OUTDOOR
Nursery areas Eight easy runs, two of which are ideal nursery areas. Further information 047 986 261.
Ski Instruction Many schools in the area, check with Aviemore Tourist Information (0479 810363).
Ski hire (skis, sticks and boots) £9 a day. Discount 0190p given on each subsequent day’s hire.
I Glencoe Snow conditions hotline 0898 654658.
Not open at the moment and, going
by past records. the chances are that Glencoe will not open before January. Last year there were 73 days when skiing was possible. and strong winds caused problems. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. How to get there Bus or train from Glasgow to Fort William, then bus « back to Glencoe or A82 by car. Day pass Full area: weekdays £8; weekend £9.50. Limited area: weekdays £7; weekend £7.50. Buns Eleven. Nursery areas Ample. Further information ()8552 303. Ski instruction Group class: £10 each for a full day. individual class: £16 an houn Ski Hire £8 a day with a discount on successive days (five days — £29). I Nevis Flange Snow conditions hotline 0898 654660. Officially opens 21 Dec. but could be earlier. depending on snow. Nevis Range, opened last season. is the resort least beset by problems of congestion and the one least likely to be cut off by blocked roads. How to get there Bus or train from Glasgow to Fort William, then bus on to Nevis Range or A82 by car. Day pass Main area: £10. Limited area: £6.50. Multiple day tickets: five days £40, not available on weekends. Buns29. Nursery areas Two nursery slopes and seven easy runs. Further information 0397 705825. Ski instruction Group class: £11 for four hours; £7.50 for two hours. Individual class: £17 an hour. Ski Hire £8.50 a day, with a discount on successive days. I Glenshee Snow conditions hotline 0898 654656. Glenshee boasts Britain’s largest network of ski lifts and tows and the most comprehensive range of runs with many suitable for beginners. Open at the moment. How to get there By car, A93 from Perth. Day pass Full area: weekdays £9; weekends in Jan £11. Limited area:
.. .. 4"“. ,
£7 any day. Half day: weekdays £6; weekends £7.50. Limited area: £5 any day. Tickets go on sale at 12.30pm.
BunsZS.
Nursery areas Seven.
Further information 03397 41320.
Ski instruction Group class: full day, adult £8, child £7; halfday, adult £5, child £4. These prices are £1 more on weekends. Individual: £10 an hour. Ski hire Weekday £6 a day; weekend £7.50.
I Lecht Snow conditions hotline. 0898 654657.
Notable for being the only resort with a creche (£4 an hour), Lecht is suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers. Open at the moment.
How to get there By car, A93 from Perth, then A939 to Tomintoul. Day pass Full area: adult £8, child £5.50. Halfday: adult £6. child £4.50.
Runs Eleven.
Nursery areas Four.
Further information 09756 51440.
Ski instruction Group class: one hour lesson £4, two hours £6. Private class: For one or two people. £14 an houn
Ski hire Weekday £6 a day; weekend £8.
BIKEHIBE SHOPS
Mark Fisher checks out the bike shops.
GLASGOW
l Dales Cycles 150 Doobies Loan,
FESTIVE ESCAPE
332 2705. Mon—Sat 9am—6pm. Suns 12—5pm (for the duration of the Christmas period). Closed Sun 30 Dec-Sat 5 Jan. Open on Mon 24 Dec and Thurs 27—Sat 29 Dec. Aimed particularly at those interested in purchasing top-of-the-range bikes (21-speeds and upwards of £350), Dales gives you the chance to try one out. The weekend rate is £25 and the weekly rate is £40. It is not possible to rent a bike for the day. No deposit is required, but you will need evidence of your address and preferably an Access or Visa card.
I Tor-Toys 193 Clarkston Road, Cathcart, 637 2439. Tor-Toys will next have bikes available for hire at around Easter.
EDINBURGH
I Central Cycle Hire 13 Lochrin Place, Tollcross, 228 6333. Mon—Sat (not Tue) 10am—5pm. Although officially closed from Sun 23 Dec-Fri 4 Jan, Edinburgh’s main cycle hire shop will be happy to negotiate a good rate for the whole of that period or, if you’re planning to rent several bikes and can give sufficient notice, it will open up specially for you. The normal daily rates (24 hours) are £5 for an ordinary bike and £10 for a mountain bike. The comperable weekly rates are £25 and £45 respectively. You are also asked for a £20 fully refundable deposit.
l The Secondhand Cycle Shop 31 Iona Street, 553 1130. Tue—Sat 9am—5.30pm. Open Mon 24 Dec, but closed from Tue 25 Dec—Fri 4 Jan. If you act fast, you should be
HIRE AND HIRE For undemanding and picturesque cycle rides, your best bet is to get onto the increasing network of routes along canal sides and disused railways. These are invariably flat and avoid the various dangers of congested roads. in Glasgow, the charitable organisation Sustrans is doing a great deal to develop such cycle and walkways and is happy to offer advice about “sustainable transport' - those journeys that don’t waste resources and aren’t unnecessary. They have a map produced in association with the Glasgow Herald and available from Sustrans at 53 Cochrane Street, Glasgow G1 lift. or on 041 552 8241. (Please enclose a 9in x 6in sae and if possible a donation towards costs.)
