Plans for what was described as the UK’s longest toboggan ride, set high in the Cairngorms, are currently awaiting approval. Submitted in April, the proposal developed by Cairngorm Mountain Ski resort is expected to reach 715 metres above sea level and run for 1.2 kilometres.
In the upcoming weeks, designers are expected to arrive at the resort and work on the plans. Earlier in September, service providers were told that the design would determine the length of the track. Moreover, according to current plans, the ride is planned to be fully accessible to disabled people.
Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Limited (CMSL) plans to construct the track using existing infrastructure at the mountain’s base. Moreover, the resort’s website states that the ‘lightweight aluminium’ toboggan track will make use of an existing ski tow and mountain bike trails.
At Holyrood, representatives of Cairngorm Mountain’s operators and its public agency owners, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), gave evidence on the management of the resort and its funicular railway. The toboggan is being proposed as a new addition to the summer attractions, which currently include carting and mountain biking.
According to the current plans, up to two people would be allowed to ride together on each toboggan. The two-seater is projected to run from spring to autumn. The toboggan ride is expected to be “easy to remove and install by hand each season.”
“Summer toboggans are a well-established concept in the mountains of Austria, Switzerland and Germany and in North America, but this is a first for the Scottish Highlands,“ said Tim Hurst, interim CEO of CMSL. “We’re incredibly proud to be working on this exciting product, introducing something new to the area with minimal impact on the terrain.” Currently, the longest toboggan ride in the UK is located at Chatham Snowsports Centre in Kent.
Under the new proposal, the public would also be allowed to use the funicular to reach the summit of Cairngorm Mountain to access the top of the anticipated toboggan ride. This eliminates the long hike, allowing people of all ages to enjoy it. The funicular railway is currently restricted to protect fragile local habitats.
The Cairngorm funicular railway, which was built in 2001, cost approximately £19.5 million (€22.38 million). After closing for four years due to structural issues, it underwent a repair project costing around £25 million (€28.75 million) and reopened in January 2023. It was then closed again in August of the same year for “snagging issues” and returned to service in February.
