Glenshee Ski Centre, Aberdeenshire

Introduction

This evening, I am reporting on Glenshee in the Scottish Highlands. The report comprises two sections, the Ski Centre and the local village and scenery.

Glenshee Ski Centre

This facility is situated on the A93, south of Braemar and the Grampian Mountains in N.E.Scotland.

Tourists encounter this site on the way from Perthshire and central Scotland to Braemar and Balmoral (or vice versa). Summary facts and information:

• Ranks as Scotland’s largest snow sport resort. Skiing and snowboarding facilities are provided.
• Has 22 ski lifts and 36 ski runs.
• Ski area is at head of Glen (valley) Shee near to the Cairnwell and Carn Aosda mountains which rise to over 900 metres in height.
• The resort extends to 790 hectares and provides 40km of pisted runs.
• The roadside refreshment facilities are open to non-skiers.
• Up to date information available from the Centre’s website.

View from Glenshee Ski Centre

Glenshee village and scenery

The small village of Glenshee is located in Perthshire, just south of the Grampian Mountains, about 1 hour drive north of Pitlochry.

Glenshee is a Highland community situated on the A93  which runs between Blairgowrie and Braemar (close to Balmoral Castle).  The area is a haven for outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing, fishing, deer stalking and (in winter) skiing. The going can be tough in winter due to the road being blocked by snow.

The origin of the name is interesting. The word Spittal is a Scots word borrowed from the Latin hospitium (from which the modern word hospital is derived). The Scots word meant a hospice or resting place for travellers. It is believed that there has been some sort of travellers rest at Glenshee for about 1000 years. As for the rest of the name, Glen means valley and Shee refers to the River Shee or Shee Water. So, in modern English the name might roughly translate as the ‘Travellers Rest in the Valley of the River Shee’.

The location is popular with hikers and hill walkers.

Accommodation includes the Dalmunzie (pronounced Dalmungie) Castle Hotel.

Highland Scenery at Glenshee

Shee Water at Glenshee, Scotland

Here is the High End Dalmunzie Castle Hotel, formerly part of a Highland Estate comprising many thousands of acres.

Dalmunzie Castle Hotel

Shee Water

Local landscape

More information

For more information on touring Scotland please refer Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4. This publication is also available via Kindle.