Ski Resort Guide
Aviemore
Aviemore Ski Resort Guide
Introduction
Aviemore is one of Britain's most beautiful ski resorts and with so many activities on offer is a fantastic year-round destination to rival resorts like Aspen or St Moritz.
Along with dozens of things to do in and around Aviemore itself, such as steam train rides and clay pigeon shooting, there are many well known attractions within an hour's scenic drive including Loch Ness, Culloden Battle Field - site of the last battle on British soil, the Queen's summer residence of Balmoral and famous whisky distilleries.
People have been skiing in the area for more than a century, but the first ski lifts were built in the early 1960s and for two decades Cairngorm was the place to ski for celebrities as well as generations of early British skiers who all learned their first turns here.
Along with dozens of things to do in and around Aviemore itself, such as steam train rides and clay pigeon shooting, there are many well known attractions within an hour's scenic drive including Loch Ness, Culloden Battle Field - site of the last battle on British soil, the Queen's summer residence of Balmoral and famous whisky distilleries.
People have been skiing in the area for more than a century, but the first ski lifts were built in the early 1960s and for two decades Cairngorm was the place to ski for celebrities as well as generations of early British skiers who all learned their first turns here.
Mountain facts
Resort elevation: 537m (1,762ft).
Top elevation: 1,097m (8,570ft).
Base elevation: 537m (5,570ft).
Number of lifts: 13.
Number of runs: 28.
Where in the world?
Aviemore is located in the Cairngorm National Park in northern Scotland within the Spey Valley of the Grampian Mountains.
Hit the slopes
Cairngorm's somewhat variable snow cover means that the ski centre can be open from early December through to mid-May, but unlike most ski areas it is by no means a certainty that all or indeed any of the terrain will be open at any time during that period, if a warm spell melts all the snow in January or an extreme weather event like gale force winds closes the slopes (the strongest ever gusts in the UK have been recorded here).
Beginners will normally take the funicular up to a flat area of nursery slopes. The altitude of the slopes means this is one of the most snow-sure areas of the ski slopes and the centre manages to keep at least some snow slope open here, even in a bad year.
Most of the marked trails are suited to intermediate skiers. There are steep runs too for more advanced skiers. The most challenging run is the West Wall black at Coire na Ciste and The White Lady is challenging when the bumps build up. There's also a terrain park for free riders, the scope of which varies to some extent depending on snow conditions.
Beginners will normally take the funicular up to a flat area of nursery slopes. The altitude of the slopes means this is one of the most snow-sure areas of the ski slopes and the centre manages to keep at least some snow slope open here, even in a bad year.
Most of the marked trails are suited to intermediate skiers. There are steep runs too for more advanced skiers. The most challenging run is the West Wall black at Coire na Ciste and The White Lady is challenging when the bumps build up. There's also a terrain park for free riders, the scope of which varies to some extent depending on snow conditions.
Beyond the slopes
Remarkably, Aviemore can perhaps offer more activities and attractions than any other ski resort in the world. Along with the royal palaces, ancient battle grounds, mythical monsters and world famous distilleries, other possible day trips include more world famous attractions - this time golf courses such as Royal Dornoch, stunning beaches like those at Nairn, beloved by Charlie Chaplin, and you can even take one of the world's most scenic rail trips up to the UK's north east tip at John O'Groats and return in a day.
Aviemore itself has a long list of facilities and attractions on your doorstep, a fishing lake, many beautiful walks and hiking or mountain biking trails, a new swimming pool complex, cinema, steam train line and most imaginable outdoor activities including clay pigeon shooting, all-weather dog sledding and a reindeer farm.
Aviemore itself has a long list of facilities and attractions on your doorstep, a fishing lake, many beautiful walks and hiking or mountain biking trails, a new swimming pool complex, cinema, steam train line and most imaginable outdoor activities including clay pigeon shooting, all-weather dog sledding and a reindeer farm.
Family fun
Aviemore is very much a family-friendly resort with high quality accommodation and excellent leisure facilities as well as multiple attractions including the swimming pool and steam train rides. The Hilton Coylumbridge Resort has particularly good facilities including a great soft play facility for younger children.
