The ski season on CairnGorm Mountain's 30 kilometres of pisted runs just outside Aviemore runs from December to April. Take the funicular railway to the Ptarmigan top station and cruise two kilometres back down through stunning mountain scenery. If it's après ski you're after, then Aviemore's lively bars aren't far away. On the way home drop into the Woodshed for a drink next to the open fire.

Snowboarders and extreme skiers are  well looked after in Aviemore and the Cairngorm Mountain ski resort. The CairnGorm was the first to enjoy a maintained fun park. Aviemore has possibly the best snowboard facilities in the UK and frequently hosts the championships. Aviemore was the first area in Scotland to offer snowboard tuition and board hire. It has since hosted numerous competitions in a snow-park which includes: table tops, log slides, gap jumps and a half-pipe.

For snowboard or skiing lessons check out the Snow Board / Ski School at the Cairngorm Mountain. Outdoor Discovery offer skiing and snowboarding lessons all year round on a dry slope. Loch Insh also has a small dry slope for lessons. Snow Sports Highland Holidays at Glenshee caters for all levels of ability, from raw beginner to expert. The Lecht has an in house ski instruction school.

Scottish Aviemore is the place for cross-country skiing in the UK. The best cross-country skiing in the park is found in amongst the wooded trails of the Rothiemurchus Estate around Loch Morlich but there's plenty of scope for Nordic skiing at Inshriach and in the Glenmore Forest, and on the Glenlivet Estate. Indeed, most forest tracks are suitable after a heavy snowfall. A trail map can be obtained from any tourist office. Slochd cross-country is the best-kept secret in the park.

The Sleddog Adventure Centre in Aviemore is the only working dog centre in the UK and offers a range of activities for all the family, from kennel and museum tours to dog trips and safaris. It's even possible to take a two-day tour with an overnight stay before driving your own sled back to the centre.

The major climbing areas in the Cairngorms, from the corries of Braeriach to the cliffs of Lochnagar and Creag an Dubh Loch, provide the finest winter climbing in Britain. Long and varied climbs are mixed in with short technical routes and pure ice climbs for all grades. With its outdoor activities, and service providers always on hand, Aviemore and Glenmore Lodge are a good place to start.