Aviemore ski resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Aviemore

Resort Reviews

Ski holidays in Scotland first started when Aviemore became one of the first ski resorts to be established with the opening of the chairlift in 1961. Aviemore is in the Cairngorm National Park in the east section of the Scottish Highlands and can be reached from Edinburgh or Glasgow in about 2 hours by car. Its got around 2500 permanent residents although the population swells to tens of thousands in the summer and winter tourist months.

Aviemore - Cairngorms ski area guide

The skiable terrain of the Cairngorm National Park covers 598 hectares and offers excellent skiing and boarding for everyone from beginners to experts alike with the season normally starting in December and ending at the start of April depending on snow conditions.

Skiing is spread right throughout the Spey Valley with the main area - Cairngorm Mountain - being a nine mile drive from the town centre of Aviemore via the Glenmore access road.

Whilst CairnGorm Mountain is the main ski area closest to Aviemore, the park has two other ski resorts:

  • The Lecht is in the north east of the park and is more of a family resort with a relaxed atmosphere and is especially good for beginners
  • Glenshee has the most extensive ski terrian with 25 lifts and 38 runs stretching across four mountains and three valleys. It is about 9 miles south of Braemar
Key information (whole area)
Altitude 550m
Top lift 1100m
Family
Beginner
Intermediate
Expert
Piste (km) 30
Longest run 2 km
Off piste
Cross country 60 km
Season Dec - April
Snowboard parks 1
Heli Skiing ✘
Summer skiing ✘
Glacier skiing ✘
Babysitting ✘
Creche ✔
Apres ski Lively & Fun
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Beginners

There are nursery areas both on the lower slopes and on the large plateaux at the top of the funicular at 1100m which takes just 6 minutes from the base station.

Intermediate

Intermediates are well catered for with a variety of easy and demanding pistes spread over two linked coires.

Advanced

Advanced skiers and boarders will enjoy the East and West walls and the Ciste Gully. If moguls are your passion then the White Lady Bumps take some beating or why not try the challenging M1 run.

Mountain climbing

The Cairngorms offer some of the best mountain climbing in Britain and with good reason - there is a large variety of routes from the easy to the extremely challenging. Mountain climbing is as popular in winter as it is in summer although if you are after scenic beauty, the snow-capped granite peaks take some beating.

Some of the more popular climbs are Coire an t-Sneachda (the Gaelic name means Hollow of the Snows), Coire an Lochain (Hollow of the Small Lakes) and further afield are Hell’s Lum, Stag Rocks and Stac an Fharaidh

Snowboard & Cross Country

Snow boarders can enjoy the exhilarating terrain park and families can use the sledge park located at the top of the mountain. Sledges can be hired from the Shop at the Top.

The Cairngorms offer great cross-country skiing with many dedicated forest trails for the sport. The main areas are in the Rothiemurchus Estate, Inshriach, Glenmore Forests and the Glenlivet Estate.

Things to see & do

If the weather is pretty awful and skiing is not possible, walking and mountain biking through the trails on the Rothiemurchus Estate, Inshriach and Glenmore forests can be perfect compensation for losing a day on the slopes. Other winter activities on the Cairngorm Mountain include:

  • Ice climbing
  • Clay pigeon shooting
  • Guided winter walks and wildlife rambles

Après-ski

Après-ski tends to be what you make of it. There is a good selection of restaurants, bars and clubs. With the Cairngorm Brewery situated inside the town, most pubs offer the full selection of the award winning beers including the "Sheepshaggers Gold" and "Tradewinds". Aviemore has two nightclubs where you can dance the night away to the early hours.

Eating out is variable from quick and simple to sophisticated. The Bridge Inn down by the river has a good reputation as does Littlejohn's serving American style food.

Featured properties

Self catering properties in Aviemore are plentiful especially if you have a car. The towns and villages through Badenoch and Strathspey are close by and retain a more distinctly traditional highland feel. Nethybridge, Kincraig and Carrbridge are popular and retain more of a village atmosphere.

Groups will find excellent value to be had in self-catering apartments and cottages close to the Aviemore centre. Those on a budget could try the hostels in Aviemore or Glenmore - and use the regular ski bus to and from the slopes.

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Our views on Aviemore - Cairngorms

We think that Aviemore and the surrounding Cairngorm mountains are a mecca for those seeking outdoor thrills. It is conveniently situated in the Highlands for easy access to Inverness where more tourist attractions are on offer. Some suggestions...

  • A day at nearby Loch an Eilein (loch of the island) in the Rothiemurchus Estate with its 13th century island castle
  • Hike to Scotland's highest Loch called Etchachan
  • Mystical tour of Loch Ness starting from Inverness

If you like Aviemore, you may also want to take a look at these other ski resorts...