On the ski slopes the resort tries hard to be family-friendly, with good staff, but practical problems can include long queues, over-crowded restaurants, elderly lifts, extreme weather and hazard-strewn ski runs which can make the experience challenging for some families, especially if they have previously been ‘pampered' on immaculately smooth, uncrowded runs with comfortable modern lifts in Europe or North America. On the other hand Britain's best skiers including our only Olympic medallist Alain Baxter learned their skills on Cairngorm and there's a thriving youth ski racing club here.
On the ski slopes the resort tries hard to be family-friendly, with good staff, but practical problems can include long queues, over-crowded restaurants, elderly lifts, extreme weather and hazard-strewn ski runs which can make the experience challenging for some families, especially if they have previously been ‘pampered' on immaculately smooth, uncrowded runs with comfortable modern lifts in Europe or North America. On the other hand Britain's best skiers including our only Olympic medallist Alain Baxter learned their skills on Cairngorm and there's a thriving youth ski racing club here.
Retail therapy
Aviemore has a good selection of about 25 shops covering all holiday essentials and providing some ‘recreational shopping' opportunities through gift shops selling local products. There's a particularly good large outlet store in the Aviemore resort complex and half a dozen well equipped sports shops throughout the resort.
Après ski
Aviemore has great "craic" that can easily match some of the better known night spots in the Alps. The Winking Owl, the oldest pub in the village, specialises in local real ales and whiskies. Aviemore has its own award-winning microbrewery, their most famous brew being ‘Sheepshaggers Gold' and the wider Spey Valley is also famous for its whisky.
Eating out
Aviemore has a good choice of more than 20 cafes and restaurants catering for most tastes and most budgets. The selection ranges from award winning fish and chip shops to gourmet restaurants. Make sure you enjoy local cuisine including salmon, haggis and venison during your stay. The Ptarmigan restaurant at the top of the funicular is the UK's highest restaurant at 1100m (3,600ft). It serves everything from soup to spicy Highland sausage casserole, sourcing local ingredients where possible.
Getting around
Aviemore is located on the East Coast rail line with direct services from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and most cities in England to the south on both East and West main lines between London and Scotland. Trains from Kings Cross take about seven hours to reach the resort, or overnight sleeper trains from Euston take about 11 hours. A ski bus service links Aviemore village to the ski slopes in about 20 minutes. For those with their own transport there is a large car park at the base of the funicular lift and an overflow car park below, which is linked by a free shuttle bus.
Splashing out
The Rothiemurchus Estate controls much of the land around Aviemore and offers dozens of activities, including clay pigeon shooting for anyone 12 years and over (children accompanied by adults) and will happily take complete beginners. Different packages are available, the best being the ‘gold experience' for two hours, which includes gun, cartridges, clays targets, protective eyewear and hearing protection with professional safety instruction.
Accommodation
Luxury
Hilton Coylumbridge ResortLarge 4-star resort complex covering 65 acres alongside the road from Aviemore to Cairngorm, great range of facilities on site, excellent for families.
Tel: (01479) 810 661.
Website: www.Hilton.co.uk/Coylumbridge
Moderate
Cairngorm HotelThe leading independent hotel in Aviemore, rated 3-star, is located in the heart of the village.
Grampian Road
Tel: (01479) 810 233.
Website: www.cairngorm.com
Budget
Academy HotelThe budget accommodation option, once known as the Freedom Inn, in the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort complex is still well-appointed with spacious rooms.
Aviemore Highland Resort, Grampian Road
Tel: (01479) 815 100.
Website: www.Macdonaldoffers.co.uk/Academy
Getting there
Nearest airport: Inverness (INV).
Distance to resort: 48km (30 miles).
Driving time: 45 minutes.
Distance to resort: 48km (30 miles).
Driving time: 45 minutes.
Website
This resort is good for...
Intermediates, Experts, Snowboarders, Après ski, Beginners, Non-skiers
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