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 Skiing Holidays in Scotland
Not always the first choice for people looking for a guaranteed skiing holiday, Scotland is gaining popularity again with UK skiers thanks to rising flight costs to Europe and the general economic picture.
Scotland has some fine ski areas and when the snow is here, there are plenty people take skiing holidays in Scotland.
Downhill Skiing Holidays in Scotland
There are 5 downhill ski areas in Scotland: Glenshee, Glencoe, Aonach Mor, Cairngorm and Lecht. They all offer a different experience to the skier.
Glenshee probably covers the largest area. It is also relatively quick to get to from central Scotland. The closest towns are Blairgowrie to the south and Braemar & Ballater to the North. There are also hotels in Spittal of Glenshee, Bridge of Cally and Kirkmichael.
Glencoe is a relatively small resort but it is friendly and can often have snow when eastern resorts are bereft. Although there is accommodation at the nearby Kingshouse hotel, nearest services are around 10 miles away in Glencoe village and Ballachulish. There are also a good number of hotels in Glencoe and Ballachulish. To the south, hotels are available at Bridge of Orchy and Tyndrum.
Aonach Mor just outside Fort William is another west coast slope, but with good runs and a gondola it is a very popular. Closest town is Fort William which has a large choice of accommodation and services but there are also some hotels to the east in and around Spean Bridge.
Cairngorm is another large resort situated on the north edge of the Cairngorm mountains. A funicular railway here helps shift large numbers of skiers up the hill quickly. Closest town is Aviemore which has a lot of hotels and self catering accommodation.
Cross Country Skiing in Scotland
XC Skiing is becoming more and more popular as people realise they don't need to bother with lift queues and busy car parks to get out in the white stuff. There is a dedicated nordic skiing centre at Huntly but many ski hire shops near the main ski areas will hire XC kit as well and can help you find routes that will be holding snow. Apart from at Huntly there are no regular bashed XC trails in Scotland but using lightweight kit around forest tracks and backcountry gear on wilder tracks will let you experience the pleasure of getting away from the crowds. There are a number of hotels around Huntly and Keith.
Ski-Mountaineering and Telemark
These are two disciplines of skiing practised by some people in Scotland. Scotlands hills often have enough snow for great days out away from the piste. High level plateaux in the Cairngorms, Monaliaith Moutains, around Glen Clova or Drumochter can often give long traverses staying above the snow line most of the day. While these days out are not usually suitable for novice skiers, there are many mountain guides in Scotland who can help with this type of holiday.
What about the weather? What if there's no snow for my skiing holiday in Scotland?
It's true that the snow can disappear rapidly on our slopes even in the depth of winter but if the worst should happen, there are plenty of other outdoors activities that can make your holiday memorable. Biking, hiking, rafting, paddling and loads more activities are available year-round in Scotland.
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