October, 2009

...now browsing by month

 

Lots on at Cairngorm Mountain the week ahead

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

Week Commencing Thursday 29th October 2009

The Week Ahead at CairnGorm Mountain

 

Cairngorm Mountain now has a Twitter.com page. We plan to tweet reminders on important topics like season ticket deadline dates (just passed), events and, of course, any morning updates as we get into the winter season. To become a follower go to http://twitter.com/CairngormMtn

 

November Maintenance Shut Down

The annual train maintenance period will begin on Monday 9th November 2009 and we expect the maintenance programme to run for a period of 3 weeks – re opening full time on Monday 30th November. The Top Station and Mountain Railway will be closed Monday to Friday over this three week period but will be open to the public at weekends. Please keep an eye on the web site for updates. The Cas Bar and Shop at the Bottom remain open daily over this period.

 

OPENING TIMES

From Monday 2nd November the last train up will be at 15.20 and the last train down will be 16.00. CairnGorm Mountain will be open daily from 10am. Trains run every 20 minutes or subject to demand with the first train up 10.20am.

 

Bus Service – there will be no SUNDAY bus service to CairnGorm Mountain until further notice.

 

Winter Season Tickets

Season tickets are ready for collection from the ticket office throughout November along with a copy of the season ticket benefit offers (these are also downloadable from the web site). Due to the postal strike we will not be posting any season tickets out at this stage, we hope the dispute resolves itself and any remaining uncollected tickets will be posted out towards the end of November.

 

BUYING FUNICULAR TICKETS

Purchase funicular tickets online at http://www.cairngormmountain.co.uk/book or at the ticket office in Coire Cas. Tickets are also on sale at the Tourist Office in Aviemore and Hilton Coylumbridge Hotel.

 

MOUNTAIN WEATHER OUTLOOK

Thursday 29th October: Wind S 25- 40mph, gusting 50-65mph. Drizzly rain in isolated pockets. Widespread cloud on most summits with typical base of 750m – will lift at times. Pockets of sunshine. Temp at 900m 10 to11C.

Friday 30th October: Wind S  strengthening to 40mph, gusting 65-70mph. Pockets of drizzly rain mainly in SW but constant towards dusk. Cloud base 550-700m but will lift. Pockets of sunshine on northern hills. Temp at 900m 8C.

Outlook: Unsettled but colder into next week with possibility of some snow on higher ground.

 

 

 

 

WHAT’S ON AT CAIRNGORM  MOUNTAIN THIS WEEK

 

Thursday 29th October:

History and legends of the Cairngorms with our Visitor Guide. 11am-11.30am. Ptarmigan Viewing Terrace. Free (Funicular ticket required).

History and legends of the Cairngorms with our Visitor Guide. 2.30-3pm. Northern Viewpoint or T bar Gallery (Meet at ticket office). Free.

 

Friday 30th October:

Landscape sketching workshop. 11-11.50am. Camera Obscura. Suitable for children aged 6 and over. Free.

Landscape sketching workshop. 2-2.50pm. Camera Obscura. Suitable for children aged 6 and over. Free.

 

GPS Treasure Hunt. £5 per child aged 4 and over (accompanying adults go free). Please book by calling 01479 861341 during office hours.

 

Sunday 1st November:

History and legends of the Cairngorms with our Visitor Guide. 11am-11.30am. Ptarmigan Viewing Terrace. Free (Funicular ticket required).

History and legends of the Cairngorms with our Visitor Guide. 2.30-3pm. Northern Viewpoint or T bar Gallery (Meet at ticket office). Free.

Noel Baxter Olympic Fund Raiser. Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Course. For full details on how you can support Noel please email noeliebax@gmail.com or call 07900 544375

 

 

EXHIBITIONS

Daily in the Base Station Concourse (until 31st October): Last chance to see exhibition of paintings and prints for sale by Tomintoul based artist Jane Lanagan. Free. 10am – 4pm. 

 

Public WiFi Access

The Cas Bar is now a public WiFi access zone. So get connected in comfort there.

