Skiing in Scotland: How to get the most out of this winter with a Four Area Pass
It’s surely one of the most commonly heard sayings about skiing in Scotland: “On its day,” rheumy-eyed veterans will tell you, “the skiing here can be as good as anywhere in the world.” It’s a statement of fact, of course, but is there more to it than that? Is it also a wry reflection on the truth universally acknowledged that perfect ski days here tend to be fewer and further between than elsewhere? Maybe. Or, when viewed from yet another angle, it is more like a challenge – a gauntlet thrown down? Perhaps what the old-timers are really trying to tell you is that, yes, there are plenty of perfect ski days to be had in Scotland’s mountains, but only if you’re switched on enough and motivated enough to hunt them down.
And chasing perfect ski days here can sometimes feel a bit like hunting. Any idiot can experience sunny skies and forgiving snow in the Alps – most of the time, all you have to do is get yourself to the nearest resort car park and hop on a lift. In Scotland, though, you need to be a bit more alert to all the different variables – snow conditions, wind, visibility and so on. And one of the first lessons any skier or snowboarder learns here is that different resorts can get very different conditions, not just in the space of same winter, but sometimes in the space of the same weekend.
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Hide AdTo make the most of a Scottish ski season, then – to score a few of those “as good as anywhere” days – you either need to be lucky, or you need to be flexible. If you have the kind of job that allows you to just drop everything and go mid-week when all the stars align, well, good for you. For everyone else, however, flexibility can simply mean ditching the idea of having a “home resort” and being prepared to ski wherever the conditions are looking the most promising; and this year, four of Scotland's ski areas have teamed up to make life as easy as possible for skiers and boarders who are prepared to hunt down the best snow and weather available on any given day.
Glencoe and Nevis Range in the west and Glenshee and The Lecht in the east have just launched a combined season ticket called the Four Area Pass, which not only gives skiers free access to all four areas for the coming season, but also includes a 30 per cent discount at Snow Factor in Glasgow – the longest real-snow indoor slope in the UK. Priced at £445 for adults and £240 for children, and available until 30 November, the pass is the ultimate tool for anyone looking to squeeze every last drop of fun out of the coming winter. No more anchoring yourself to a single resort, as with a conventional season pass, and no more queuing for tickets, as with the buy-as-you go approach – just check the conditions, pick your resort and head straight to the lifts.
Of course, everyone will have their own favourite runs at these four ski areas, but if I was pulling into the car park at Glencoe, Glenshee, The Lecht or Nevis on a cold, clear winter’s morning following a fresh fall of snow, these are the places I'd be heading to first…
Glencoe: Spring Run Yes, the Flypaper is the steep, gnarly one that everyone wants to be able to say they've done at least once and yes, the Main Basin is perfect for cruising around with your pals. In between the two, though – in every sense – lies the wonderful Spring Run. It's steep enough that you can build up a healthy head of steam, but not so steep that yo u don't feel comfortable thwacking a few big turns off the banked sides towards the bottom. Plus, if you can bear to pause for a moment half-way down, you can soak in the awesome, Land That Time Forgot grandeur of Rannoch Moor stretched out far below.
Glenshee: Glas Maol Not exactly a shortage of tantalising options at Scotland's largest ski resort, but the advantage of the zone just to the north of Glas Maol is that you have to cover a lot of fun terrain just to get there. Drop down into the bottom of Coire Fionn and take the Glas Maol Poma to just over 1,000m. Then follow the track that curves around to the east until you see a line you like the look of, and dive in.
The Lecht: Buzzard True, there are a lot more lifts and runs to enjoy on the other, east-facing side of the A939, which divides The Lecht in two. The two red runs either side of the Buzzard tow tend to be quieter, though, and they are both good and wide with an even pitch – all of which makes them the perfect place to go for some low-hassle, high-speed laps. Plus, because they face west, they’re a great place to soak up the last few rays of the day.
Nevis Range: Back Corries Assuming the ski patrol decide it’s safe, and assuming you're comfortable with a steep-ish drop-in, the Back Corries at Nevis Range offer all the thrills of backcountry skiing and boarding with none of the sweaty hiking. Once you've flown gracefully / skittered gingerly over the cornice, there's a whole world of fun waiting for you – and a handy lift at the bottom, too.
Four Area Passes are available until 30 November. For details, visit www.visitscotland.com/see-do/active/skiing-snowsports/passes