Monarch of the Glen
From fighter pilot to piste maker ... the man whose blood, sweat and tears started Scotland’s skiing revolution
IT was backbreaking work in the worst of weather and in the shadow of forbidding Glen Coe.
Day in day out, Second World War Spitfire pilot Philip Rankin manhandled scrap metal and wire hundreds of feet up a mountain to build Scotland’s first ski tow.
Enterprising Philip begged and borrowed the materials from the Glasgow shipyards where he used to work and, in the process, heralded the beginning of a golden age of skiing in Scotland – and an industry today worth an estimated £30m a year.
Now a campaign has been launched to honour the man who is regarded as the country’s godfather of skiing.
Organisers would like to see Philip, who is soon to turn 100, entered for a Scottish Rural Award and are also calling for him to be recognised in the Queen’s New Year honours list.
The call has been backed by skiers, climbers and public bodies.
But last night modest war veteran Philip laughed off the plaudits and joked that the campaign to get him recognised was “fiddlesticks”.
It was a Canadian doctor at Stoke Mandeville hospital who encouraged Philip’s love of snowsports.
His Spitfire had been shot down over the North Sea in 1942. While his injuries were being treated in hospital the doc suggested skiing might speed up his recovery.
Before the 1950s, the only people who ventured into the Scottish mountains in winter were hardened climbers.
But after Philip threw himself into the sport, he hatched a plan to bring skiing to the masses.
He hoped to build the country’s first ski tow at what is now the Glencoe ski centre – out of leftover metalworks from Glasgow’s shipyards, where he worked.
By 1954 he’d left his engineering job in Glasgow and moved to the village of Ballachulish, just four miles from the tow, to concentrate on the venture full-time.
Family friend Louisa Gardiner, who is behind the campaign to see him recognised, said the metal plate and steel cables were “acquired” and carried up on the backs of these tough Clydesiders, all under Philip’s supervision”.
It was ready for use in February 1956 and its opening marked the creation of the first commercial ski centre in Scotland.
Philip, who went on to run the centre, remembered: “It was absolutely crucifying work.
“In order to make sure we were on a good line we had to start at the top and worked our way down, which meant everything had to be carried up the mountain.
“That took a lot of time, and sweat and tears.”
Campaigner Louisa added: “I feel he has been so fundamental to skiing in Scotland.
“He is the most wonderful man. I would hope that he gets recognition for the amount of work he did and how it has influenced the ski industry and tourism.
“Showing there was another winter sport, other than climbing, really was down to him.”
Friend and neighbour Hamish MacInnes, who was developing mountain rescue techniques when Philip ran the ski centre, backed the calls for him to be recognised for his work.
He was a pioneer and should be honoured