Sledging at the Ptarmigan

Due to conditions, the sledge park is not always open, please contact us on 01479 861261 or check news from the slopes on the homepage.

Skiing is great fun but can be intimidating if you’ve never done it before – so if you’re visiting CairnGorm Mountain and are looking for a fun winter sports activity that isn’t quite as challenging, then sledging is probably your best option.

There is a sledge park next to the Ptarmigan Restaurant with sledges available to hire depending on the weather and snow conditions (they are only available during the winter and spring months).

So why has sledging become such a popular visitor attraction in the Cairngorms National Park?

The reason is that it’s simply great fun. Also known as sledding and tobogganing, you are in a seated position and slide down the snow in a similar vein to an Olympic luge, skeleton or bobsleigh. Sledging is hugely popular in snowy areas where people are known to improvise with their sledges, sometimes using flat plastic or aluminium discs, or even carrier bags and baking trays, to slide down the snow. However, at CairnGorm Mountain there is no need to improvise as you hire a real sledge which will be far more efficient and easier to motivate across the ice and snow.

The first ride down the hill is often the most important but also the most difficult as it can determine the path of future sledge journeys. Skilled sledding experts will look to steer the sled along the most exciting course, perhaps adding twists and turns to make the run down the hill even faster. Running up to a sledge and jumping on it can also create added momentum.

So when you’ve travelled near the top of CairnGorm Mountain and you’re glancing out at the views across Aviemore and Scotland, why not have some fun while you’re up there? Sledges can be hired for £5 per session although it is advisable to check that the sledge park is open before you buy a ticket on the mountain railway to get there.