A Highland mountain resort has unveiled plans for a dry ski slope to ensure outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the sport regardless of the weather.
Glencoe Mountain Resort in Lochaber enjoyed unprecedented volumes of snow over last winter.
But with fresh snow falling for 73 days straight from mid-December to the end of February, there were a few days during the season when the uplift could not be used as the lifts were buried, or the high winds made them unsafe to operate.
Now the resort’s management team have lodged plans with Highland Council to build a dry slope to ensure skiing is available no matter the conditions.
Andy Meldrum, managing director of the resort, said: “This would enable us to offer skiing all year round. The dry ski slope would be for all the days when we can’t run the tows further up the hill because it’s too stormy.
“It would mainly be used for beginners classes so the school groups that come here to ski will not be disappointed when they can’t go up the hill.
“And in the summer we would expect it to be used mainly by children wanting to go tubing.”
He added the new facility, which they hope to build behind the cafe, would be able to accommodate 40-50 people at a time.
The plans also include a new toilet and shower block for the resort’s camping area, and an extension to the existing cafe as well as an office building, which will house a shop.
If approved, Mr Meldrum hopes the £250,000 project will be complete by October or November so the new facilities can be used this winter.
He added the shop would sell seasonal goods, from hats, gloves and winter sport equipment to midge nets and bike spares.
The project is not expected to create any new jobs, but Mr Meldrum said it would probably mean some of the seasonal jobs at the resort would become full-time posts.