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Which resort do you recommend
As above and remember there are no “resorts”.
There are plus and minuses to each area but very rarely will all be operating anywhere near full area at the same time. It really is a day by day descision to where will have snow or not have wind. Depending on which way the snow system came in you could have Glenshee cut off by snowdrift and the west coast areas bone dry. You are south coast yes? If you were to plan a trip in advance I’d say book accommodations in Perth. Can reach all areas in a couple of hours and decent biking close by if no snow.
if you live anywhere near one of the london airports, I'd just fly to the alps..
Perth is a good shout for a base. But planning a snow trip here is pretty much pointless. I have all my gear ready from about now but I never decide to drive up or not until the evening before, unless the conditions are really excellent, and I'm only 2 hrs from Glenshee and 2.5 from Glencoe. Those two are my favourites.
I recommend keeping your eyes glued to Ceefax snowreport before then freezing your absolute bollocks off on the ricketey red coloured Tiger chair lift whilst simultaneously vomiting off it due to last night's Whiskey excess in Blairgowrie before gouging your boards base to death on the assorted loose stones and rocks scattered around the 'resort'
Happy times 'boarding in Scotland.
If they all open with similar weather and levels of cover I’d rank them:
1 Glencoe (most interesting terrain, best feel)
2 Nevis (but only if the back corrie is open)
3 Glenshee (large area but not thrilling)
4 Cairngorm (run by dicks)
5 Lecht (nice but tiny)
This is for lift-served only, not counting hiking
As others have suggested though, God laughs at Scottish snowboarders who make plans in advance, so be prepared to go wherever looks best if you have to go on a particular day.
It's just if it's a goer 1st week of January as I have to bring my dog 🐕. Got dog sitter rest of tje times
My daughter and I skied in the first week of January this year at Glenshee.
It was not for the feint of heart or those who are precious about there equipment.
Cairngorm has been skiable to varying degrees the last three weeks (no lifts yet, just skinning up) but there's not much of a base and it'll all be stripped by this weekends thaw, just in time for the official season opening.
There'll prolly be a fresh dump of snow over xmas but who knows?
Sean Batty is predicting a white Xmas for some of us. I'll be happy if it stays grey/green until the second week of January.
I live within sight of Cairngorm, unless the snow is epic there I go to Nevis.
Go midweek. Don’t underestimate the wind. If the stars align correctly you could get that once a season powder day in the sunshine and it makes up for all the shite days that have come before it. Guaranteed 90%of the punters have taken a sickie to be there.
Couple of other bits:
The Cairngorm money pit train was still busted when i last checked (repaired>busted).
Nevis appear to be only opening when they think its worth it (suggestive of only "epic" and weekends).
Worth checking the lifts for the back corries at Nevis - think they are out of service.
Lecht did have one of the fastest launching pomas I've been on (that's not many) - worth the ticket price alone.
When it's good it's very good and when it's bad its sodding awful.
If it is good, it can be truly brilliant. It is however generally not any good and pretty much as expensive as a flight to Geneva and a weekend in Les %anywherez%. I once skied in a particularly windy Cairngorm when on a school trip. The army were there too. They gave up.
OP, aren't you broadly south of England?
I've skied in Scotland, all the above is true. For those of us in Southern climes, the driving time to the Geneva area is broadly 9 hours. Same as heading to Scotland ski areas, but easier driving.
If I lived further north, the opportunity to access lifts and slopes opportunistically as conditions dictated would be great. But from my location on the South Coast of England, skiing in the UK as a planned trip is insane, compared to hopping on the tunnel. After some full on Type 2 fun though? Crack on.
There’s not much daylight in Scotland in the first week in January. Add in queues to park, queues to buy a ticket and more queues to get on a lift that will inevitably break down and you’ll get about 2 runs in which is all you’ll want to do as the wind will have cut right through you. Then it’ll be dark.
If you really want to try it wait a few months. I expect if everything comes together you could have a really good day in April otherwise leave it to the locals who can decide on the day.
Skiing/boarding(anywhere) in Scotland = Character building 👍🙃😀
I knew MrsRNP was a keeper when I treated her to an all inclusive ski holiday for a date after we hadn't been together for long.
Her father was not so keen when I dropped her off at home and my Astra estate still had crumpled sleeping bags and duvets in the back from us sleeping in Glencoes car park all weekend. It was perfect sun and snow conditions for alfresco fornicating boarding
I've had my best days there at Glencoe and Nevis. Lecht and Glenshee feel tame in comparison. Proper Alps like conditions but without the prices. On a sunny weekend day expect long lift queues though, particularly at Glencoe. If you don't like queueing then simply go on a day when you can't see more than a few feet in front of you.
If you go to Glencoe try the macaroni pie and chips in the tin hut canteen - it really is a thing of wonder but be quick as they tend to sell out mid-way through lunchtime.
Anyone know if the cafe/bar at the bottom of Glencoe has been re-built yet? And what the car park camping situation is there for vans these days?
Glencoe cafe bar at the car park has been rebuilt.
The big news on there website for this season was a wired Internet connection at the plateau cafe, for the contact less to work more reliably.
Hopefully the new chairlift might get a bit more use this year?
Flexibility is key to any snowsport in Scotland. If you need to book in advance it is an absolute lottery. Your chosen dates could be epic powder or nothing.
If you do need to book in advance then you need to be prepared (mentally and practically) to do something else if there's no snow.
I live within sight of Cairngorm, unless the snow is epic there I go to Nevis.
This for me too, although I'm not in sight of Cairngorm. I mostly tour but in good conditions I'm happy to pay at Nevis because of the terrain it gives access to. Cairngorm are never getting my money again, the last time i paid for a ticket there i ended up spending the day skinning up and skiing down as it was quicker than waiting in the lift queue. And that was with the funicular running.
It's very hit and miss.
I too have skied Cairngorm Mt to be blown up the slope due to strong winds. However I once had one of the best days skiing ever on Nevis Range, where the visibility was challenging but fresh powder and hardly a soul out that day.
I’ve skied in Scotland, all the above is true. For those of us in Southern climes, the driving time to the Geneva area is broadly 9 hours. Same as heading to Scotland ski areas, but easier driving.
Yeah, same here. I've skied in Cairngorm but for those of us down south, you have to plan well in advance, which is just too risky IMO. I drove Bristol to the Grand Massif in about 14 hours at Easter this year. Brilliant week, cheap accommodation, quiet slopes.
I have had a few great days in Scotland but probably more poor days and also this
I too have skied Cairngorm Mt to be blown up the slope due to strong winds
If the snow comes I will be up in Scotland between xmas and NY but its looking 50/50 at best right now, but Im only just south of the border. Ive done Eurostar/TGV to Bourg St Maurice in a relaxed day, so if I was in Hertfordshire say, thats what I would do.
FWIW (and its not much) Medium term/10d snow forecast has Glencoe/Nevis looking the best bet.
There is zero base though. Glencoe can fill in fast mind.
A good starting point for a view of conditions across the different areas is to check Winterhighland, https://www.winterhighland.info/general/
Webcams at most of the areas (other than Cairngorm, you have to find those on their own site, https://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/live-webcams/ ) give a really good idea of what actual snow conditions are like.
Most areas now rely almost exclusively on snow making to cover a beginner zone, which then gets replenished overnight, so that at least beginner lessons and sliding can take place. We were skiing last Saturday on the hills around the Lecht (very local to us), but there was no base, and almost all of that snow has now gone (below 900m), so we're back to square 1.