As Easy As 1, 2, 3 - The Fun of Skiing Scotland

After a snowy start to 2026, Henry headed North to discover Scottish skiing - to realise a dream long held, and to explore how an industry left on its knees is celebrating an epic winter.

The sun rose – barely – out the window of the train as it wound its way higher and higher and deeper and deeper into the Scottish Highlands. There was barely anyone else onboard, and who could fault them? The snow had been falling thick and fast over the previous few days and this, the first train of the day on Friday out of Glasgow towards the Highlands, was doubtful to get through.

As the light broke through, it did so on a winter idyl. Snow lay thick on the ground, on the rooves of houses, and even thick in the branches of the firs, proof that when it had snowed it had snowed properly, and recently too.

The cold hit me instantly as I stepped off the train at Aviemore; not just the difference in humidity and temperature from a damp Glasgow three hours earlier, but somehow that cold that is full of anticipation, driven home by the utter silence of the station once the train had roared off towards Inverness.

Stepping out of the station I joined a cluster of other travellers, some wrapped in hiking gear but others, like me, dressed to ski huddled together waiting for a bus on to the heart of the Cairngorms.

I’d forgotten when Scotland’s last good snow year had been. There was certainly 2020/21 – shuttered entirely by COVID – and in these parts I’m sure they’d tell me stories of good days amidst the bleakness. Faction even made a film in the Highlands on skiing Scotland, showing the seemingly endless bad mixed in with the rare, stunning shots of gloriousness that has become a byline for Scottish skiing.

But this year was different. With cold, cold weather, tonnes of snow, and my Instagram feed filling up with bluebird skies and powder days, I changed some plans around and headed north to Scotland for a weekend to see what Scottish skiing was all about.

Type 1 - Fun in the Moment