Skiing in Royal Deeside

If you’re planning a skiing holiday this winter and want something a little bit different from the Alps or Aspen you might want to try Scotland.  There are five ski resorts, all close together. On the western side you’ll find Glenshee, Cairngorm and the Lecht Resort. The Nevis Range and Glencoe are on the Eastern side of the country. This post will concentrate on the resorts in the West. A future post will look more closely at Nevis and Glencoe.

The Three Resorts are located very close together making it possible to ski more than one of them on the same vacation. Their close proximity to some of Scotland’s main cities and tourist attractions also means that the skiing can be combined with some sightseeing and an amazing choice of accommodation.

Located near Braemar in Royal Deeside, Glenshee is the largest and oldest of the Scottish Ski Resorts with 36 runs. Braemar is home to the Braemar Gathering and Highland Games which are regularly attended by members of the Royal Family. The Scottish home of the Queen and her family is nearby Balmoral Castle. Balmoral has an estate that extends to over 50,000 acres of Hills and woodlands. Vacation cottages that will accommodate large families or parties of up to 5, 7 or even 13 guests can be rented on the estate. Balmoral lies just under half way between Glenshee and the Lecht Ski Resort.

The area gets its name from the River Dee which travels 85 Miles from its source at Braeriach to Aberdeen and is well known for its excellent salmon fishing. However, fishing isn’t the only sport that Scotland is famous for. The area has many excellent golf courses and the world famous ‘Home of Golf’, St Andrews is only about 65 miles south of Glenshee, across the River Tay.

Perth and Dundee also lie to the South of Glenshee (About 35 miles). Perth is Scotland’s former Capital City and home to Scone Palace where 42 of Scotland’s Kings were crowned. Dundee on the Bank of the River Tay is known for its sea faring and industrial heritage. Captain Scott’s famous Antarctic expedition ship R.R.S. Discovery is berthed here.

Just to the North of Glenshee is the Cairngorms National Park and its here, close to the town of Avimore, that you’ll find what is perhaps Britain’s best known skiing area Cairngorm. The Cairngorms is Britain’s newest National park, made up of moorlands, forests, rivers, lochs and glens and is home to 25% of Britain’s threatened birds, animals, and plants.

From here it’s possible to make a day trip to Loch Ness to see if you can spot the fabled Loch Ness Monster. On the way to Loch Ness you’ll pass through Inverness and close to Culloden Moor where in 1746 the Jacobites, under Bonnie Prince Charlie, were defeated by British forces. Of course a visit to Scotland wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a Scottish Whisky Distillery. And why stop at one when you’re close enough to enjoy Scotland’s Malt Whisky Trail?

Have you been to the area? Are you a skier? What are your suggestions and recommendations for this area of Scotland? We’d love to have your suggestions and ideas so please take a moment to comment below.