 Poster: A snowHead
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Me and a few chums are off to Scotland for a week, next week and while it's not specifically a skiing holiday, with the reasonable snow they've got at the moment, we thought it would be a shame not to get in a couple of days on the slopes.
the thing is, none of us have skied in Scotland before and so we've no idea which area to go to. we're staying by Loch Tay so we're going to be pretty good and central and not too far away from any of the main resorts.
does anyone have any ideas as to which is the best? we're all pretty decent skiers, if that helps.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think that Glenshee will be your nearest spot. Conditions there look excellent. Good luck. Unless the catering has improved a lot since I was there (it may have done, it was in 1977), take a pic nic. If you see a curried bridie in the 'hot cabinet', avoid it; it was there 31 years ago.
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brian
brian
Guest
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teetree, if the weather pans out as currently forecast then it'll be mild, wet and horrible over the coming weekend but then there should be some nice settled weather potentially right through next week and hopefully some good spring-like skiing to be had.
I'd make Glencoe and Nevis your priority as the deep snow in the gullies there should last the thaw fairly comfortably. Back corries at Nevis might actually be pretty awesome. Glencoe has some really fun terrain as well. Both have jaw dropping scenery.
Don't bother with the Lecht, too far and not worth it. Cairngorm will be the busiest. Glenshee might be worth it if Glas Maol and the Tiger are still skiable but I'd check next week as how much snow loss there'll be is difficult to predict.
Best place for up to date info is www.winterhighland.com
Have fun 
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brian
brian
Guest
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richmond, depends which end of Loch Tay. I think Glencoe would be nearer the Killin end, Glenshee for the Kenmore end ?
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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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brian, you're probably right.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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we're in the middle, in a cottage in Ardeonaig. so neither end really....
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teetree, if you're in the middle of Loch Tay, you might want to think water skiing, or perhaps skating.
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Sorry to hijack this but I'm off to Stirling for work next week and am trying to wangle a free day. I thought I might get to Glenshee, ski and get back in a day. Will this be feasible?
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brian
brian
Guest
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halfhand, eminently feasible. You could do any of the 5 centres from Stirling in a day, although the Lecht is the furthest and not really worth the trek. Glenshee is approx an hour and a half from Stirling, less if you're lucky with the traffic. Glencoe would be about the same via Callendar and Crianlarich (lovely drive). Cairngorm or Nevis about 2 to 2 and a half hours. I've done all these 4 from Edinburgh as day trips many times.
As I said above, keep checking winterhighland for the latest on weather and conditions. I think Glenshee may be a bit sketchy for cover by the middle of next week.
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Next week is 1/2 term in Scotland so it might be busier than expected. On the plus side rain in Glasgow puts folk off going anywhere & as it's a holiday Glencoe might open midweek (they are usually shut Tues & Weds, so that the staff can go & check out the other resorts on their days off). With the forecast of rising temps & rain over the weekend, Glencoe might well be best - the mountain holds snow by the metre and has great skiing. The uplift is slow but the scenery is magnificent. But if the Back Corries at Nevis are open then suddenly it's probably the best area (currently shut due to avalance risk). Alternatively, it may rain heavily out west but Glenshee get hardly affected & the links out to Glas Maol remain; in which case its better uplift & closeness might swing it. I haven't been to Cairngorm recently but have skied everywhere else this year. I think the Ciste side would have to be open fully to tempt me up there. If you're interested in catering: Glenshee & Nevis cafes are OK/good, Glencoe is atrocious - take some soup - and check if it's possible to ski to the carpark or not before deciding whether to take it in a rucsack. Find us all at winterhighland for further info.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Googled scottish 1/2 term dates - only Edinburgh & environs are on hol for the whole week, Dundee & Angus seem to get a long w/e which includes tues in some areas. Glasgow & Aberdeen are off later. More good news is that the Nevis webcams look pretty horrible now but cairngorm isn't to bad & the Lecht looks bright & busy. Glenshee doesn't have a webcam. Alan says the sun is out in Inverness & Perth looks bright enough (traffic webcams are all over scotland). Glenshee claim light snow but I think that needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Some reports will come in over the week in public reports on WH & it's likely that most areas will see someone post a public report over the w/e. Even better with settled weather forecast for next week, the situation on monday is likely to be repeated all week. Suggest you note all the areas phone nos before you go & check how things are on the web as late as possible (asume no internet at cottage), check weather forecasts especially for wind (Glenshee will cope better than Glencoe in any sort of westerly) & phone before you go (night before & when leaving). If there's snow Cairngorm might have more tows as apparently the WWP is broken due to storm damage not lack of snow. Probably be spring snow conditions everywhere so nice first thing, turning slushy mid-afternoon.
PS that road on the south side of Loch Tay is narrow & slow. At least with this weather it's unlikely the roads to Glenshee & Cairngorm will shut.
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