Ski The Highlands

Skiing in the Scottish Highlands is an experience that will not want to be missed by either the experienced or the new skiing beginner. The winter playground of the UK is welcoming to skiers of all ages and levels of experience. There are many ski schools and resorts to choose your perfect spot for winter holiday fun.

What Winter Sports Are There?

With the Nevis Range and the Cairngorm mountains; Lecht, Glencoe and Glenshee, there is a good variety of skiing for any level of skier. There are fun, challenging and exhilarating ski venues to try out, and no shortage of variety, so that skiers certainly won’t find themselves getting bored of the same venues. Cross country or Nordic skiing, Telemark and Alpine are all popular The Highlands.

The difference between Telemark and alpine skiing is that alpine skiing bindings have a fixed heel, whereas Telemark skiing bindings are only attached at the toes. The Telemark ski bindings allow for a smoother run as one can use the “Telemark turn”.

Throughout the Cairngorms and the Nevis range areas in the Scottish highlands, there are skiing centres that will outfit you for the type of skiing that you most prefer. Courses and lesson programs are also available, and the friendly atmospheres are welcoming to all skiers.

In Aviemore, Adventure Scotland provides activity days in telemark, Nordic and alpine skiing so one can try all different types of the sport. Also located in Aviemore is Full on Adventure, which offers ski mountaineering and ski courses. The G2 centre located in Aviemore provides courses in Alpine and telemark skiing. The Cairngorm mountains are where all three of these centres operate out of.

The Cairngorm Mountain ski school is also a popular destination for ski instruction classes. In the Nevis range and the Glenshee mountain areas, Snowsport Highland runs ski holidays. Here they will provide you with any level of ski instruction and arrange your accommodation for you, or your preferred skiing package. There are plenty of other ski schools, centres and resorts that are located in the Highland mountains to book your ski adventures with.

Check the Weather!

It is wise to know that the weather has a great influence on the skiing quality, and can be quite unpredictable in this area. For this reason, the ski season is generally not too long. In general, ski trips are able to be planned from the end of December to the beginning of April.

Make sure to contact the ski resort before you make your trip there and be aware of what the weather conditions are like before you leave from home! The North of Scotland can offer some fantastic opportunities, but it is due to the unpredictable nature of the weather that gives it a less than perfect reputation.

Some of the nearby towns and villages such as Aviemore and Fort William are among the most popular of places to visit, and there are plenty of things to do aside from skiing here in terms of shopping, sightseeing and dining.

Resort Name	Low Altitude	High Altitude	Vertical Drop	Longest Run	Beginner	Easy	Intermediate	Advanced/Expert
CairnGorm	550 m	1100 m	550 m	3.0 km		13	8	1	Inverness (0h 36m)	Aberdeen (2h 11m)	Edinburgh (2h 18m)
Glencoe	304 m	1109 m	805 m	2.0 km	4	6	7	2	Glasgow (1h 51m)	Inverness (2h 18m)	Edinburgh (2h 20m)
Glenshee	650 m	1068 m	418 m	2.0 km	8	13	13	2	Edinburgh (1h 35m)	Aberdeen (1h 55m)	Inverness (1h 45m)
Nevis Range	655 m	1221 m	566 m	2.0 km	7	12	11	5	Inverness (1h 51m)	Glasgow (1h 56m)	Edinburgh (2h 23m)
The Lecht	643 m	793 m	150 m	1.0 km	7	9	5	1	Inverness (1h 22m)	Aberdeen (1h 25m)	Edinburgh (2h 30m)