Thistle do nicely!
WITH RESORTS ABROAD LARGELY OUT OF BOUNDS, STUART KENNY ASKS IF IT’S TIME TO PUT SCOTLAND ON YOUR RADAR AS YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT SKI TRIP
DON’T hate me but just last month I was able to strap on my skis and get down the slopes. Admittedly, not anywhere in Europe or beyond, but in my very own home country, Scotland.
We’ve recently had the best snowfall in years – up to 14 inches at one point in February – so, despite all Scottish resorts being shut, I took advantage of being able to exercise near home to go to the Pentland Hills, the picturesque hill range on the outskirts of Edinburgh that reaches up to 1,900ft.
With skis strapped safely to my bike, the hills are just a 15-minute ride from my doorstep, granting some wellearned ski runs with views looking back across iconic Arthur’s Seat.
To have such a stunning source of nature so close to home has been a mental health lifeline amid lockdown’s Groundhog Day monotony, as I’m sure the flurry of other skiers, snowboarders and ice climbers in the Pentlands would agree. The slopes have been so tracked out some days,
you’d think you were in a lift-operated French resort.
I’ve got other fond Scottish ski memories from further back too, such as time spent with friends on the Meall A ’Bhuiridh Massif near the top of Glencoe, where rugged rock faces spiked out of the snow. To our right were a handful of blue ski runs with breathtaking views of Buachaille Etive Mor. We exited left and our speed soared as we skied into The Flypaper, a vertigo-inducing slope with a 40 per cent gradient often cited as the steepest in-bound run in Scotland.
The Bridge of Orchy hills layered into the distance beyond, their snowy white blending into brown as they lowered towards the vast valley floor.
‘Who needs the Alps?’ we laughed, sliding our way back to the lower slopes. Well, when skiing conditions are this good you don’t need the Alps at all – something to ponder when the prospect of being able to return to winter pastimes is back on the table.
Of course, skiing in Scotland isn’t always postcard-perfect. I’ve also experienced freezing cold days when the rain turns to sleet and the wind tries to blow you out of your jacket. But when conditions are right, it’s up there with the best – and this winter has been truly remarkable.
If you’re new to skiing in Scotland, there are five main options: Glencoe and Nevis Range are both in the west, and Cairngorm Mountain, the Lecht 2090 and Glenshee are in the Cairngorms National Park. Each has been shut for most of 2021, despite the dreamy snow conditions.
‘It’s probably the best snow cover we’ve ever had,’ says Andy Meldrum, owner of Glencoe Mountain Resort. ‘Great weather, great conditions… but we’ve not been able to open. It’s frustrating, not just for ourselves but for our customers. A lot of people live year to year, waiting to get out into the mountains and get their fix of snow.’
Glencoe is the oldest ski resort in Scotland, renowned for those astounding views of Rannoch Moor and the Buachaille. Andy says the resort is ready to go whenever government restrictions allow.
‘We remain quite hopeful,’ he says. ‘As things start to improve, I’d like to think skiing will be one of the first things to get the green light to come back. It normally takes months for the snow to disappear here so we’ll probably have great conditions right through to the end of April or beginning of May.’
Andy jokes that skiers should be ready for twoperson chairs rather than the heated gondolas of Val d’Isère. And if customers can come this year, he suggests they spend a few days exploring the surrounding area as well as skiing or snowboarding to ensure they get the full Highland experience.
‘Come for an outdoor activity holiday, not just for the skiing,’ he says. ‘If we look at previous years, we’ll have some amazing days interspersed with not so good days and the occasional blizzard. But there are plenty of things to do, whether it’s whisky distilleries or indoor ice walls.’
If it’s your first time skiing in Scotland, whichever resort you pick – with Highland views, snow aplenty and whisky to boot – it won’t be your last. Just remember to pack your big coat.
It often takes months for the snow to vanish here so conditions will be great until May