sports
February 23, 2026
Weather permitting: skiing in Scotland
With the Winter Olympics dominating screens, Dougie Wallace instead took his camera to Scotland’s ski areas of Glenshee, Cairngorm Mountain, Glencoe and Nevis Range, where a thaw, a band of rain, or a gust can change everything
TL;DR
- Dougie Wallace photographed Scotland's ski areas (Glenshee, Cairngorm Mountain, Glencoe, Nevis Range) focusing on weather's impact.
- The project contrasts the elemental, unpredictable nature of Scottish skiing with the polished Winter Olympics.
- Ski conditions are highly dependent on weather, with snowfalls quickly filling car parks but thaws and rain changing everything.
- Visitor numbers now often exceed skiers, with many coming for sledging and to experience snow for the first time.
- Scottish ski areas are characterized by raw, exposed slopes, rapidly changing conditions, and a lack of polished infrastructure.
- The article mentions the cultural significance of place names and the Gaelic language in Scotland.
- Glencoe sees more sledgers than skiers, with dedicated snow-making for sledging areas.
- The experience of skiing in Scotland is described as teaching patience and resilience, with the saying 'if you can ski in Scotland, you can ski anywhere'.
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