The first Torridon Walking Festival – the area thought to be the inspiration for Middle Earth in Tolkein’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ — promises exceptional choices for scaling iconic summits and exploring local forest footpaths. The Festival aims to entice both adventure seekers and low level trekkers to experience some of the best walking in Scotland.
Summer holidays with a young family can be a nightmare when trying to find accommodation that is not too expensive, or even somewhere that will welcome babies and toddlers. Fraoch Lodge in Boat of Garten village (in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park), have decided to actively encourage young families to stay with them. They offer flexible meal arrangements, free babysitting services, and variety of family friendly activities in the beautiful Scottish highlands.
With its long, sunny days, the summer often inspires people to take to the outdoors and undertake a more active lifestyle. But when the schools go back and colder days set in, it can be difficult to keep up that motivation. The Outdoor Capital of the UK, however, encourages people to sustain their summer activity throughout the autumn via their calendar of exciting sporting events.
It may be the summer holidays, but for avid skiers and snowboarders the real highlight of the year — the winter season — isn’t that far away. Bargain hunters dreaming of heading to the snow can now book great value flights from the North’s leading leisure airline Jet2.com to top ski resorts in the Alps from December 2011 to April 2012.
This weekend will see every ski run at Scotland’s five ski areas open simultaneously for the first time in 15 years.
Heather Negus, Chair of
All pistes across Scotland’s five mountain ski resorts (Nevis Range, Glenshee, Cairngorm, the Lecht and Glencoe) are expected to be in full swing tomorrow (Saturday), according to
Stewart Davidson, Director of Glenshee Ski Centre, said: “So far we’ve had a great season. Already, we’ve had more full ski days than we did in the whole of last year and, with the season not due to come to a close until the middle of April, we’re expecting a tremendous year all round.”
Scotland’s mountain ski areas are on track for another good snowsports season, with latest figures showing a 3% increase on last year, which itself was an outstanding season. “We are absolutely delighted to be slightly ahead of last year”, said Chair of
Dozens of skiers and snowboarders have taken to the slopes in the Highlands as early snows signalled a start to the season. CairnGorm Mountain, near Aviemore, said that more than 130 people had taken advantage of the snowfall only 145 days after the end of last season.
Read more on Ski season opens in Scotland
Scottish snow sports resorts are being disadvantaged because VAT is being charged on ski lifts which are being classed as private transport, it is claimed. Highlands and Islands MSP Dave Thompson has taken the issue up with Danny Alexander, the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, whose constituency covers the Cairngorms. Mr Thompson argues that rules on VAT dating back to 1973 state that only vehicles capable of carrying more than ten passengers can be classed as public transport and be exempt from the imposition of the tax.
Read more on Scottish ski resort VAT charges
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