Cross country skiing on the west coast of Scotland?

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 JayPee630 13 Dec 2014
Heading up to the west coast next year for my annual trip up for Scottish winter, and thinking I'd be keen to spend a day cross country skiing as an alternative to walking and climbing. Know Glenmore Lodge and other places on the east coast hire gear, and it's possible to do some nice forest tracks around there, but is there anywhere to hire gear, and any good routes around the Fort William area?
 IainMacG 15 Dec 2014
In reply to JayPee630:
I'm no expert on the forest XC scene (more ski-mo and mountain touring) but in the west there isn't really the reliable low level snow cover you can expect in the east. Off the top of my head though, a potential route that might have snow cover is something like a circuit of Loch Ossian from Corrour station (access via train from Fort Bill). And there is some forest cover to shade the track... but also the potential for it to be a bit trashed by estate vehicles.
Consulted my copy of Angela Oakley's 'Ski Touring in Scotland' which gives a good few suggestions for forest XC skiing but nothing round Fort William either.
 Doug 15 Dec 2014
In reply to JayPee630:
I've xc skied in various places in the west but you have to be lucky with the snow, given snow, almost anywhere with forestry tracks is likely to be good fun, as will land rover tracks on open ground. Depending on your definition of xc skiing, some of the rounded hills could be fun as well. But given how fickle conditions are for xc skiing, I doubt if its worthwhile for anyone to hire gear
OP JayPee630 15 Dec 2014
In reply to Doug:

Thanks guys, yeah that was my impression. Maybe it'll just have to be some long runs instead!
 AG 16 Dec 2014
In reply to JayPee630:

looking very good at the moment around glenmore, 20km of tracks cut.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glenmore-Cross-Country-Ski-Machine/499478100...
 hedgepig 21 Dec 2014
In reply to JayPee630:

What happens now is that people offer to sell you their old skis!

Or look on ebay?


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