Coronavirus: Scottish snowsports miss ‘one of best springs in years’
- Published
The good snow and weather could be seen on Winterhighland's webcams in April
Scotland's mountain snowsports have missed out on weeks of good conditions.
Glencoe, Nevis Range, Glenshee, Cairngorm and the Lecht shut to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
There was stormy weather in February and late March but the good weather and snow kicked in just as the sites were closing down.
Winterhighland Ltd, which provides information on snow conditions, said it had been "one of the best spring seasons in years".
The company, which has webcams covering popular ski runs, said the recent good weather would have only added to the frustration.
The scene at Glencoe on Saturday
Jamie Riley, from Winterhighland Ltd, said: "The last day the lifts operated at Glencoe a snow depth of over 6m (20ft) was measured in the Main Basin.
"We've had six weeks in lockdown and the weather has been good every weekend, weeks of fantastic spring snow and sunshine, plus still decent deep and wide cover on much of the mid and upper mountain at Nevis and Glencoe.
"The Met Office reporting that April 2020 was the sunniest April in Scotland since records began was just rubbing it in."
Mr Riley added: "It's painful seeing the good snow and great weather from afar on the webcams."
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Skiers along with hillwalkers and climbers have been thanked for staying at home and not venturing into Scotland's hills during the lockdown.
People have been discouraged from taking part in outdoor activities since 21 March. The public are being asked to continue to heed warnings not to travel.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Scottish Mountain Rescue, which represents more than 20 search and rescue teams, has thanked the public for resisting the temptation to head into the hills.
It said: "We would like to send a special thank you to all for the continuous support our teams have received over the recent weeks - it's appreciated more than you know.
"We hope you have a lovely weekend and remember to stay safe, stay local and stay well."
- Published4 March 2020
