Spot whats wrong with this picture

oops forgot the attachment





Edited 1 times. Last edit at 20.56hrs Fri 1 Apr 11 by daveski.

this is the picture

May have been a bit windy



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 21.03hrs Fri 1 Apr 11 by daveski.

Attachments: ptarmigan_image_11-04-01-14-58-11.jpg (38kB)  

Is it the fact you have stolen it from the Cairngorm Website and posted it here?
or
Is it the suspect looking brownish matter in the foreground, a wee top-up is required soon I think.

I was thinking more along the line of the towline, looks to a bit messy

As to stolen might be a bit strong - i actually checked, the site does have a copyright symbol but both the privacy policy and the terms and conditions links are blank, at least on the webcam page.

[www.strathspey-herald.co.uk]



As a winter attraction, Cairngorm Mountain attracts vast numbers of people to the aviemore area and employs a lot of people both directly and indirectly.

As a summer attraction how many people does Cairgorm attract to the area who weren't coming already?

So here's the question... If Cairngorm is unable to operate as a viable snowsports business, what is the point in wasting public money on building summer attractions on the side of a mountain that has access, maintainance and conservation issues, why not build those attractions in the valley, if at all?







Edited 1 times. Last edit at 13.36hrs Tue 5 Apr 11 by mdearman.

^Exactly. It doesn't really matter whether CML survives as a business, if it doesn't survive as a viable ski area.

It's not CML's survival that is vital, it is the winter trade snowsports brings that is vital to sustaining year round tourism. In summer CairnGorm Mountain is just another bit player - in winter it is a major economic driver.

HIE's mantra of diversification utterly and hopelessly misses the point.

Im not very educated on the matter but in my book if a business needs the government to prop it up, then it cant really be titled as a business. Only when the train set was first set up did i hear of people making a special trip to see it. Now, never have i heard of people going to aviemore during summer specifically to visit the mountain, aviemore has got so much else to offer locally these days that unless something big happens, like a full on mtb track, their situation has no real justification. In fact if they keep pushing they will only end up drawing tourism away from the very establishments they were meant to encourage people to, theyll end up competing with them. The other "mountain resorts" dont get anything and dont report any problems, in fact thrive, and on the most part dont have a big tourist towns nearby. I always wonder why glenshee doesnt take full advantage of being so close to braermar during summer, which is mobbed. Cml seems to have missed a trick or something, it all doesnt really make any sense what so ever.

most of the tourists in braemar are of the bus tour variety aren't they? i don't think they have much choice over where they go, just whereever the bus company dumps them, not that half of them seem like they would into that ricketty old chairlift in any case? GS could certainly make more effort to at least look open over the summer though

The main issue with cairngorm in summer is the VMP, why would you want to take a cramped train to a rip-off motorway services style cafe where you can't go for a wander about? Contrast that with Nevis range, which is great (despite the even more motorway services style cafe)! perfect for giving mates/family who've never even thought of climbing a hill a taste of what it's like. Let people out of the building and you also give a reason some back more than once, plenty to explore (safely and considerately of course) around the ptarmigan.

and someone needs to grow a pair and tell the enviromentalist to **** off to one of the thousands of other hills with no infrastructure and leave the five that do to providing jobs and income.

ill reply to that in the glenshee thrad remote_patrol

Was up to do and my jaw dropped when i saw the price of a plate of maceroni..... £6.50 or something close to that. Even in a rip-off motorway services youd expect a drink and a packet of crisps included but even then! CML takes ripping off to the next level.

The atmosphere up there makes you feel like an accountant, an american health and safety officer and an enviromentalist is what makes up the management, who also dont take part in snowsports. I dont know how bu the vibe and banter that goes on at the other places, particularly Glencoe and Glenshee just doesnt exist at cairngorm. Must be said though good skiing today.

good article on the bbc. both CML and Nevis in top 20 scottish paid attractions:

[www.bbc.co.uk]

Take your point to some extent, though the operations manager won the Scottish Ski Club Masters race - didnt get to that standard sitting on his arse in an office. At the end of the of the day its HIE that hold the purse strings and limit what they can do - though they did spend a chunk of money this year.

I too was shocked at the macaroni price!...does come with chips though....still dear.
What struck me was the amount of staff- not lift staff, but the staff in the cafe and ticket offices. At this time of year you don't need 4/5 people in the ticket office (all sitting around doing very little) or 2 people pushing a button for hot chocolate. If this was a private concern (i.e like all of the other centres) i'm sure they would manage the place better.
I had a better trip last weekend than my previous trip, but they are running the place with too many staff IMO.

Anyone can get small portions of the main meals in the Ptarmigan for under £4 (can't remember exactly), more than enough for most when going straight back out sliding. If you don't want chips or anything with something like macaroni you can get a small portion with just macaroni.

Just returned from a week skiing at Cairngorm with my 3 young boys. We greatly appreciated the effort made to keep the runs open and the lack of queuing was spectacular. I was surprised on the way up to be told last Saturday by our taxi driver from the station to our hotel that all the lifties were being laid off last Sunday for the season. I said we hoped to do some skiing but he doubted that it would be possible. Of course CML can't control what taxi drivers say but he could easily have put us off if we were casual visitors. Not much obvious evidence at the Hilton either that decent skiing was still possible. If this is everyone else's experience then the lack of queues is not surprising. My helpful suggestion would therefore be better information available through the local tourist infrastructure.

The taxi driver was sort of right, seasonal staff finished for the season last week. However that leads to closure rumors every season, but even peak season I'm aghast at some of the stories I've heard about B&B/Guest House proprietors telling people there wont be any skiing, when there is!

Some don't seem to understand that white stuff on the mountains and assume if the snow has melted in town the mountain is shut?