Snowboarding adventures on Cairngorm Mountain and a stay at High Range, Aviemore

We were unable to get away to France or Germany this year for snowboarding, so we made our way back to Aviemore, where we’ve shared so many great memories since we’ve been together. We booked three nights at High Range, a complex consisting of apartments, The Lodge Hotel, self-catering chalets and a touring caravan park. The caravan park is secluded in woodland and only a five-minute walk from the Aviemore shopping and village centre. It also has a lovely Italian restaurant, La Taverna, conveniently located as you drive in.

We arrived at the campsite at 9.30pm, and the reception was still open. We collected our key cards for the facilities and pitched up a short walk from the shower and toilet block. The facilities include separate male and female showers and toilets, plus a family bathroom and washing/drying machines, which require tokens — £3 for twenty minutes (they are extremely efficient) available from reception. The bathrooms are immaculate, well heated and the showers are spacious with consistent hot water. The women’s room also provided hairdryers, which were free to use.

We left the campsite at around 9:30 a.m. and set off up Cairngorm Mountain, enjoying the twenty-minute scenic drive. The kids were excited to see the snow piled high at the sides of the road. The forecast called for rain and snow showers through the day, with occasional wind gusts blowing strongly at the top station. We got ourselves ready and collected our tickets from reception. It is recommended to check the weather forecast and book in advance if possible, as tickets sell out quickly. Tickets are £39 per adult for access to snowsports and the funicular railway. A family ticket for two adults and one child is £93. Luckily, children under the age of five are free, but a ticket is still required for access.

We had booked Sam in for two two-hour lessons with Adrian, who runs Highland Snowboard School. Sam already had some basic skills but still lacked full control when turning and stopping. While taking Esme on the magic carpets, we watched Sam on the learning slopes and kept an eye on his progress. Adrian was fantastic with Sam, patient and encouraging, and we saw impressive improvement over the sessions. Steve and I took turns doing runs from the top of the mountain while the other stayed down with Esme, practicing and enjoying the learner slopes. We made our way to the Cairngorm Cafe, which can be found on level 2 of the Day Lodge.They serve hot and cold food and drinks in a relaxed setting. We had soup of the day which was delicious and just what we needed. After refuelling we headed back out for the afternoon.

We headed down the mountain and decided to go straight to La Taverna for dinner. After parking the van on the campsite we walked over and settled in for pizza, pasta and drinks. The atmosphere was easygoing and friendly, and we whiled away a good few hours there before returning to the van for showers and a good sleep!

The kids were up surprisingly early for our second full day on the slopes. We had Sam booked in for one more session with Adrian, so we planned on taking turns with Esme once again to keep things smooth. The forecast expected snow showers during the morning but clearing up later in the day, promising better visibility and more enjoyable runs by afternoon. After taking a battering from the wind on my first run from the Ptarmigan Station, and having to follow a group of skiers down that opening descent because of poor visibility, the skies finally cleared by midday. Good, old Scottish weather!

Esme started flagging, so we headed into Cairngorm Cafe and made ourselves cozy in front of the fire. We lingered over a long lunch and sipped hot chocolate for a good few hours while the boys did a few more runs outside. The cafe is reasonably priced and makes for a welcoming resting spot while you wait for others to return.

For dinner we headed to an old favourite of ours, the Winking Owl, which serves hearty, home‑made food and a large selection of craft ales. They offered a good choice of kids’ meals, and we recommend the Winky Beef Burger with onion rings and fries. It was quickly demolished.

We headed to bed undecided about whether to set out again the following day. The strong winds made the decision for us and forced us to cut our trip short!