Highland: Ideal For Snowboarding; Cosy Highland Pubs -
The Nevis Range ski area, or Aonach Mor, is found in the mountains of Lochaber. It is the most modern of Scotland's ski areas and offers excellent off-piste skiing and beautiful views over Aonach Mor and Ben Nevis. The Nevis Range Gondola gives access to a good range of intermediate slopes as well as more challenging ones further up the mountain.
The ski resort features several chair lifts, a gondola, and drags. The 20 kilometres of terrain is divided in to 35 runs suitable for all levels, with seven green, 12 blue, 11 red, and five black. Skiers can reach a height of 1200 metres. Snowboarders are drawn to its great off-piste and the funpark on the summit with rails, boxes, ramps and a quarter pipe jump.
The majority of après ski is found in the nearby town of Fort William, eight kilometres away. Here there is a good choice of pubs, hotels, and a disco and cinema. There are also two leisure centres with a range of indoor sports and spa facilities. Daily train services from Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow offer connections to Fort William; a bus service operates between Fort William and the Nevis Range.
The Cairngorm Mountain ski area is home to 23 individual pistes (11 green, eight blue, seven red, and two black). There is a wide range of terrain for all levels of skier and boarder, but it is at a relatively low altitude so snow cover can be variable. Cairngorm was the first of the highland ski areas to have a snowboard funpark; its well maintained park features freestyle jumps, carving, and steeps.
Apres ski for the Cairngorm ski area is found in Aviemore. Here you'll find a good selection of pubs, hotels, restaurants, and a local nightclub. Fans of the cosy highland pub can tuck in to a selection of fine malt whiskies and a cellar of ales at the Old Bridge Inn. The nearest airport is Inverness, 50 kilometres away, and from here there are regular buses and trains to Aviemore.
Glencoe is Scotland's oldest ski centre. It is known for its excellent freestyle runs and world-class maximum vertical of 803 metres. Its 17 slopes reach a height of 1108 metres altitude and suit all levels with four green runs, six blue, seven red, and two black. Snowboarders are drawn to the challenging freestyle runs, natural pipes, and jumps. Most après ski is based in the town of Fort William, 45 kilometres away, featuring everything from real ale pubs to folk music and lively ceilidh dances. The nearest airport is Glasgow, 145 kilometres away, and from here there are regular trains and buses to Fort William.
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