Skiing

Update: sleeper train was delayed for an hour.

Got on to Glencoe access lift just before 11am.

Whiteout at the top, lovely spring snow, very windy, slush at mid station.

Did a few runs down the blue side then went over and found Spring Run which was ace. Just about to lap it for the second time, with the sun coming out .... then boom, mountain closed due to 70mph gusts forecast.

Rainbow on the lift back down.

Haggis baked tattie and games of pool in the cafe now.

A real mixed bag, but glad we came. Good to know how possible it is.

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sounds like you got a pretty good taste of Scottish skiing!

Fair comment!

The archetypal scottish ski trip, grew up with it! I've had good luck with the weather the last 5 or 6 years though. Sorry you didnt get more luck, baked tattie looks banging at least.

Hopefully you get a trip up again soon.

Very specific question. Does anyone know if travel insurance is likely to cover the cost of a stolen pair of rental skis? I say stolen, I assume someone has just picked up the wrong pair but I don't want to pay a few hundred quid because someone has had one too many beers and can't remember their name.

a lot of rental skis include insurance by default, so worth checking that.

otherwise, you'd really need to check with your travel insurance company

The rental place l made a point of mentioning that theft wasn't covered in the insurance they provided. I'll read the small print of the travel insurance. Such a ball ache!

ugh that really sucks, what's the point of their insurance then ?!

good luck, hope you get it sorted

In my, limited, experience of reading insurance policies, lost rental skis are covered by the ski add on, if you have it. Not by a standard travel policy.

Sorry you didnt get more luck

To be honest, it was totally worth it, we have had a great little trip.

After the mountain closed and the potato, we played some pool, got a taxi up to Fort William, marvelling at scenery as we went. Then a couple of hours in the library and mooching round the shops before getting the sunset train back down to Bridge of Orchy.

The train bride across Rannoch was worth the trip alone. It is incredibly beautiful.

A very nice dinner in the Bridge of Orchy Hotel before grabbing the sleeper back home.

All in all a brilliant mini break with a bit of skiing thrown in for good measure.

Pub, not library. That is a Freudian auto correct, if ever I saw one.

Anyone else?

I meant to reply here. Quite often folk lift the wrong pair of rental skis but then hand them back into the rental shop, sometimes even that evening. (If it happens again) Worth checking, as they usually stock control them with bar codes now as well.

Just got a message from my hotel in Iran - the snow is shit and they might be closing the resort early before I get there. fml

Oh dear. Does your travel insurance cover that?

Not sure, but I'm there mainly to see Iran - was just going to ski for a few days at the start. Will make the most of it and go running in the lower mountains for a few days instead if needs be.

See above. If you have the ski specific insurance add on, it will probably cover it.

they might be closing the resort

May not be too late to get the add on...

Epic skiing again here..

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Mondole ski region, there aren’t many pistes or lifts, but the hiking and cross country skiing looks very challenging.

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Clear skies tee shirt weather

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Full moon for night time skiing

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Last couple of days like this, crowds left Monday night..

fresh snow
Fog and rain
spring warmth
risk of avalanches
empty pistes
no queues

still the mountain bars are open..
..until 21 April apparently

I told the kids they need to experience all weathers to appreciate skiing.

My Beloved is the mountains,
the solitary wooded valleys,
strange islands,
the roaring torrents,
the whisper of amorous gales,
the tranquil night
at the approach of dawn,
silent music
murmuring of solitude

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Beautiful

Still amazing, and the sunset, swoon...
Also pleased I took some of my cycling gear for the milder weather conditions.

Rapha winter bibtights
MTB gloves
Craft base-layers
Gilet

Some days only wore spyder bibshorts, base layer, tee shirt and fingerless gloves. Last day the graded pistes have churned a bit and won’t recover methinks, we were extremely lucky though, a lot of km covered this week plus a bit of snow-shoe hiking to break the routine of wooosh.. I think I have done more skiing this time than any other trip, both black runs four times yesterday afternoon, today shorts again and plenty of ‘final day let’s cram the last couple of hours’.. hoping I have some energy for the cobblemonster on sunday in Babylon-don

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A bit overdue but a couple of pics from my trip to Lofoten a couple of weeks ago:

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