st martins house - Aspire Magazine

Cairngorms National Park
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www.stmartinshouse.com
An Unforgettable Experience
In The Cairngorms
There are lots of amazing places in the UK which all
have something special about them, but Britain's largest
National Park, the Cairngorms, offers an unforgettable
experience that’s not to be missed. The mountains that
have given the Park its name have not only shaped the
people, culture, natural heritage, scenery and character
of the area, but they also attract tourists from all over the
world - 1.4 million to be exact.
The Cairngorms is Britain's highest and most massive
mountain range, sealing its legendary status for outdoors
enthusiasts. As a mecca for those who love the outdoors,
the Cairngorms has an array of activities on offer on the
mountain, down in the valley, on the golf course or on
your bike; there is something for everyone.
Whether it’s on the mountain, down in the valley, on
the golf course or on your bike, there’s a multitude of
exhilarating activities that can be enjoyed here, whatever
the weather. Three of Scotland’s five ski centres are within
the Park: CairnGorm Mountain near Aviemore, Glenshee
near Braemar and the Lecht 2090 near Tomintoul all boast
exceptional pistes, as well as modern facilities.
However, in warmer months, the mountains can still
be enjoyed, with an array of mountain biking, walking
or even wildlife spotting opportunities on offer. Most
people are so enchanted by their surroundings whilst in
the Cairngorms, a walk is a must; follow footpaths across
every landscape available, from moor and woodland,
riverside to loch edge and even beautiful farmland.
If adrenaline pumping activities aren’t your thing, a visit
to the Cairngorms is still a must, thanks to the numerous
castles and distilleries just waiting to be explored. Famous
for its malt whisky trail through Speyside, as well as the
Cairngorm Brewery company, who produce traditional,
award-winning ales, the Cairngorms is a must for whisky
lovers. If you’d rather walk in the footsteps of our Scottish
ancestors, there are numerous sites that tell the stories
of Royal fueds and bloody battles just waiting to be
seen. Highland traditions are also still very much alive in
amongst a rich cultural heritage.
With ancient pine forests, arctic mountain tops, lochs,
rivers and moorland, the Cairngorms contain some of the
best wildlife habitats in the UK; in fact the region is home
to a quarter of the UK's threatened species.
Nowhere else in the British Isles can visitors enjoy such a
collection of outstanding environments in one place, in
such a variety of different ways. For more info on holidays
to this stunning area, please visit www.cairngorms.co.uk
Facts & Figures
• The Park is 4528 sq kilometres in area, over
twice the size of the Lake District and Loch
Lomond and the Trossachs
• Five of Scotland's six highest mountains are
within the Cairngorms
• It’s home to the finest collection of different
landforms outside arctic Canada - from granite
tors to heavings and leavings from Ice Age
glaciers
• The forests of the Cairngorms contain remnants
of the original Caledonian pine forest and
includes a rare kind of pinewood found only in
Scotland and Norway
• It’s home to over 17,000 people, living in
substantial towns, villages, hamlets, and houses
in the countryside
• It is thought that at least 1.4m people visited
the Park in 2007 - 1.1m to Badenoch and
Strathspey alone
Adventure In The Making At
Glenshee Ski Centre
Explore Royal Deeside, The Cairngorms and beyond…
WalkDeeside Ltd is a family-run provider of bespoke guided walking holidays in
Scotland. Based in the heart of Royal Deeside, we’re ideally placed to share with you
the sights, sounds and smells which make this beautiful area and its rich natural and
cultural heritage so special. With scenic Royal Deeside walks accessible in 1 hour
from Aberdeen, that means less time travelling, more time exploring.
Visit www.walkdeeside.com to view our quality selection of outdoor
adventures in Royal Deeside, The Cairngorms and beyond or contact
us on 013398 80081 or alan@walkdeeside.com to create a bespoke
package tailored to your requirements.
30 ASPIRE
Buchaille Etive Mor,
artist Peter Goodfellow, Oil.
