I had known a lovely older gentleman Scot in Kitzbuhel who, I had heard, had built the first ski lift in Scotland. Evidently something along the lines of a
Posts: 445
Joined: Jan 2008
Last Visited: 12:29 28th Feb 2013
Re: Our history.....
Date Posted: 10.23hrs on Fri 1 Feb 08
Talking Ski Schools. Mid 90's, a coach company called Skills used to do Ski Supreme weekends on Cairngorm.
The Instructors where a couple and their son.
Derek, tash and a hat, looks a bit like peter sellers. Say late 40's now??
Ross , son, went to work on Rothiemercas estate I think
Sorry it's vague, but I wondered who they were, Not seen Derek for a few years on Cairngorm, wondered how he was gettin on. Always had time for you.. Nice guy.
There's quite a bit about Mar Lodge (and much of Scottish Skiing's history) in "The Skisters" written by Myrtle Simpson published by Landmark press in the 1980's. Definitely worth a read for anybody who is interested in Scottish Skiing development.
Forgot to mention - if anybody has any further information (especially on the early tows at Dalmunzie or Mount Blair, or the proposed Jean's Gully developments, that I don't yet have any info on) or corrections etc, then please let me know
i read your comment on this page about my grandfather, (frith). Obviously it is a few years old as i noticed by the date. If you still don't have a copy of the book i would be happy to get you a copy. My grandfather is still alive but now in a care home. any questions you would like answered about my grandfather just ask.
I read the article above of past developements with great interest as I first learnt to ski at the Lawers range in the years 1968 to 1970. Lunch was taken at the the now demolished hut or when snow was lower down the hill at the car park.There was a small ski club based in Aberfeldy of which I was a junior member. They skied either on a farm field just to the South of Aberfeldy when there was low lying snow or on Ben Lawers. Skiers from Crieff sometimes took a portable tow up to Lawers which was great but ripped the gloves to bits. A similar tow was used in a farm near Aberfeldy in the snowier winters of about 1978/79 to the early eighties.
The skiing at Lawers was mostly on the slopes above the visitors centre [when snow covered] or down by the gully of the burn to the West of Bhein Ghlas or for the more advanced on the snow fields on the East side of Meall Corranich.[sp]
Happy memories!
By the mid seventies with poor snow conditions at Lawers we had discovered the benefits of the permanent tows at Cairngorm and Glenshee and then later the Alps so I never did ski at Lawers again.
I did take my daughter for a walk up there this April and noticed a couple of skiers well up the hillside of Meall Corranich skiing in what looked like excellent snow.
