Resort guide · United Kingdom

Cairngorm Mountain: Our Ski Guide

Scotland’s best-known ski area, above Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park: the UK’s highest funicular, more than 30 km of pistes and 13 surface lifts. Scottish skiing depends entirely on the snow and the wind: seasons are short and change from day to day, so check the operator’s mountain report before you set off.

Plan your trip:Official resort site Our London guide

The back story

Season: Weather-dependent; 2025/26 ran from November to 4 May 2026 (cairngormmountain.co.uk) · Ski area: Over 30 km of pisted runs, 13 surface lifts and freestyle terrain · Top station: Ptarmigan, 1,097 m, by the UK’s highest funicular · Lift pass: Adult day £39, junior £24 (operator, 2025/26; 2026/27 list to come) · Distances: About 10 miles from Aviemore; Inverness about 1 h, Glasgow or Edinburgh about 2.5 h by car (operator)

The back story

Cairngorm Mountain: the back story

Cairngorm Mountain·In depth

Scotland’s only mountain railway, the Ptarmigan Bowl and more than 30 km of pistes above Aviemore, in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park.

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Lift passes, ski schools and hire

Book the day before

Cairngorm Mountain lift pass

Cairngorm Mountain·Lift pass·€€

An adult day pass cost £39 and an afternoon pass £27 in 2025/26, with family passes from £78; passes are released a short time ahead to match the terrain and weather.

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The UK’s highest funicular

Cairngorm Mountain Railway

Cairngorm Mountain·Funicular railway·€€

Scotland’s only mountain railway climbs to the Ptarmigan top station at 1,097 metres in about eight minutes, all year round.

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At the base station

Cairngorm Mountain rental

Cairngorm Mountain·Ski and snowboard hire·€€

On-mountain hire of skis and snowboards: an adult package cost £32 a day in 2025/26, a junior package £27.

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Family-run, BASI accredited

Free-Ski

Cairngorm Mountain·Ski and snowboard school·€€

A family-run school on Cairngorm Mountain, BASI accredited, teaching ski and snowboard lessons from first day to advanced, with Wee-Ski and Teen-Ski programmes.

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BASI registered

Aviemore School of Snowsports

Cairngorm Mountain·Ski and snowboard school·€€

A BASI-registered school teaching group and private ski and snowboard lessons on Cairngorm, with beginner packages and family discounts.

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Lessons and hire

Ski Norwest

Cairngorm Mountain·Ski and snowboard school·€€

Ski and snowboard lessons for all levels on Cairngorm Mountain, with equipment hire to get you on the slopes.

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At the base of the resort

Cairngorm beginners’ area

Cairngorm Mountain·Beginner area·€

A dedicated beginners’ area at the base, gentle slopes higher up when conditions allow, and on-site rental: everything for a first day on snow.

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Where to stay, every budget

Who it suits. On a budget: Youth hostels at Glenmore and in Aviemore, an adult day pass of £39 in 2025/26, and the bus from Aviemore to the lifts. Mid-range: The Cairngorm Hotel opposite Aviemore station or the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, with lessons from the local schools. Luxury: A Rothiemurchus estate cottage by Loch an Eilein, lunch at the Ptarmigan and a ride on the funicular.

Opposite Aviemore station

The Cairngorm Hotel

Cairngorm Mountain·Independent hotel·€€

Aviemore’s independent hotel, directly opposite the railway station, with en-suite rooms facing the Cairngorms or Craigellachie, a restaurant and live music.

Grampian Road, Aviemore PH22 1PEExplore View on map
Three four-star hotels · In depth

Macdonald Aviemore Resort

Cairngorm Mountain·Resort hotels and lodges·€€€

A resort in the heart of Aviemore with three four-star hotels, woodland lodges, the largest indoor pool complex in the Cairngorms, ELEMIS treatments, Aspects, Giovanni’s and the Laggan whisky bar.

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On a historic Highland estate · In depth

Rothiemurchus cottages

Cairngorm Mountain·Self-catering cottages·€€€

Self-catering cottages and houses on the Rothiemurchus estate, from Forest Cottage on Loch an Eilein to Achnahatnich House under Cairngorm, one with its own sauna, plus the Smugglers Sauna by the loch and the estate farm shop.

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By Loch Morlich, seven miles from Aviemore

Cairngorm Lodge Youth Hostel

Cairngorm Mountain·Youth hostel·€

An award-winning hostel at Glenmore with views over the Northern Corries, a short walk from Loch Morlich, with private rooms, dorms and a drying room.

