Keeping cool at Cairngorm

25th May 2010, by Chris Gill

Boarding on Cairngorm, 22 May [(c) Winter Highland Info]

As the UK enjoys the hottest temperatures of the year so far, a few keen skiers and riders are keeping cool on the slopes of Cairngorm, Scotland.

With temperatures peaking at 27C in parts of Scotland, news that the Scottish ski season continues is pretty amazing.

But Cairngorm’s slopes were open at the weekend, with visitors making the most of the longest and busiest winter season in decades. Over 700cm of snow has fallen on Cairngorm Mountain during 2010, and there is still ample cover on the White Lady and Ciste Bowl slopes.

The fun part for most was sliding around in t-shirts and shorts (or kilts), with blue skies overhead. According to one local man: ‘I’ve skied all over the world, but never thought I would be skiing in Scotland throughout May.’

Also unusually for the time of year, Cairngorm is still offering a terrain park - facilities usually confined to glacier slopes in the Alps.

And the forecast? More snow could fall on the highest slopes by the end of this week, as the high temperatures move away and much cooler weather returns.

• scotland
• cairngorm

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