Apparently a new ski development is more then likely in Scotland and is currently being planned in the Ben Lawers area of Scotland - not too sure where exactly. Here is the e-mail my friend sent to me:

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Brucey,

One of my colleagues here has just informed me that he knows of a company that will be developing a new ski area in the centre of Scotland in the Ben Lawers area. As well as providing skiing facilities for around 5000 skiers per day in the winter it will also be an all-season adventure haven for hang gliding, parascending, zorbing (this is a kiwi sport with a round ball that you sit in and roll down the hill), and Oripo Falling.

As far as I know (from a couple of websites I visited) Oripo Fall is a sport currently done in countries including Antigua, Pakistan, Rhodesia, India and Laos and involves free falling from a mountain with an 'oripo' - a large spongy structure - around your body. Sounds good anyway and thought you'd like the sound of it cause I know how you lot like fooling around.

But most importantly for you and your skiing friends there will be another resort for you to play at! And all year round too!

Apparently the ski resort will have snow and making facilities as well as a restuarant, cinema, ten pin bowling and hire of all equipment including oripos.

OK, speak to you later Brucey Boy,

AF
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Just when we thought that the ski industry couldn't get any more bizarre as well......

mmmh good old AF can always be relied on for a good story. Nice try Brucey! :p

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What, you haven't heard of an Oripo Fall?

Very funny, just found this one on BBC News (not really a day for funny stories considering what's been happening in Iraq overnight! )

[news.bbc.co.uk]

Not a joke, yeah right!

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if AP is developing ben lawyers the national trust must have restructured and their champion cameron mcpish no longer in favour if only this were still true at noon

Given that its April fools day would this not an appropriate place to continute the "ski resort on Ben Wyvis" with "funitel and snowmaking" discussion :-)

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Post Edited (11:36 hrs on Thu 01 Apr 04)

:-)

More chance of jumping off Wyvis with an oripo!

Just had a look at an OS map of Ben Lawers. If there was plenty of snow, it would be a good place for a ski centre!

Have a carpark at tyhe Visitors Centre at 400m above Loch Tay. Have a gondola or six-pack chair from there up thru the trees of Coire Odhar to around 700m planting trees in south-facing Coire Odhar to give better snow preservation in this 1km gentle wide bowl. Over the back the huge north-facing bowl would give fantastic intermediate and above terrain with surface lifts to the summit of Meall Corranaich and Ben Lawers (1215m) with skiing down to below the Sheilings giving runs of up to 2km.

And then Simon woke up from his dream...

Map

))

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Post Edited (12:52 hrs on Thu 01 Apr 04)

NTS made the Scottish Ski Club remove their hut after the wind blew the roof off, wouldnt allow it be repaired.

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Not been on Lawers for a couple of years, but the hut has been an eyesore for ages. And in 20 odd years (including some time working on the mountain) I've never seen the hut used. All the skiers I've seen on Lawers were touring, what use would the hut serve today ? especially with a car park so close.