UKH

As per the thread title, I came across this article about various proposals which would have radically altered the character of parts of the highlands but which never came came to fruition.

Some seem ridiculously optimistic, ski resorts below 500m in Scotland? But perhaps it's an indication of just how much the climate has changed.

The potential environmental destruction of others is hard to imagine.

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/how-mar-lodge-very-nearly-became-a-ski...

There used to be a website that detailed all the defunct or never built resorts including the planned funicular to the top of Ben Wyvis from Dingwall. Can't find it now but it had maps, artists impressions and all sorts.

Jamie looks to have removed the content but it’s mostly available still https://web.archive.org/web/20160601161627/http://highland-instinct.co.uk/s...

Finally found out what happened to Dalwhinnie. It seemed to be nailed on in the late 1980s. 

I used tohave a photocopy of the 'Langmuir report' - written by Eric Langmuir, who at the timewas head of Glenmore Lodge, based on a several days of visiting potential ski areas across the Highlands using a helicopter for access. It contained descriptions of areas of long snow lie & on 'skiability'. Was quite useful for planning ski tours, I think the only site included which was later developed was Aonach Mhor which I remember skiing before the gondola was built with a lot of walking before we could start skiing.

I remember Aonach Mor opening and all the controversy over the proposed development into Lurcher's Gully in the 80s but I had no idea about how much else had been proposed.

Some of it would have radically changed the character of the Cairngorms had those access roads been built. It's hard to imagine that such proposals could have even been thought of as acceptable.

Is it? Similar developments went ahead in the Alps on a huge scale and I'm not certain attitudes at the time were so very different in the UK. 

A few years ago when I was on BMC nat council, there was a proposed development on Cairngorm that got the BMC and Mountaineering Scotland quite excited (not in a good way though). In a moment of boredom, i googled "mountain developments cairngorm", and ski developments in scotland" and was similarly amazed at how every couple of years there seems to be the "latest greatest development" proposed that will bring in tourists, hotels etc etc. Never mind the environmental, aesthetic and logistics problems that would be caused, the business plans behind them were almost universally "fanciful" to say the least. AFAIK, nothing came of any of them. It almost seemed that there was a small industry who's sole purpose was to come up with daft plans for developing Scottish mountain resorts

Hypothetically, if a totally new ski and mountain bike resort were to be developed, where do you think it would be?

At over 2000m and in the alps

If another mini ice-age heaves into view, then I would like the north side of Ward's Stone (Bowland Fells) developed.

They've already made a start on the chair lift out of the 'mountain resort' of Claughton. ( youtube.com/watch?v=6RiYXI1Tfu4&)

Lovely gentle runs over the rolling moors would be a great way to see out my dotage.