Outdoor enthusiasts head to the outdoor capital of the UK

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.

Scottish snow lovers Jet2 the piste

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.

Grown ups ski free at Chill Factore this summer

In an unusual twist on the usual “one free child with every paying adult” offer, Manchester’s Chill Factore indoor snow centre is offering one free adult lift ticket for every paying child up to 31st August 2011. For every full paying junior, a parent goes free on a range of activities including Ski/Snowboard Taster Lessons, main slope lift passes, Sledging and snow fun activities such as Tubing, The Luge ice slide and Snowplay.

Time to clean up the Cairngorms

Eco friendly skiers and boarders living or holidaying in Northern Scotland are being encouraged to join in the Ski Club of Great Britain’s annual clean up of Scottish ski areas in a fortnight’s time. Back for its fourth year, the Ski Club’s annual ‘Big Spring Clean’, which is run as part of our Respect the Mountain campaign, returns on Sunday 12 June and this year will not only be tackling the damaging litter left on the slopes by mountain users at CairnGorm Mountain and the Nevis Range but also, new for 2011, at a third resort Glenshee – the closest to Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and Edinburgh.

Every ski run in Scotland open for first time in 15 years

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 ski-scotland, said: “This promises to be an amazing weekend, with every piste in Scotland open, awesome snow conditions and sunny overhead weather forecast. Indeed, we believe this is the first time for at least 15 years that all our pistes at the five mountain ski areas have been open simultaneously.

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 ski-scotland. However skiers and boarders are advised to check conditions and weather before leaving home as mountain weather can change rapidly, and is not always as forecast.

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.”

http://ski.visitscotland.com/

Chances of singles falling in love increase at Nevis Range

Singles are invited to take to the slopes of Aonach Mor near Fort William for a day of falling in the snow, which, who knows, may eventually lead to them falling in love on St Valentines day. Dr Niall G MacFarlane of Glasgow University says the chances of falling in love on the slopes can be higher than elsewhere.

Interesting times for freestyle skiers and snowboarders

The freestyle snowsports season is in full swing. Last week, the world’s best freestyle skiers and snowboarders gathered in Aspen, Colorado, from 27 to 30 January for the Winter X Games 15. This week the World Ski Freestyle Championship will take place in Deer Valley, USA.