Cairngorm Mountain

Cairngorm Mountain, Scotland

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Cairngorm Mountain

Scotland's best known ski area is ten miles East of the lively village of Aviemore. There have been dramatic improvements here in recent years and a vast array of non-ski activities are now available to counter the traditional problem - unpredictable weather.

Summary

The Scottish ski resort of Cairngorm Mountain is at an altitude of 537m1,762ft.

Cairngorm Mountain has direct access to 23 marked pistes, served by a total of 12 ski lifts.

The skiing is at relatively low altitude, so snow cover can be variable.

Cairngorm Mountain Overview

Scotland's best known ski area is 10 miles (16km) east of the lively village of Aviemore. There have been dramatic improvements here in recent years and a vast array of non-ski activities are now available to counter the traditional problem - unpredictable weather.

The resort boomed in the 1960s when the 'Aviemore Centre' a complex of unattractive rectangular hotels and apartments was built, rapidly deteriorating in to an eyesore during the 1970s and 80s and bringing the image of the rest of Aviemore down with it. Subsequent face lifts and new leisure and accommodation options which have developed around the resort and over the past three years or so has sidelined the Aviemore Centre and Aviemore today is very much a 'reborn' resort. The old Centre is now called Aviemore Highland Resort (AHR)

The long planned new funicular railway which opened in 2001 provides a more modern, comfortable and reliable method of transportation than the former Car Park and White Lady Chairlifts. The funicular is almost two kilometres(1.2 miles) long and climbs to a height of 1097m (3600ft) taking approximately six minutes to reach the top (slowed down in summer to allow visitors time to take in the scenery). Replacing the Ptarmigan Café is a modern, panoramic restaurant, visitor exhibition and shop. With the completion of the funicular fewer skier days will be lost due to poor weather.

Cairngorm's first chairlift was installed in 1961 and since then the facilities have increased so that there are now 13 of the 17 original lifts and tows providing an uplift capacity of some 8042 skiers per hour enjoying 40km of ski runs which extend into 2 adjoining corries, Coire Cas and Coire na Ciste. Some of the original uplift is not used now due to the increased capacity of the Funicular Railway.

The old gaelic name for the Cairngorm Mountains is Monadh Ruadh meaning red mountains - you can see why on a fine summer evening in Aviemore as the setting sun seems to cast a red glow over the pink granite rock of the Cairngorms. After Ben Nevis, the Cairngorm Range of mountains have the highest peaks in the UK with Cairngorm itself being the 5th highest at 1245m (4084 ft.)

As well as being popular with skiers, climbers and walkers the Cairngorms have an impressive range of environmental and scientific credentials. The area is home to the UK's largest National Nature Reserve and Europe's largest privately owned bird reserve. Scotland's largest National Park, Cairngorms National Park, (Pairc Naiseanta A' Mhonaidh Ruaidh) was established here in September 2003. It is the home to a unique and special place, 17,000 people and 25% of Britain's threatened birds, animals and plants. It includes moorlands, forests, lochs and glens. It has also been proposed as a World Heritage Site for its outstanding geological and geomorphologic features. As such it is considered to be one of the UK's best examples of sub-arctic habitat and is home to some of the UK's rarest birds and plants, including snow bunting, dotterel, ptarmigan and the famous Ospreys which breed at nearby Loch Garten.

 Notable Ski Runs

The longest possible descent in Cairngorm Mountain is 3km2 miles long and the most difficult run is the 'Coire na Ciste Gully'.

Skiing

Snow cover in the Cairngorms and affecting all Scottish ski areas is unpredictable. There can be good falls any time from October to June and equally there can be periods when the slopes are largely bare even at what would be the height of the season elsewhere in mid-winter. Strong winds can also be a problem, closing lifts sometimes, although the new funicular has dramatically reduced this problem at Cairngorm.

When conditions are good at Cairngorm there's nowhere better. Cairngorm has a good range of terrain. For total beginners there are easy green runs just up from the Main Car Park or further up beside the Ptarmigan Centre in the Ptarmigan Bowl, providing an easy beginner area accessed via the Funicular from the Base Station.

Almost half of the slopes (48%) are for beginners and intermediates. Coire Cas, straight up from the Main Car Park, has plenty of green and blue slopes for the intermediates and advancing novices. The M2 is a good long blue run starting from the Ptarmigan Centre at the top all the way down to the Car Parks. 47% of the slopes are red and more experienced skiers enjoy the challenge of the Ciste Gully. The most challenging run, the only black, is the West Wall at Coire na Ciste. The White Lady provides an extra challenge when its covered in moguls.

To help you find your way around there is a free guide service. The Hilton Cairngorm Ambassador Team provide friendly and informative escorted ski and board tours of Cairngorm with a daily tour at 11.30am from the information office in the Base Station at Coire Cas car park.

There are a variety of pistes to suit all levels of skier ability, from Beginner to Expert.

Snowboarding

Cairngorm can offer snowsports instruction, provided by The Ski School and Zippyboarder School, both based at Level 3 of the Day L;odge. Visit their websites at www.theskischool.co.uk and www.learn2snowboard.co.uk for more information. Clothing hire is also available.

This ski area was the first to have a fully maintained snowboard fun park and have produced a ride guide integral to their piste map which keeps boarders informed on their beginner areas, freestyle jumps, freeride, carving and steeps. The terrain at Cairngorm is varied and natural features will form depending on the wind direction and snow.

Aprés Ski

The main centre for nightlife is Aviemore which has a good choice of pubs and hotels and really seems to come alive when it has a covering of snow. The Vault, the local nightclub is the place to go if you want to party into the early hours, whilst many of the bars and hotels have live music. The Cairngorm Hotel, The Winking Owl, RD's, MacKenzie's and Mambo's are all popular with the tourists and locals alike. The other villages in the area, from Newtonmore in the south to Grantown and Carrbridge in the north, all have a good variety of bars and nightlife.

If you're looking for a cosy Highland pub with a good selection of fine malt whiskies, cask conditioned ales and a superb cellar of great wines then the Old Bridge Inn, by the River Spey is the place to be, especially on a Tuesday night when they have a Highland evening with lively local entertainment.