 Poster: A snowHead
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Inspired by certain other threads, is it possible to have a weekends skiing without time of work from a 9-5 Monday to Friday job? Look North where the forecast has consistently been for light winds for the weekend. If you fancy something more adventerous, Glenmore Lodge have a few spaces left for their Backcountry Ski weekend course this coming weekend on CairnGorm.
This was priced from Northampton on the basis of the location of the original poster in the £300 for a weekend thread. Similar prices would apply to/from London Eustion.
Travel on the ScotRail Caledonian Sleeper overnight Friday and returning overnight Sunday into Monday means many can do this without time off work, the ScotRail Sleeper picks up at London Euston, Watford Junction, Crewe and Preston on it's journey North with a service to Aviemore (for CairnGorm), Fort William (Nevis Range) and courtesy of a fantastic offer from the Crianlarich Hotel, Crianlarich for Glencoe.
An off-peak return on the Seated Sleeper (and in the case of Northhampton) connecting services is £112 to Aviemore and £107 to Crianlarich. You can upgrade to a sleeper berth for £38 either direction or £54 for sole occupancy of a twin cabin.
Travelling on the Sleeper means only one night of accommodation is required. The Crianlarich Hotel is doing a 'skiers special' for just £25 for a single room and £40 for a twin/double including breakfast and transfer to/from Glencoe Ski Area. The west does look like having the brightest overhead through the weekend, but the East has the best snow cover.
Aviemore, a possible accommodation option is the Aviemore Inn which is offering a Twin for £68.
Lift tickets are £30 for Glencoe and CairnGorm.
So for Glencoe staying at the Crianlarich Hotel:
Train: £107
Hotel: £25
Lift Pass: £60
Total: £192
A tip for lunches on CairnGorm Mountain, they'll give kids portions to adults in the Ptarmigan Restaurant and it's more than enough munch when skiing straight after, so you can have a proper meal for under £4! What would €4 get you in France these days!!
Some links:
http://www.crianlarich-hotel.co.uk/index.php
http://www.scotrail.co.uk
http://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk
http://www.glencoemountain.co.uk
The return sleeper arrives in London Euston at 7.47am Monday, you can arrive an hour earlier by taking a daytime ScotRail train from Aviemore to Edinburgh and using the lowland sleeper from Edinburgh to London.
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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 often think that you can get to France in the same time you can get to Scotland from the South though?! THough some may say that the snow is currently better in Scotland than in France!!
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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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| liz09 wrote: |
| I often think that you can get to France in the same time you can get to Scotland from the South though?! |
I don't know about that to be honest - looking at all the current threads about nightmare journeys and delays getting flights to the Alps is seems like it's taking a lot of time, and endurance, to get over for quite a number of people. We do door to door Bristol to Aviemore in something like 8 hours with no airport and transfer hassles - I know which I prefer! The overnight sleeper makes it even less hassle and a positive pleasure IMHO and factor in the great snow and lack of time off work and you're laughing!
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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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Hmmm norra lorra interest - could it be people prefer hours in airports (with potentially all the hassle that's entailed over the last few weeks) to a nice relaxing overnight train ride 
Weather's looking decent too, with a surprise amount of fresh having fallen over the last couple of days!
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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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roga, if I didn't have to work on Saturday...................
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Without wishing to quell any enthusiasm - I used to work on the hill and was up there last February, and it feels like a second home - it should be noted that Cairngorm has been shut down for much of Jan, due to the huge storms.
If it's a one-off trip, I'd recommend holding your horses for the spring, when the weather may have calmed down a bit. Late Feb through to early April (and possibly much later) could be great. Unless something mad happens, this is going to be a sustained and remarkable season.
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There are other options other than Cairngorm though!
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Last Wednesday Cairngorm, Glen Shee and the Lecht were all closed, so if you're on the East Coast that's your skiing scuppered. 'Twas gutting, I still really need to sample some Scottish skiing whilst I'm up here!
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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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| Ernst Goldsmith wrote: |
| Unless something mad happens, this is going to be a sustained and remarkable season. |
Hasn't it already...
I'd be off like a shot IF I weren't off to the Alps on Sunday!
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It's all very well quoting costs from Northampton. But in the real world, lampbus and I are in Switzerland. 
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