From the centre of Glasgow you can get onto the Glasgow/Loch Lomond Cycieway, a 21 mile safe route from the SECC via Yoker, Clydebank, Bowling, Dumbarton and Balioch to Loch Lomond. in the opposite direction you can follow the river along the Clyde Walkway from the SECC past Glasgow Green to Dalmamock and Cambuslang. Alternatively you can follow the Forth a Clyde Canal from Annlesland or
CENTRAL CYCLE. ‘ HlRE. -- 228 6333
.- If? ‘- 41.. . 1' "53,4 ‘ ha.
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Edinburgh's Central Cycle Hire
Maryhill, or the Kelvin Walkway along the river from Kelvingrove Park.
Edinburgh cyclists can head out to Musseiburgh via the innocent Railway Path (starting at the St Leonard‘s side of Holyrood Park), risking some busy roads in between, but then enjoying picturesque riding along the River Esk. The canal route to Bathe, joining at Fountainbridge, is quiet, flat, and not too overgrown at this time of year, but you have to find your way through Wester Hailes where the canal breaks for a short distance. Alternatively, you could try the canal to Baiemo. There's a useful guide called ‘Cycle a Walk In Lothian’ available from Edinburgh Tourist lnlonnation, Waverley Market, which is open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, Hogmanay and 2 Jan. (Mark Fisher)
Skiingin the Ca mgorms
able to hire a bike for the whole of the holiday period - a fifteen-gear mountain bike works out at an average of £25 for a week. There are several cycle routes in the immediate vicinity of the shop.
I Sandy Gilchrist l Cadzow Place, Abbeyhill, 652 1760. Mon—Sat 9am—5.30pm (until 7.30pm on Thurs). Closed Tue 25 , Wed 26 and Mon 31 Dec—Sat 5 Jan. Open on the days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, Sandy Gilchrist rents out five-speed, ten-speed and steel wheel mountain bikes for £5 a day or £30 per week , or you can hire a lighter alloy wheel mountain bike for £8 a day or £40 per week. There’s also a £30 fully refundable deposit.
EMERGENCY SERICES
I PUBLIC TRANSPORT
BUSES
From Buchanan Bus Station Glasgow and St Andrew's Bus Station, Edinburgh. Enquirie5041 332 9191/031556 8464. Glasgow—Edinburgh
Mon 24 Dec/Mon 31 Dec: Last bus at 1 1.30pm.
Tue 25 Dechue 1 Jan: Buses run half-hourly, 11.30am—7.30pm. Edinburgh—Glasgow
Mon 24 Dec/Mon 31 Dec: Last bus at midnight.
Tue 25 Dec/Tue 1 Jan: Buses run half-hourly, noon—8pm.
Other destinations
A booklet is available from all Scottish Motor Transport offices, detailing all services running on holidays. Most services are normal on Mon 24 and Mon 31; limited on Tue 25 and Tue 1.
FREE BUSES
Free bus services, organised by Tennents to discourage drinking and driving, run throughout the night on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay in Edinburgh and Glasgow (as well as Dundee, Aberdeen and lnverness). Information on individual services is available from Strathclyde Buses on 041 423 6600 or Lothian Region Transport on 031 554 4494.
TRAINS
From Central or Queen Street Station, Glasgow; Waverley and Haymarket Stations, Edinburgh. Enquirie5041 204 2844/031 556 2451.
Glasgow Central—London Euston
Last direct train Mon 24/Mon 31: 5.05pm. No trains on Tue 25fl‘ue 1. Edinburgh Waverley—London Kings Cross
Last train Mon 24/Mon 31: 6.40pm. No trains on Tue 25. Trains run hourly on Tue 1, lpm—6pm inclusive. Glasgow Gueen Street—Edinburgh Haymarket and Waverley
Last train Mon 24/Mon 31 : 9.30pm. No trains on Tue 25/Tue 1. Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket—Glasgow Dueen Street Last train Mon 24/Mon 31 : 9.30pm. No trains on Tue 25fTue l.
A booklet is available from all Scotrail offices, detailing all services running on holidays. No services run within Scotland on Tue 25 or Tue 1.
The List 21 December 1990- 10 January 1991 75