Snowboarding and skiing in Scotland

If you love skiing or snowboarding, we highly advise you come and hit the slopes of Scotland. You will be familiar with the iconic, wild landscape of our country, but you may not have been up close and personal with Scotland in the snow. When the snow-capped mountains surround you, the panoramic views impress, and the crisp white vistas take your breath away.

There are five fantastic ski resorts in Scotland which we cover in this post. All offer an exciting and friendly environment in which to enjoy a day on the slopes. Well-maintained, manmade slopes promise easy and fun skiing. With reliable lifts and chair lifts you can relax on the uphills and thrill-seek on the downhills! With on-site cafes, ski schools and hire stores, these centres are fully equipped to help you make the most of your day.

Whether you are coming as a family, a group of friends, with a partner, or by yourself, there are many places to stay and ski in Scotland. So, hold on to your helmet, you are in for a fun ride as we go over some of the best skiing locations in Scotland.

Skip to sections:

• Scotland ski resorts
• Ski conditions in Scotland
• Map of ski mountains in Scotland

Can you ski in Scotland?

The answer is yes, you can ski in Scotland and there are many great locations to undertake this adventurous snowy sport. The Scots love the seasonal shift between autumn and winter, mainly because it starts to become colder and crisper, and the chance of seeing snow increases. Those ski-hungry Scots head straight to the mountains as soon as it comes!

Scotland ski resorts

Scotland boasts some fantastic ski resorts covering a large portion of the country, serving the local areas with a brilliant canvas to enjoy skiing and snowboarding, as well as other winter sports. Visitors to Scotland during the winter and early spring will be able to enjoy them too, with the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, Perthshire, and the West Coast all boasting brilliant slopes, high-tech lifts, and lots of snow! Read on to discover Scotland’s ski centres.

Cairngorm Ski Resort

The Cairngorm Ski Centre is the highest in Scotland and is found in the Cairngorm National Park. This resort is a hotspot for ski lovers, locals, and visitors alike between December and April. Serving the Highlands this is a wonderful attraction for those who like to partake in a little snow sport, but also for those who are looking for tuition or practice. You can pre-book lessons, hire your kit on site, and take to the slopes for some snowy fun. A family-friendly location, you get skiers of all ages here and with a range of slopes of different difficulty, there is something to suit everyone. There is a lovely big cafe opposite the hiring centre where you can enjoy good food, hot coffee and cake, either on the raised terrace or inside beside the cosy wood burner. You can read all about the Cairngorms in our helpful guide. 

Nevis Range Snowsports

Set just 6 miles from Fort William, this ski resort is the highest snow sport destination in Scotland, cradled by Scotland’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. The resort offers lots to its visitors, with around 12 miles of pisted ski slopes, 13 lifts to get you around, a mixture of easy, intermediate and difficult runs and an impressive elevation of 1,221 metres. Suitable for beginners and experts this is a family-friendly location and can be the perfect introduction to skiing and snowboarding. For the very experienced, there are some off-piste sections which are known as the ‘gem’ of Scottish skiing but we don’t recommend these to the average skier.

Whether you plan a half or full day, you can refuel and recharge in the Pine Martin Cafe or the Snow Goose Restaurant. Delicious food and drink await. For more ideas on what to do in the area, check out our guide to Fort William.

Glencoe Mountain Resort

This resort is Scotland’s oldest and is set in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it’s no wonder with its amazing views of Buachaille Etive Mor – an iconic 5-mile long four-peak ridge. Some say there is nowhere more beautiful to hit the slopes and we would strongly agree, seeing as you will be surrounded by grand scenery at every turn. It also holds the snow-holding record and sometimes you can ski here in May!

The resort is home to the longest and steepest ski and snowboard run in Scotland, but as well as the more daring, there are plenty of gentle slopes for those who want it easy, and those who are just starting. There’s a great ski school for those looking to learn new skills from a kind professional, and slopes that allow sledging, so if you are coming with some younger members, there is something for them too. There is a cafe, open seven days a week, which serves hot food until 7.30pm so you can refuel with some yummy grub after a full day out on the slopes. 

Lecht Ski Centre - the best for beginners!

We would recommend the Lecht Ski Centre as being the best one for beginners, simply because of its size. It is a smaller-scale ski resort with a few very easy beginner-friendly slopes. These slopes are low gradient, and have a single Poma lift. Take some time to practice here and when you feel more confident, take on the likes of the ‘Eagle', ‘Osprey', and ‘Ptarmigan’. You will find a nice mix of lifts here including a chair lift and T-bar lift. You can hire ski kit on site, book lessons with the ski school, or warm up with coffee and cake in the cafe which offers a nice view of the slopes. This is a really cool spot set on one of the highest roads in the UK! 

Please note, the car park is beside the main road, so please keep children supervised at all times.

Glenshee Ski Centre

This ski centre is the largest in Scotland covering over 3 square miles, boasting 21 lifts and tows, and takes in four spectacular mountains. Who wouldn’t want to ski here? There are 36 runs, one of which goes on for over a mile – ‘Glas Maol’. This is set in Perthshire and offers a mix of pisted and un-pisted slopes, elegant bowls and skinny gullies – the terrain is unmatched. With beautifully maintained routes, you can be promised a fun day of easy skiing and the whole family will love a day out here. For more information on the surrounding area of Perthshire, read our helpful guide. 

If you want to learn or improve your skills, you can book a class with the Glenshee ski school where they have great snowboarding and ski teachers just waiting to share their talent. This is a family-friendly resort that has a range of different slopes suiting all ages and abilities. Don’t have the kit? Don’t worry, you can hire everything on site. 

Ski conditions in Scotland

Whilst we cannot always rely on Scottish weather to perform the way we would like, at any time of year, we do often get brilliant winters with lots of snow. For the best snow to fall, it needs to be very cold but dry, so when the snow falls it lies and doesn’t melt. It is more common to get snow lying well up in the mountains, which is perfect for ski conditions. Perfect skiing snow is thick and fluffy, the kind your skis can grip for a smooth ride. Wet, slushy snow can cause accidents, and icy patches can make for some unpleasant falls.

There are many apps and websites that can help you track the weather, and all the ski centres have webcams via which you can see the conditions online. You can also follow their social media pages for weather updates. Some weather websites and apps to consider are:

Map of ski mountains in Scotland

Here is a map of Scotland’s ski resorts to help you locate them and plan your next visit.

Self-catering cottages for a skiing holiday

We hope you have enjoyed our guide to Scotland’s ski resorts. If we have inspired you to come and hit the Scottish slopes, check out our self-catering cottages which can provide the perfect base for your snowy adventures.