UK Travel Blog

With all the recent snow and more forecast, it could be another bumper year for Scottish skiing, so where are the best places to go?

One thing to remember about skiing in Scotland is that it’s not exactly the Alps, so you probably won’t find the royals there and there’s no guarantees of snow, but for accessibility there’s nowhere like it.

The Cairngorms are probably the best known and most commercialised of the ski resorts in Scotland. The town of Aviemore seems entirely set-up for the purposes of skiing with masses of hotels, restaurants and ski equipment companies, which makes it especially good for family ski holidays.

There are 11 ski-lifts and 23 miles of slopes, and there’s even a restaurant at the top of the slopes.

In terms of accommodation, the world is your oyster with lots of hotels in Aviemore, with the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort being one of the most popular.

If you want to stay a little longer then there are a number of self-catering properties in Aviemore.

The McDonald hotel also has a Spey Valley Leisure Centre which is open to non-residents, with an indoor pool, sauna and steam room – very handy for relaxing tired muscles.

Glenshee is more suited to the day trippers as the remote location means there are fewer hotels, but this also has its advantages. Accessible from the A93 Perth to Aberdeen road, the ski slopes stretch out over several valleys with a total of 21 lifts and 25 miles of pistes.

The ski slopes are generally regarded as beginner to intermediate, although there are many off-piste areas. The only trouble with Glenshee can be the access roads which due to their remote nature are sometimes blocked in heavy snow. This is another reason why it favours the day tripper skier, but for those prepared to make the journey the resort is well worth a visit.

If you want to splash out for a room the 16th Century Dalmunzie Castle hotel is available with spectacular views and rooms.

Glencoe is where skiing in Scotland began, but despite this, the resort still maintains some of its originality rather than becoming very commercialised like Aviemore.

There are slopes for all abilities, including one known as the “Fly Paper” which is reputedly Scotland’s steepest black run. Located around 20 miles from Fort William, the resort is fairly accessible and the roads are more likely to remain open too.

There are a number of hotels in Glencoe along with many more hotels in Fort William

The Nevis Range is the second ski resort close to Fort William, based on the side of the mountain range which includes the famous Ben Nevis.

The resort has slopes suitable for everyone with beginner slopes towards the bottom right up to the black runs at the very top. During the right snow conditions, the black slopes known as the Black Corries are available which are often regarded as Scotland’s most challenging.

The Nevis range is less than 10 miles from Fort William making it quicker to access than Glencoe and maybe should be regarded as a mix between Aviemore and Glenshee.

For those looking for a nice simple skiing holiday, the Nevis range has it all with plenty of Fort William hotels and self-catering cottages.

The Lecht is the final major ski resort in Scotland and if you’re looking for uncrowded beginner slopes then this might be your best bet.

The resort is a little remote, but the slopes are much more gentle than many resorts and ideal for family holidays where you want to enjoy the skiing without accidently ending up on a black run.

There are a number of hotels around the resort with the closest being the Allargue Arms Hotel.

List based on a compilation in the book Where to Ski and Snowboard 2011.