Can our man ski every one of Scotland's five ski resorts in just one day?
By Paul English
SNOW sport fan Paul English takes to the hills as he aims to ski every one of Scotland's five ski resorts in just one day.
Paul Chappells
Paul's ski-a-thon took him 250 miles around Scotland
WE may be heading for summer but the Scottish slopes are the place to be.
The prospect of summertime skiing for weeks to come with an estimated £23million boost to the economy, much of that being spent on accommodation, shops and fuel.
We sent snow sport fan Paul English into the hills to ski every one of the five Scottish ski resorts in a day.
Wake up, Callater Lodge Guesthouse. Braemar, Aberdeenshire. 6.30am.
Only two things can get me out of bed at 6.30am – fire and snow. Running from one and playing in the other.
Braemar, the closest town to Britain's largest ski resort of Glenshee, is divided.
Last night in the pub, three disgruntled gents who'd paid a lot of money for a guided Deeside fishing trip eyed myself and Record snapper Chappers with envy.
"The river isn't high enough," one grumbled. "The snow hasn't melted yet." We stifled our delight. It's salmon fishing versus Salomon ski gear in the battle for outdoor pursuits.
And for once, we're getting a chance to play in the hills long after the clocks changed. So put your tackle away, chaps.
Drive nine miles to Glenshee Ski Centre, Aberdeenshire. Arrive 7.45am.
Word is you could be standing next to an heir to the throne at this sprawling snow zone and not know it.
It's their favourite – after Klosters, naturally – with granny's Balmoral pad conveniently up the road.
They ski incognito and, depending on who you believe, without security guards. Nobody would recognise Prince Harry with his (ski) clothes on anyway.
We're on the first lift of the day with the sun kissing the top of the mountains and briefly have this magnificent Deeside playground all to ourselves but two tantalising runs on the front slopes and we're back into the car.
We feel like the guys on Bullseye, contemplating "what you could have won" – a day's skiing in sunshine on spring snow on 40km of pisted runs.
Depart Glenshee. Drive 31 miles to The Lecht Ski Centre, Corgarff, Aberdeenshire. Arrive 9.30am.
Paul Chappells/Daily Record
I feel as if I know the A939. It's those Radio Scotland travel bulletins, delivering bad news about Corgarff in the thick of winter. It's one of Britain's highest, and arguably most scenic, road.
I put my near-ditching of the motor down to altitude sickness. Nothing to do with excitedly pointing out a curlew flying overhead.
When we arrive at The Lecht, the chairlift isn't running. But there's enough snow to keep families and learners cheerfully occupied.
Chappers eyes the play area with giant inner tubes mischievously. But we're here to work, so a quick slide and it's back into the car.
Depart The Lecht. Drive 44 miles to Cairngorm Mountain, Aviemore, Inverness-shire. Arrive 11.55am.
The overflow car park is overflowing. Skiers and boarders dot Cairngorm Ski Area's 22 runs like vermicelli on a giant ginger bread, the mountains' benign beauty entirely at odds with the recent reality of death and avalanches.
The funicular railway creeps up the hill to the country's highest restaurant, and a smorgasbord of accents tells you this isn't a ski centre, it's a ski resort.
As the midday sun warms the snow, Cairngorm is as satisfying as the continent.
It's modern, cosmopolitan, abundantly white, bathed in cloudless blue skies and all 22 runs are open. But the clock is ticking and we worry there'll be no snow left at Nevis Range.
Depart Cairngorm Mountain. Drive 66 miles to Nevis Range, Torlundy, Fort William, Inverness-shire. Arrive 2.05pm
The gondola ride up to Scotland's highest ski area feels like being suspended in a scenic slow cooker.
As we climb, dramatic clouds of smoke from wild fires up the west coast can be seen, the bizarre consequences of the prolonged cold, dry spell.
There's less white stuff here than at the others but still more than enough to play on and talk is of May skiing on the summit. But time is against us, so it's one run and down.
Depart Nevis Range. Drive 35 miles to Glencoe Mountain, Kingshouse, Argyll. Arrive 4.30pm.
Arrive at Scotland's original ski resort, opened 56 years ago, to see chairlift traffic going one way – down.
We're allowed up to the plateau and are treated to the Coe in its snowy pomp.
Low springtime sun bathes every one of the 19 runs, including the famous Flypaper and Etive Glades. The lift man tells us they had 500 people here today and 900 at the weekend.
There's only time to conquer the beginners' slopes and for Chappers to score the first fall of the day.
Refuel in the Glencoe café and eye the four micro lodges for folk who just can't drag themselves away. But we must.
Depart Glencoe Mountain. Drive 75 miles to Xscape, Braehead, Renfrewshire. Arrive 7.30pm.
Open boot of car to discover skis were left two-and-a-half hours away in Glencoe, so we hire a pair at Braehead's Snow Factor and bag the day's last unconquered snow centre in Scotland.
Resolve to return to Glencoe to pick up skis later in the week. Seems as good a reason as any.
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