Cairngorm Ski Resort Guide
Cairngorm Ski Resort Guide
The spiritual home of winter sports in Britain. Cairngorm and the nearby town of Aviemore have supplied all the recent big names in the British ski scene. From Emma Carrick-Anderson, to the fabulous Baxter Boys and Lesley McKenna. On its day Scotland can offer some great riding, nowhere better than here. Sadly, those bluebird days are undeniably scarcer than they were in decades gone so that the new mantra at the ski resorts is diversify or decline. Cairngorm is now just as important for summer mountain-biking as it is for skiing. On a bad winters day dress for horizontal rain and snow whipped along by some of the most ferocious low-altitude winds on the planet. The prevailing westerly weather moves quickly off the Atlantic and so skiing here is all about timing - avoiding the mild SE gales that eat into the snowpack and force lifts to close and making the most of a brief ridge of high pressure that follows a snowy northerly. Time it right, and you can find perfect conditions on and off piste at Cairngorm and in cold winters where the conveyor of Atlantic storms abates and continental air rules, you can find week after week of great conditions and even powder days. The skiing here is situated on the fifth highest mountain in Britain but that's still not high enough to be really snow sure. A relatively new funicular railway should help the mountain stay open during times of high winds and reduced snow cover low down.Off the slopes at Cairngorm, there is plenty of accommodation in Aviemore and the surrounding villages and the alternative little resort of Lecht is an hour away by road. Nightlife is lively. Seek out Chevies or the Winking Owl.
Resorts close to Cairngorm include:
The Lecht (27 km),
Glenshee (37 km),
Nevis Range (87 km),
Glencoe Mountain Resort (90 km),
Allenheads (274 km),
Select Cairngorm Location Map Detail:
(Also see our detailed Weather Map around Cairngorm, which will give you visual overview of current and future snow conditions)
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Trails (Pistes): 28 |
Halfpipes: - |
| Summit: 1097 m |
Toplift: m |
| Beg: 30% Int: 40% Adv: 30% |
Terrain Parks: 1 |
| Vertical Drop: 548 m |
X-Country: 60 km |
| Lifts: 2 chair lifts, 13 surface lifts, funicular railway |
Snowmaking: - |
| Gondolas / Cable Cars: - |
Slopeside accommodation: N |
| Restaurants: 20 |
Acres of ski: 2086 |
| Bars: 25 |
Nearest Airport: Inverness |
| Nearest Train: Aviemore |
Tourist Info Phone:: +44/1479/861336,
Cairngorm Tourist Office Website |
Visitor Reviews of Cairngorm
Rob - Southampton from United Kingdom writes:
Just got back from a long weekend away in Scotland. We planned to ski New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
We booked a hotel in Fort William as we planned to ski on the Nevis range but weather was pure rain and that resort was closed.
We travelled 2-hrs to Cairngorm as their website and automated telephone service suggested there were around 10-runs open.
When we got there, we paid £23 each (supposed half day rate) to ski one pathetic, hole ridden, cut up slope that was covered in ski schools and had one T-bar running - the lift broke, so rather than fix it they just closed the slope. No refund, no apology, nada.
Seriously do not go there if you've ever skied at a decent resort. This is a classic case of rip off Britain - it's as if they think that because they have some snow and a bit of rope on a hill they can charge the European prices for a lift pass ... I might be wrong but I didn't see a chair lift there for when the resort is 'fully open'.
I'm obviously disgruntled and my opinion has been made from poor weather, however, there was nothing that inspired me to consider returning there even if they could guarantee the weather. I'd say the Bulgarian resorts are better and that's putting up with the notorious thieves that work their slopes.
2012-01-03 |
Click here to read 73 more reviews of Cairngorm or submit your own
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- Season opens: 17 Dec 2011
- Season closes: 1 May 2012
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City Forecasts
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Surf Breaks
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Resorts and Mountain Peaks Surrounding Cairngorm
Mountain Peaks
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