you along. If you try to lean forwards it will unseat you, so lean back into it, and let the lift do the work.
Piece of cake!
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brian
brian
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Soozy,
Nevis - yes, you'd be pretty stuck without being able to use warrens or the goose t-bars.
However ....
Glenshee - Sunnyside is all pomas, Cairnwell side has 3 t-bars but you can get at most of the skiing from poma or chair
Glencoe - 2 t-bars but if the top button and cliffhanger chair are on you'd be fine without them.
Cairngorm - all the good skiing can be got at from funicular and M1 and west wall pomas
Lecht - all pomas plus 1 chair
... so don't let it put you off !
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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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brian, quite so. I think I may have over-egged the pudding a bit. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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roga,
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You seem to think this is some sort of Scotland v Europe thread and have tried to make it into one - it's not and you're frankly behaving like a stroppy kid and not offering any useful advice on the subject of the thread at all.
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Nope... not at all Rog me old mucker... I simply dropped in a light hearted comment and you took it upon yourself to appear mortally offended and subsequently set off on some sort of crusade to defend Scottish ski resorts to the hilt from down there in the good old west country. I wasn't even going to dignify your OTT response with a reply, as my post was merely a little joke (a wasted one at that it now appears!) but in the end I just couldn't help myself , instantly recognising the fun I might have with such an apparent zealot!!! So it proved, with the insults flowing like fine wine....
I'm most certainly not trying to convert anyone to anything... I'll leave that to you tiger... careful though, 'cos if you're successful in converting the masses from the Alps and Rockies to Scotland, then you'll have a big queue for that T Bar on Cairngorm before you know it, then you may find yourself freezing half to death in the queue (Before I get a letter from you lawyers, that too was a joke...)
I'd add, for what it's worth, that my opinion is not just based on my own experience. I'm actually open minded enough to take lots of other peoples opinions on board and have done just that over many years with regard to Scottish ski resorts, so no blinkers on there sweetie. Like I said before, in my opinion, (to which I am entitled), Scotland's fine for locals or if you happen to be in the area, and I've got nothing against the place. If your opinion is different then that's good rog, and please accept my heart felt congratulations for having one. Anyway, must dash... I'm off to preach about the merits of skiing in Salzburgerland to a delegation of Air Conditioning Salesmen over on a conference from Ohio. Ciao.
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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.
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roga, Your ramblings absolutely confound me....  Have a little flick back through your own posts Rog ... pot, kettle, black and all that... you haven't actually mentioned a single solitary thing to do with tirols thread in your god knows how many lines of text, and yet you go on and on about telling me to stop posting stuff not relevant to the thread!!! Now in my book, that nothing short of total hypocracy... Maybe it's time to climb down off that giant soap box, stop telling other people what they can and can't do and book some "humour" classes. It was a joke Rog... that's J...O...K...E.... Look it up....noun.... "a statement made or short story told in order to cause amusement". Bored now.... going out to fly me whippets... You can have the last word...Mwah...
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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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The Lecht features as one of my 5 all time fave places to ski
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That's the only resort in Scotland where I have never skied - it always seemed too far away.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for the info on the lifts. In the past, getting on wasn't a problem. It was generally falling off about 3/4 of the way up and then having to climb over big mounds of snow. I guess I'll have to be "grown up" and face my fears. Also excuse my ignorance - are pomas button lifts?
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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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Snowgod quote:
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..entitled to have a bit of a laugh as long as it's not at the expense of others
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| Glasgow has an airport doen't it? |
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| I learned to ski at cairngorm 20 years ago and made a vow.... never again |
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| Scotland's fine for locals.. |
Snowgod you come across as taking the Mick out of Scotland, whether intentional, or not. You can't write Scotland off after only one trip to one resort 20 years ago.
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Oh my god... not you as well.... please please please please understand..... IT WAS A LIGHT HEARTED COMMENT... nothing more, nothing less. I perosnally have no desire to ski in Scotland again. This view, which I'm entitled to, is based on my own experience (and yes... it was 20 years ago... but so what, it was MY experience) and conversations with many other people I know who have skied there at various resorts at various times of year. I'm not saying that nobody else should go.... That's their choice. I'm not taking the mick out of Scotland. I do believe that due to the highly changable nature of the weather it is a lot easier for people who live a couple of hours drve away to ensure they go when conditions are at their best, hence the "fine for locals etc " comment. This is a view held by many and in fact published by people far more knowledgable on the subject than myself, through their own personal experiences and those of others. If I want to "wrtie off Scotland" as a prospective destination for me, then that's my right. I simply prefer The Alps, just the same as one might prefer peas to carrots after only one taste of both.... I feel that some of you are chosing to take my comments out of context and ignore the fact that I've said now on numerous ocasions that mt first post was a "light hearted comment" and a "joke". If you like skiing Scotland then great.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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SnowGod, OK fair enough.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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easiski, my first ever steps on snow were at Lecht - I loved the place. Stayed in Tomintoul.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Soozy, you'll manage I'm sure
Poma are a French lift company and make everything from rope tows to cable cars, but for some reason the Scots refer to single seat button lifts as poma's. As a rule, they're made by Poma (or Poma's great-grandad - they're old and smelly enough, indeed the one on Meall Odhar at Glenshee actually burst into flames while I was on it last year, which was exciting), and I suppose its marginally better than "button lift", inasmuch as it doesn't take so long to read for the Polish chaps who operate them.