 

FOOD & DRINK & SHOPPING

The Cas Bar will be open at 10am. Ptarmigan Restaurant and Shop at the Top will be open from 10.20am every day and close just before the last train leaves – please refer to opening times at the top of the enews.

We have new winter stock in our shops including Pachamama jumpers and hats and Weird Fish clothing (including children’s). Also Barts hats and accessories and a big range of Sealskinz waterproof gloves and hats.

 

New Telephone System. A new telephone system will be installed week commencing the 9th November. This may result in some disruption to the telephone service at CairnGorm Mountain for both incoming and outgoing calls.

 

Come and see us soon.

 

 

CairnGorm Mountain Ltd

“A wild environment where quality service leaves you with a natural high”.

 

Posted in art exhibition, aviemore, aviemore activities, cairngorms, Skiing Aviemore, Skiing Cairngorm, Snowboarding Aviemore, Snowboarding Cairngorm, walking aviemore, Weather | No Responses »
Tags: , , ,

Wizard Time again on the Strathspey Railway – Kids in Costume go Free!

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

Wizard High School at Aviemore Strathspey Steam Railway Station

Wizard High School at Aviemore Strathspey Steam Railway Station

It’s the time of year when families should get away from the telly and get out with the kids for a bit of weekend fun. Get set for some Halloween type fun on the steam railway this Saturday and Sunday, 24th and 25th, when ghosts, ghouls, wizards and witches will be all over the railway. They’ll be at stations, on the trains and in the haunted station house and carriage. Real scary birds wil be along but if you prefer traditional entertainment you can “dook” for apples at Boat of Garten station.

 

 

Following a successful event last Halloween, the “Pumpkin Express” will be steaming out of Aviemore on Saturday and Sunday this weekend with yet another trainload of Halloween fun seekers. It will be a two-train day with services leaving Aviemore and Broomhill nearly every hour from 10.30 each day. Both trains will be steam hauled. Kids will go free if dressed up to join the fun. Adults can dress up too, but the ghouls at the booking office will extract your normal fare. 

 

Railway staff, volunteers, buildings and trains will take on a special appearance for the event and some scary birds will fly in to Boat Station to keep an eye on the Halloween revellers. A “scary carriage” will be set up at Glenbogle aka Broomhill Station and a haunted house may be visited at Boat Station.

 

Already Sunday lunches are fully booked for this very popular event but there is no booking necessary to join the trains, just come along and enjoy the fun Saturday or Sunday.

 

A railway that’s nearly 150 years old is bound to have some real ghosts and the staff and volunteers at the Aviemore shed often speak of “Hamish”. Early morning light-ups are the time when strange happenings have occurred in the shed. Footsteps, banging, filing and sawing have all been heard and calls have gone out for a response—–but the noise stops only to start again after a short time!

Monster with Barn Owl at Strathspey Steam Railway, Boat of Garten

Monster with Barn Owl at Strathspey Steam Railway, Boat of Garten

Strathspey Railway staff and volunteers enjoy making visitors welcome every day but be sure to come along and experience the ghostly goings on during the “Wizard Weekend”.

 

Could be a bit scary!!!

 

QUOTATIONS

Steve Robinson, SRC Publicity & Marketing says:-

“Join us on a family day out, and don`t forget to dress up. Fun and games for all, and watch out for the scary people.”

Hendy Pollock, SRC Press Officer says:-

“This is a great way for the kids to enjoy Haloween. A train full of “guisers” is always good fun with the railway’s volunteers helping create the essential atmosphere for the event. The engine shed ghost “Hamish” may reveal himself at last!”  

 

Wizard Weekend Children on Steam Train

Wizard Weekend Children on Steam

Reaper at the Strathspey Steam Railway

Reaper at the Strathspey Steam Railway

Posted in aviemore, aviemore activities, Boat of Garten, cairngorms, festivals, Nethy Bridge, Uncategorized | No Responses »
Tags: , , , , ,