Glenmore, Aviemore PH22 1QYExplore View on map
A walk from the town centre

Aviemore Youth Hostel

Cairngorm Mountain·Youth hostel·€

Great-value private rooms and dorms a short walk from Aviemore’s shops and restaurants, with a big kitchen, drying room and bike store.

Aviemore PH22 1PRExplore View on map

Restaurants and mountain huts

At 1,097 metres

Ptarmigan Restaurant

Cairngorm Mountain·Mountain restaurant·€€

The restaurant at the funicular’s top station, the highest in the UK, with views across Strathspey; hot food until 3:30pm.

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In the Day Lodge

Cairngorm Café

Cairngorm Mountain·Base-station café·€

The café at the base of the mountain for breakfast, soups, sandwiches and cakes, with local beers and a log fire.

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Breakfast, lunch and dinner

The Cairngorm Hotel restaurant

Cairngorm Mountain·Hotel restaurant·€€

The Cairngorm Hotel’s restaurant in the centre of Aviemore, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner; reservations taken and walk-ins welcome.

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On the estate

The Barn Cafe, Rothiemurchus

Cairngorm Mountain·Café·€

A cosy, dog-friendly café on the Rothiemurchus estate: breakfast, lunch, homemade soups, daily specials and cakes.

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From the team behind Aviemore’s Mountain Café

KJ’s Bothy Bakery

Cairngorm Mountain·Bakery and coffee·€

Everything baked on site, with Kiwi-style coffee, in Grantown-on-Spey, from the team behind Aviemore’s much-loved Mountain Café.

Grantown-on-Spey PH26 3TAExplore View on map

Après-ski and bars

By the River Spey

The Old Bridge Inn

Cairngorm Mountain·Highland pub·€€

A Highland pub with heart in a former gamekeeper’s cottage by the Spey: seasonal food, log fire, live music and a seven-room bunkhouse.

23 Dalfaber Road, Aviemore PH22 1PUExplore View on map
Live music from 9pm

The Cairngorm Hotel bar

Cairngorm Mountain·Hotel bar·€

The bar at The Cairngorm Hotel hosts musical evenings, a weekly quiz and big-screen sport, with live music from 9pm at weekends.

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Shops

Ski touring and alpine hire

Ellis Brigham Aviemore

Cairngorm Mountain·Mountain sports shop·€€€

Outdoor equipment and clothing on Grampian Road, 20 minutes’ drive from the slopes, with ski touring, mountaineering and alpine ski hire.

9–10 Grampian Road, Aviemore PH22 1RHExplore View on map
Estate venison and hampers

Rothiemurchus Farm Shop

Cairngorm Mountain·Farm shop·€€

Local produce, estate venison and beef, gifts and hampers on the Rothiemurchus estate, in store or ordered online.

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At the base and at the top

Cairngorm Mountain shops

Cairngorm Mountain·Resort shops·€€

The Mountain Shop at the base station and the Shop at the Top beside the Ptarmigan Restaurant.

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Getting there

About an hour’s drive

Inverness Airport (INV)

Cairngorm Mountain·Airport·€

The nearest airport; Cairngorm Mountain puts the drive from Inverness at around one hour.

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On the Highland Main Line

By train to Aviemore

Cairngorm Mountain·Rail·€

Aviemore is on the Highland Main Line, with several trains a day and the overnight Caledonian Sleeper from London.

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Fall asleep in London, wake in the Highlands

Caledonian Sleeper from London

Cairngorm Mountain·Overnight train·€€

The overnight Caledonian Sleeper links London with Scotland; for this resort, the nearest stops are Aviemore and Inverness.

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Seven days a week

Aviemore Adventurer bus 30

Cairngorm Mountain·Bus·€

The Aviemore Adventurer 30 bus runs seven days a week between Aviemore and the doorstep of Cairngorm Mountain.

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Ten miles from Aviemore

Driving to Cairngorm Mountain

Cairngorm Mountain·By road·€

The ski road climbs ten miles from Aviemore past Loch Morlich; allow about 2.5 hours from Glasgow or Edinburgh.

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Property: the neighbourhoods

The Highland base

Aviemore

Cairngorm Mountain·Neighbourhood

The year-round town at the foot of the mountains: station, shops, hotels, pubs and ski hire, ten miles from the lifts.

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Forest, loch and estate

Glenmore and Rothiemurchus

Cairngorm Mountain·Neighbourhood

Caledonian pine forest, Loch Morlich and the Rothiemurchus estate along the ski road, halfway between Aviemore and the lifts.

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Share your Cairngorm Mountain tips

Been there? Share your runs, huts and tips with other skiers.

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