Telephone for your free brochure
The Lost Gallery
Strathdon, Aberdeenshire AB36 8UJ
Tel/ Fax: 019756 51287
Lost
The
Scottish
Contemorary Art
Gallery
Open 6 days 11am - 5pm closed Tuesdays
By appointment at other times
Website: www.lostgallery.co.uk Email: Jean@lostgallery.co.uk
Winter is a great time of year to experience the thrill
of a skiing or snowboarding break. Although there
are numerous excellent places around the world
that offer challenging piste runs, Aspire would like to
recommend the variety of natural terrain, as well as
the stunning scenery of Scotland.
Scotland easily rivals The Continent for excellent skiing
and snowboarding opportunities and as the snow begins
to fall, the Cairngorms National Park becomes the top
destination for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities.
Situated within the Cairngorms, Glenshee Ski Centre
offers excellent skiing and snowboarding opportunities in
central Scotland, just off the A93. Boasting an impressive
23 lifts (three of which are chair lifts) and 36 runs totalling
40km, Glenshee caters for skiers and snowboarders of all
abilities; it’s now the largest ski centre in the UK.
Stewart Davidson from Glenshee told Aspire: “Glenshee
was established in 1961 by members of the Dundee
Ski Club and has evolved naturally over the years into
the ski centre you see today. We offer something for
everyone, from invitingly easy to the surprisingly steep
and our longest piste run is 2km. To ensure as much
piste time as possible, we have the facilities to make
20,000 square metres of artificial snow, enabling visitors
to make the most of their time here. Last winter, we had
an exceptional season, with snow fall in mid-November
right through to Easter. However, our usual winter season
lasts from late December until March; anything outside of
these months is a bonus. During the skiing season, we are
open from 8:30am until 5pm every day, seven days a week
and we have everything you need right here onsite.”
Covering 2,000 acres, Glenshee (Gaelic for ‘Glen of
the Fairies’) provides the most extensive skiing and
snowboarding in Scotland, over four mountains and three
valleys. It offers challenging slopes as well as nursery
slopes for beginners.
As well as 40km of runs onsite, Glenshee also boasts
three restaurants – two on the pistes and Base Café at the
bottom of the hill, making it an ideal meeting place – ski
hire – hiring everything for adults and children, from skis
and boards, to boots and jackets – and a shop, which
sells a variety of skiing and boarding accessories. There
is also a ski school onsite offering tuition for skiers and
snowboarders of all abilities.
Stewart added: “Glenshee Ski Centre flanks the highest
public road in Scotland, at 650m (2132ft) above sea level,
which runs through the Cairnwell pass, formerly one of
For more information, please visit
www.ski-glenshee.co.uk
the main historic drive routes from the Highlands to the
Lowlands. This means that Glenshee is pretty unique;
it has access onto the piste directly from the road. Plus,
we’re pretty centrally located making us easy to get to
from anywhere in Scotland. We’re also the most southerly
Scottish ski centre, making us the ideal destination for
skiers and snowboarders from the Aspire region.”
Aspire Sales Manager, Stacey Wragg, recently awarded
Glenshee Ski Centre an Aspire Certificate of Recognition
for Best Outdoor Experience 2012. She says: “Glenshee Ski
Centre offers so much. Not only is it within reach of the
Aspire region, it also offers exceptional skiing, catering for
all abilities. With the first winter snow falls now underway,
I would like to encourage everyone who wants to have a
go at this thrilling sport, or anyone who has already been
enticed by the snow, to travel to Glenshee this ski season
and see for yourself just why we’ve selected them for this
Certificate of Recognition.”
Prices for a full day’s skiing at Glenshee range from £12 for
a junior beginner to £17 for an adult beginner and from
£18 for an experienced junior to £28 for an experienced
adult. For more information or an up-to-date snow report,
please call 01339 741320 (press 1 for a snow report) or
email info@ski-glenshee.co.uk
ASPIRE 31