Discover pure winter excitement at the best skiing spots in and around Glasgow!
Skiing turns any day into an adventure. It’s the mix of speed, fresh air, and that addictive feeling of freedom that hooked me early on, and now it’s one of my favourite hobbies.
Whenever I get the chance, I’m on the slopes—whether it’s a quick session to sharpen my turns or a full day chasing that rush. I’m lucky too, with options right here in Glasgow and others just a short drive away, so I’m never short of runs.
Now, I’m sharing these spots so you can enjoy them as well.
Glasgow Ski & Snowboard Centre
Photo credit: glasgowski
Website: https://www.ski-glasgow.co.uk/
Address: 16 Dumbreck Rd, Bellahouston
Contact details: +44 141 427 4991
Operating hours: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (Open Practice): £10 per person
The Glasgow Ski & Snowboard Centre at Bellahouston Park is a cracking spot when you want to ski without trekking up north. I head there now and then to keep my skills sharp, and it never disappoints.
The place has been around for years and offers four floodlit dry slopes, with magic carpets for beginners and Poma tows for the more confident. Lessons are available too, which makes it handy before a holiday.
What I like most is the friendly vibe, with a cafe and bar at the bottom where folks can gather after a run. It’s not the Alps, but it’s a brilliant way to stay in shape and enjoy the sport close to home.
| Pro tip: Go for their membership if you plan to ski regularly. Members get free slope use all year, reduced rates on lessons and equipment hire, priority booking for busy events like Ski School, and even discounts on food, drink, and some snowsports retailers. You can sign up to become a member through this website. |
Bearsden Ski Club
Photo credit: bearsdensnowsports
Website: https://www.skibearsden.co.uk/
Address: Ski and Board Club, Bearsden
Contact details: +44 141 943 1500
Operating hours:
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM (MON)
9:30 AM – 10:00 PM (TUES)
9:30 AM – 6:30 PM (WED)
9:30 AM – 6:30 PM, 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM (THURS)
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM (FRI)
1:00 PM – 10:00 PM (SAT)
9:30 AM – 6:00 PM, 8:15 PM – 10:00 PM (SUN)
Price (Free Skiing):
Adult – £20 per hour
Child – £15 per hour
Another ski spot I often visit within Glasgow is Bearsden Ski Club. It’s been around for more than 50 years, making it one of the oldest ski centres in the area and a place that works well for both beginners and more advanced skiers.
What keeps me coming back is the variety of slopes. There’s a main alpine slope for longer runs, two nursery slopes that are perfect for learning or warming up, and a freestyle slope with jumps and rails if you want to push yourself a bit more.
It also helps that they run lessons for every level. Even with plenty of experience under my belt, I still find their sessions useful, which is why I continue to sign up whenever I can.
| Pro tip: Bearsden Ski Club has a refurbished function hall you can hire for birthdays, ceilidhs, or family events. Catering is handled in-house, and there’s a licensed bar, so everything is sorted on site. The best part is you can add tubing or a short ski session to the booking to make your event more memorable! Give them a call for more information. |
Firpark Ski Centre
Photo credit: firparkskicentre
Website: https://www.clacks.gov.uk/culture/firparkskicentre/
Address: 24 Fir Park, Tillicoultry FK13 6PL
Contact details: +44 1259 751772
Operating hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (Recreational Skiing):
Adult – £11.90 per hour
Child – £6.25 per hour
If you’d like to experience the thrill of long ski runs but aren’t quite ready to tackle mountain slopes, Firpark Ski Centre is a good option. It sits at the foot of the Ochil Hills, about an hour from Glasgow, which makes it an easy day trip.
One of the highlights here is the 120-metre dry slope, one of the largest you’ll find in Scotland. It’s excellent for building stamina and works well if you prefer to take your time learning the basics of skiing.
Speaking of learning, the centre also provides classes that suit every level. They even run holiday ski schools, which are a brilliant choice for keeping kids active and learning while school is out.
| Pro tip: Firpark Ski Centre runs a Penguin Club for young beginners, usually starting from age four. It’s a fun way to introduce your kid to skiing in a safe and supportive setting. The cost is £103.70 per child, and you can register by contacting the centre directly by phone. |
Polmonthill Snowsports Centre
Photo credit: polmonthill_snowsports
Website: https://www.polmonthill.co.uk/
Address: Avondale Rd, Polmont, Falkirk FK2 0YA
Contact details: +44 1324 503835
Operating hours:
4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (MON-THURS)
1:00 PM – 9:00 PM (FRI)
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (SAT)
Price (1-hour practice session): £8.50 per person
Whenever I want to mix things up with my ski sessions but still stay close to Glasgow, Polmonthill Snowsports Centre is one of the spots I head to. It’s just off junction 4 of the M9, so you can get there from the city in under an hour.
A huge reason why I recommend it is the price. The centre is run entirely by volunteers who are passionate about teaching skiing at all levels and making the sport more accessible.
The facilities are solid. The main slope is 100 metres long with a button tow and sprinkler system, and there’s a 20-metre nursery slope for beginners. Both are floodlit, which means evening skiing is an option too.
| Pro tip: If you’re keen on racing, Polmonthill Snowsports Centre runs dedicated ski race training on Monday and Thursday evenings. Sessions cost around £14 for a block or £17 for a single drop-in, and they’re a solid way to build speed and technique before competitions. It’s best to register through this website, as spaces can fill quickly. |
Glencoe Mountain Resort
Photo credit: glencoemountain
Website: https://www.glencoemountain.co.uk/
Address: Glencoe Ski Centre, White Corries, Ballachulish PH49 4HZ
Contact details: +44 1855 851226
Operating hours: 9:00 AM – 4:15 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (ski season pass):
Adult – £410
Concession – £370
Junior – £200
If I want to take things a step further and enjoy a true mountain skiing experience, Glencoe Mountain Resort is my go-to spot. It first opened in the 1950s and was one of the earliest commercial ski areas in Scotland.
