Skiing in the UK

Glenshee Ski Centre is Scotland’s largest ski resort with 40 Km of runs, 25 lifts divided over 3 different valleys and is particularly suited to intermediate skiers. The area provides a wide variety of terrain including huge snow-bowls, steep mogulled slopes and sheltered descents.

Cairngorm Mountain, just a few miles from Aviemore, was opened in 1961and now has 17 lifts and a mountain railway. For beginners there is an excellent area at the top of the mountain that holds its snow for much of the year, although this can get incredibly busy.

Glencoe Ski Centre, set in the magnificent wilderness of Argyll with amazing mountain views, has the longest single descent and steepest on-piste run in Scotland but is also friendly to intermediates and beginners alike.

The Lecht Ski Centre in Aberdeenshire, despite being the lowest of the Scottish ski areas, is usually the earliest to open every year as it only needs a few inches of snow to operate. Due to the low height of the centre, they have invested in snow making canons for times when the weather conditions allow.

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The Nevis Range Ski Centre can be found near Fort William in Inverness-shire. The youngest centre in Scotland, it has the highest run at 4,006 ft. The centre possesses the only mountain gondola in the UK, taking visitors on a 2.3 Km ride up to the Snow Goose Restaurant from where there are many lifts available to take you up to the resort’s 35 runs.

There are also more than 60 artificial ski slopes dotted around the country. Most artificial slopes are around 100 metres in length, although some are up to 400 metres long. Obviously it's not quite as thrilling or demanding as down a black run in the Alps, but it is still huge fun and excellent (cheaper) preparation for the real thing.

The UK boasts four indoor ski slopes (covered in real snow) with a fourth, high tech centre to be opened at Hemel Hempstead in April 2009. This will have a 160 metre main slope and 100 metre lesson slope, both more than 30 metres wide with an alpine surface maintained by snow cannons. The other centres can be found at Tamworth Snowdrome and Xscape at Milton Keyes, Braehead and Castleford.

The UK has hundreds of ski clubs. Most of these are geared up for the social side of snow sports. They are also a very good way of finding more about skiing UK-style and also of meeting like-minded enthusiasts.

More info: www.snowsportengland.org.uk – the governing body for English snowsports
                   www.skiclub.co.uk

By Jan Maytum
Photo: Fotolia, iStockPhoto

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