Before I get flayed alived, I'll just say that I love Scottish skiing like I love Shrewsbury Town FC. Depressingly mediocre for 95% of the time, but then one day you beat Everton in the third round of the cup, and its the best place on the planet.
A good day in Scotland ranks with the best of them, not least because you really, really want it to. When Glencoe delivers with fresh powder and blue skies, and you're stood on the top of the main basin looking out over Rannoch Moor, you realise you've just wet your pants with joy.
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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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| easiski wrote: |
| It is a fair step from glasgow! I just love the complete heath robinson-ness of the place. The lack of infrastructure, the dinky cafe .... short lifts, not a lot of pistes, it's true, but shedloads of character. Not as stunning views as Glen coe though, not wide pistes and big back bowls like Nevis, not steep couloirs like Cairngorm (never skied Glenshee) - but kind of cute and cuddly! |
LOL, I like your description and kinda recognise what you mean, it's a funny little place.
SnowGod, light hearted or not there's a few people now who've said they didn't find it funny - perhaps you'll just have to acept the 'joke' backfired. BTW, I have a fine sense of humour thanks, I just dislike innapropriate and insensitive remarks which was what I read in your post - I think easiski's description of your post as "invective" was well chosen.
For the record I think easiski and myself are agreed (judging from our posts on another thread) that Scotland is perhaps not the best place for beginners. To be honest I think paulmck's description of Scotland above is pretty damned accurate - you either love it or hate it and often you can love it and hate it at the same time. I'm bloody minded enough to be rather fond of it but it dosn't blind me to it's inadequacies, however when I'm in Europe there are aspects of Scottish sking I miss dreadfully (and it's certainly not the weather!). The friendliness of the locals just can't be beaten (well perhaps the USA or Canada can compete but I'm not sure about that... will have a better idea in a couple of weeks time though.. ). When I'm in the Alps I really miss that aspect of Scottish skiing, getting in a lift queue in France for example seems rather more like being on the tube in London - urgh! There's a unique atmosphere and a unique mix of activities that only Scotland can provide as well as a wilderness to the slopes and terrain that I find exhilerating, although I am aware there are wild places in Europe too, but the Alps overall is so overdeveloped it's silly whereas Scotland has a remoteness that's very, very different and perhaps only comparable to Scandinavia - it's not for nothing that the highlands are one of the last great 'wildernesses' in Europe. However, it's not for everyone but most people who don't particularly like it for skiing are, in my experience, more than willing to admit its positives too.
Anyway, it's somewhere IMHO that everyone in the UK who skis should try at least once or twice, preferably once they're past beginner stage, you're not a 'real' skiier until you've skied Scotland if you ask me 
paulmck, thanks for the point about Poma, I'm one of those poeple who grew up calling button lifts Pomas and I can't kick the habit, now I know I'm wrong... but I still prefer to call 'em Pomas
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| roga wrote: |
For the record I think easiski and myself are agreed (judging from our posts on another thread) that Scotland is perhaps not the best place for beginners. To be honest I think paulmck's description of Scotland above is pretty damned accurate - you either love it or hate it and often you can love it and hate it at the same time. |
Roga
I don't agree about learning to ski in scotland. Most of my skiing friends learnt up here. The Lecht is in many ways a perfect place to start skiing. gentle , small slopes, easy lifts to handle and lifties who seem to pick up on peoples ability to handle the tow. Cairngorm has beginers runs at the top of the hill - but that's a step from the funicular top station so access is easy for starter skiing. This is not a macho thing ( my wife, several ex girlfriends, and female friends all learned to ski in scotland) but skiing in scotland develops your skiing in a way that is very beneficial to your general skiing ability, firstly weaather is not such a deterent - one of the best days I had skiing in courchevel was when the resort was closed by wind. We ( scottish skiers one and all) merily took the ski bus from le praz 1350 up to courchevel 1850 alll day and skied the jockeys black run - which we had to ourselves, and since it is tree lined was completely unaffected by the weather. Many people find conditions other than nicely groomed slopes something to be avoided - you often don't have a choice in Scotland so a ski the mountan ethic pervades and people ski the snow wether it is boiler plate ice, corduroy,slush or sugar it means you handle different snow conditions sooner and I think develop better for it. General mountain skills also develop - skiing in low vis really doesn't bother me ,I learnt mountain sense ( ie where to go and how to stay on a run) at an early age in glenshee, and skiing by feel is better learnt earlier than later in your ski career. I feel the upshot is that if you learn't to ski in Scotland you will almost invariably get more out of your skiing anywhere else in the world. And yes it is a very friendly place to ski.
Steve
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brian
brian
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brian
brian
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paulmck, I've always called the tows with the long metal bars that detach from the cable and go in a stack, pomas (see pic below), and other button lifts with a short bar that stay fixed on the cable, buttons.
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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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stevepick, I think all of your points are really good - I learnt in Scotland too BTW.
I guess what I should say is that I have some hesitation recomending it unreservedly for beginners, particularly kids, but even that is a dreadful generalisation. As you say The Lecht is an excellent place to learn, and given I'm kinda generalising on the basis of my widest experience being on Cairngorm I really should say Caingorm isn't IMHO necessarily the best place for beginners but it can be fine.
My fault for not being as clear as I should have been and falling into the trap of overgeneralising.
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