The resort has eight lifts and around 20 runs, ranging from gentle cruisers to the famous Flypaper, which is one of the steepest marked runs in the country. With a vertical drop of more than 700 metres, it feels like proper mountain skiing!
That huge variety of runs is exactly why I keep coming back to this place. It may not have the polish of the big Alpine resorts, but the snow, the scenery, and the atmosphere make it one of the best places to keep my skills sharp.
| Pro tip: Staying at one of Glencoe Mountain Resort’s accommodation options can make your skiing experience much easier. The microlodges and camping pods sit right at the mountain base, and there are toilets, showers, and a cafe on site, so you can stay for several days without any hassle. You can book accommodation directly through this website. |
Nevis Range Mountain Resort
Photo credit: hannahbarnes66
Website: https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/
Address: Torlundy, Fort William PH33 6SQ
Contact details: +44 1397 705825
Operating hours: 7:30 AM – 11:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (Snowsports day pass):
Adult – £30
Concession – £25
Junior – £20
Nevis Range Mountain Resort sits just outside Fort William, about a two-hour drive from Glasgow, making it a great weekend trip. Opened in 1989, it’s home to the UK’s only mountain gondola that carries you up Aonach Mor to 650 metres.
From there, you get a mix of slopes, with gentle beginner areas, long blue and red runs, and steep black runs that really test your legs. For me, the scenery is the real highlight, especially when the views stretch across Ben Nevis on a clear day.
What makes it even more special is the atmosphere in the heart of winter. The buzz of the crowd, the peaceful gondola ride, and the thrill of skiing back down the mountain always make the drive here worthwhile for me.
| Pro tip: Nevis Range offers a loyalty discount on their snowsports passes, but you can’t claim it online. To get it, you need to phone their ticket office directly. The team will apply the discount when you book, and they can also confirm current snow conditions, lift openings, and availability for the dates you want. |
Glenshee Ski Centre
Photo credit: glenshee_ski_centre
Website: https://www.ski-glenshee.co.uk/
Address: Old Military Rd, Ballater AB35 5XU
Contact details: +44 1339 741320
Operating hours: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (Ski season pass):
Adult – £425
Junior/Senior – £290
Student – £320
Glenshee Ski Centre is what I’d consider the best if we’re purely talking about variety on the slopes. About two hours from Glasgow on the A93, it’s the largest ski area in the UK, stretching across three valleys and four mountains.
To give you a rough idea, there are 21 lifts and around 36 runs here covering more than 2,000 acres. Beginners get wide greens, while intermediates enjoy blues and reds, and experts can test themselves on the Tiger or the sweeping Glas Maol.
The centre also has plenty of facilities to make your visit easier, including mountain cafes, a medical centre, and ski schools for anyone keen to learn. If you’re looking for many different ways to enjoy skiing, this is the one I’d recommend.
| Pro tip: Glenshee Ski Centre works with Disability Snowsport Scotland to make skiing accessible for everyone. They provide adaptive lessons, one-to-one support, and specialised equipment like sit skis. If you’re interested, you can send a message to [email protected] for more information. |
Cairngorm Mountain
Photo credit: cairngormmountain
Website: https://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/
Address: Cairngorm Ski Area, Aviemore PH22 1RB
Contact details: +44 1479 861261
Operating hours: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (All-day pass):
Adult – £36
Senior – £26
Junior – £22
Student – £28
Cairngorm Mountain is one of my favourite spots to ski, mainly because of its stunning scenery. It sits just outside Aviemore in the Cairngorms National Park, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Glasgow.
Like the other resorts I’ve mentioned, there’s a strong variety of slopes to suit every level. Beginners can start on the gentle greens, intermediates can enjoy the long blues and reds, and advanced skiers can test themselves on the steeper blacks.
Each run feels rewarding, especially on a clear day when the views stretch across Strathspey and Ben Macdui. I also like taking the mountain train, which brings you to the top quickly and gives you a good chance to capture a few photos before skiing.
| Pro tip: Always check the Cairngorm Mountain daily report before you set off. Conditions in the Highlands can change quickly, and the report gives live updates on which lifts and runs are open, as well as weather and visibility. |
The Lecht
Photo credit: bengirdwood_videography
Website: https://www.lecht.co.uk/
Address: Cock Bridge, Strathdon AB36 8YP
Contact details: +44 1975 651440
Operating hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (MON-SUN)
Price (Full area day pass):
Adult – £38
Junior (12-17) – £26
Child (5-11) – £21
Pre-school (3-4) – £10
Student – £35
Another ski spot you’ll find in the Cairngorms National Park is The Lecht, which sits on the A939 between Cock Bridge and Tomintoul. It’s smaller than Glenshee or Cairngorm Mountain, but it has a charm that still makes it well worth a visit.
First off, it has 20 runs and 14 lifts, so you won’t be starved for options here. I find most of their slopes ideal for beginners and intermediate skiers, but there are also a couple here that are steep enough to be a challenge, even for the most experienced.
What also makes this place so great, despite its smaller size, is its accessibility. You can park right by the slopes, grab your gear, and be skiing within minutes. On a clear day, you can also enjoy stunning views across the Ladder Hills.
| Pro tip: If you’re not bringing your own skis, book your equipment rental on their website before you travel. The Lecht’s rental shop is in the day lodge, and pre-booking means your size will be set aside and ready when you arrive. This also saves you from waiting in queues on busy days. |