The Lecht
A long weekend catching the end of the snow at the Lecht Ski Centre.
We set off our journey to the Highlands after finishing work on Friday evening. Before hitting the road, we picked up some McDonald's for the kids at the border to avoid unnecessary stops along the way. Driving north is one of my favourite drives, especially when the roads are empty and tranquil. As we arrived in the Highlands, the towering hills surrounded us like giant shadows, and we caught a glimpse of a hare illuminated by the headlights. Our destination was Cairngorm Glamping and Camping, a campsite we had reserved, located just 20 minutes away from The Lecht ski centre.
When we arrived we called the owner who directed us over the phone to the pitches. The pitches were on grass up an incline which was covered in slush. The van got up the hill and then got stuck… Luckily, after a bit of manouvering, Steve managed to reverse us back down to the entrance. With no one on site, we called the owner again who told us where to find an electric output next to the main building. With being the only visitors and it being out of season, we camped to the side of the building alongside the farm vehicles, and had access to a toilet and shower next to the reception. It was fine for a night and the owner came to check on us and say hello the next morning. I’d be interested in visiting during the camping season as the scenery was amazing and there was plenty there for the kids.
We made our way to The Lecht. We weren’t expecting a load of snow as the forecast had been terrible. However, they had a few lower runs open topped up with man-made snow. All kitted out and with tickets ready, we made our way over to the magic carpets (the highlight of Esme's day).
Sam is a quick learner and by the end of the morning was trying to link some turns. He would fall over, laugh and get straight back up. Esme was warned a number of times to not roll down the hill but continued to do so, even when approached by staff. We decided to have a few runs each while the other pulled the kids around at the bottom of the slope. I had not been on a board since the arrival of Esme, and was very rusty. As the slush started to penetrate our clothes, we went into the café for some hearty food. Sam was desperate to get back out so did a couple of more hours.
We drove into Aviemore to camp at High Range, a favourite of ours conveniently located on the edge of town and next door to an Italians. It is fantastic during any season and has reliable, clean hot showers and fantastic laundry facilities. We had a reservation at La Taverna for 6pm, but called ahead and were seated earlier. We were exhausted and welcomed the pizzas and prosecco. Our plans to walk into town were not withheld. We got the kids showered for bed and took our boarding clothes to the driers. One less thing to do when getting home.