Three Scottish ski centres to make own snow

Snow-making is to be trialled at the Lecht in Aberdeenshire

Three of Scotland's five mountain snowsports centres are to manufacture snow this winter and spring.

CairnGorm Mountain and Glencoe Mountain in the Highlands plan to begin using "snow factories" early next month.

The Lecht in Aberdeenshire is to trial the use of a large-scale snow-making unit in February and March, said Scottish snowsports body Ski-Scotland.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise has provided funding to The Lecht Ski Company for the trial.

Glencoe Mountain is leasing a snow-making unit which it hopes to eventually be able to buy

All three centres will use the manufactured snow to cover some of their slopes to allow them to guarantee snowsports.

The projects follow last season's ski conditions being described as "challenging" because of fluctuating temperatures and a lack of snow.

Glencoe Mountain has a crowdfunding campaign to raise enough money to purchase the unit it is leasing.