There is optimism in the mountains this winter as snow falls thick enough to allow Scotland’s ski industry to re-open.

Thousands of people have made their pilgrimage to Scottish ski resorts over the Christmas and New Year holidays, with several centres operating at full capacity and where cautious optimism grows for a good season.

Scotland is faring as resorts on the Continent flounder given strangely warm weather and a sparse coating of snow. While Scotland can never rely on anything like the usual coverage of the high-altitude European ranges, there has been a good feeling in the north over the festive season with

one operator describing conditions as “good Scottish skiing – snow with a few patches of heather sticking through.”

It’s been enough to bring skiers and snowboarders back to the slopes, where they belong.

The upbeat mood in the hills follows several difficult years for the industry and the “heartbreak” of January 2021, when lockdown kept people off the slopes despite near-perfect conditions and pristine pistes. Many jobs were lost, too, as the pandemic effectively shut down the sport, despite the appeals of the outdoor industry.

This year, by comparison operators are feeling upbeat. Although the season is fleeting and unpredictable, demand over Christmas has returned familiar scenes to the hills, where artificial snow often helps to top up natural fall.

With the Scottish industry ever fragile - and the situation in Europe illustrating the deep impact of unusual weather patterns – we must grab the opportunity to hit the hills at home while we can.

Scotland's ski season is fleeting, we must grab it while we can