Top Tips for February Half Term

With the February school holidays around the corner we are looking forward to welcoming lots of families to Cairngorm Mountain. It’s traditionally a very busy period and to help you we’ve provided our top tips to help you plan your visit and get the most out of your experience.

1. Check Conditions Before You Travel

• Check our Mountain Report on the home page of our website which is updated regularly each day with details of what’s open. You can also view our webcams too.
• We also update our Facebook page regularly too on conditions. Like our page to receive updates in your feed.

2. Getting Here

• Car share if you can.
• Arrive early to ensure you get a space in our upper car park.
• When the upper car park is busy you can hop on the shuttle bus operating from the Ciste car park up to the upper car park.
• If you’re looking for public transport check the bus service times in advance from Aviemore town centre which stops at our front door.

3. Snowsports Tickets

• Pre-purchase your snowsports tickets online to save time and avoid disappointment if we’re full on the day.
• If you are likely to return another day in the season buy a keycard (if not done already) for £2. You can then load future tickets onto your card letting you go straight to the entry gate each time you visit.
• Multi-day tickets can also be purchased online too.
• If you arrive to buy a ticket from our Ticket Office please have your card or cash ready to improve the queue flow. Please note there is no ATM at the resort.
• Keep your ticket on the left of your body and not in a pocket shared with other cards or a mobile phone. Snowsports tickets have an electronic chip which lets you pass through the scanner at the entry gate of the mountain railway. All snowsports tickets include the railway and all other uplifts.
• Go through the entry gate or tows one by one. If you crowd them they will jam.

4. Equipment Hire

• Pre-book your equipment hire online to save you time on the day. You can choose The Bothy (near Aviemore) for collection the night before or with us at Cairngorm Mountain for picking up on the day.
• You can also hire equipment on the day at our Equipment Hire Centre (subject to availability). Go to our self-service terminals to place your order and pass your receipt to the Ski Hire Team.
• Before hiring equipment know your height, weight and shoe size to save you time.
• You must be able to ski or snowboard or with someone competent to instruct you before equipment will be provided.
• The Equipment Hire Centre at Cairngorm Mountain is located on Level 3 of the Day Lodge.

5. Skip the Queues in our Cafes

• Eat early or late to avoid the busiest times in our cafes and restaurant. Lunchtime is always the busiest.
• Light bites and hot drinks are available from The Cas Bar (Level 1 of the Day Lodge).
• A wider menu with breakfast and hot meals is available in The Cairngorm Cafe (Level 2 of the Day Lodge).
• The Ptarmigan Restaurant and Bar also serves a wide menu including breakfast and hot dishes (Top Station of the Mountain Railway).
• All our cafes and restaurant are licensed serving local beers and gins amongst a more extensive drinks menu.

6. Dogs

• Dogs are welcome in The Cas Bar and The Cairngorm Cafe both located in the Day Lodge.
• Dogs are not allowed in The Ptarmigan Restaurant with the exception of assistance dogs.
• Only assistance dogs are allowed on the Mountain Railway journey from the Base Station to the Top Station (due to the Visitor Management Plan to protect the plateau and habitat).
• Well behaved dogs can be accommodated on the Mountain Railway journey from the Top Station to the Base Station (for walkers and hikers) to bring them back down to facilities at the bottom. Dogs are not allowed on the slopes.

7. Snowsports Spectators

• Snowsports spectators can purchase a Mountain Railway return ticket to travel to the Top Station to watch skiers and snowboarders.
• Snowsports spectators who just want to watch the beginners area with magic carpets can watch from The Cairngorm Cafe without charge.

8. Snowsports Lessons

• If you haven’t tried skiing or snowboarding you will require lessons. Choose from one of three independent snow schools based from Cairngorm Mountain. Lessons must be booked in advance.

9. Get to Know Cairngorm Mountain

• If it’s your first time visiting Cairngorm it’s worth getting familiar with our piste map which you can pick up when you arrive with us at the Ticket Office.

10. Next Steps

• Now you’ve got familiar with the resort you can book our passes and if needed equipment hire and lessons.

Book Your Passes  Book Your Equipment Rental  Book Your Lesson