UK toboggan ride in Cairngorms set to become longest and highest of its kind

A new mountain toboggan ride is planned for the Cairngorms, with a price tag around £1.2 million. The attraction is slated to debut in the Scottish Highlands in summer 2026. It will run 1.2km of track and is billed as the longest of its kind in the UK and the highest, with a peak around 715 metres above sea level. Two riders will travel at once on dual-rider toboggans, and the ride will operate from spring to autumn. The lightweight aluminium track is designed to be removed and installed in under two weeks at the start and end of each snow season, according to Cairngorm Mountain's website.

Plans for the project were announced in April this year. Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Limited said plans for a major new attraction are taking shape to complement the resort's summer activities and to introduce a mountain toboggan experience. The company said the venture will be launched in summer 2026, subject to planning and funding approval, with dual-rider toboggans running along 1.2km of track that would make it the longest and highest in the UK. The project is intended to fit alongside existing infrastructure and other seasonal activities, while being lightweight enough to remove and reinstall by hand each season. The team behind Cairngorm Mountain has emphasized the attraction’s minimal impact on the terrain and its potential to attract families and encourage longer visits to the area.

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The ride is planned to be unveiled in the Cairngorms, a region already popular with hikers and hikers-turned-skiers, and is described as a new addition to the east Highlands landscape. Plans reference the dual-rider design, which will run along 1.2km of track and will position the attraction as the UK’s longest and highest toboggan ride of its kind. The project is expected to operate during the snow-free months, extending Cairngorm Mountain’s use beyond winter and providing a year-round draw for visitors.

The proposal has been positioned as a natural extension of Cairngorm Mountain’s more than six decades of snow sports. The resort currently offers more than 30km of piste runs, freestyle terrain, and on-site equipment rental, making it a long-standing destination in Scotland for winter sports enthusiasts. Supporters say the toboggan would complement existing summer activities while preserving the terrain, thanks to a track design that can be dismantled and stored away when not in use. The design emphasizes safety, ease of maintenance, and compatibility with the surrounding landscape.

If approved, the toboggan ride would surpass the current UK benchmark for length, which stands at 750 metres at the Chatham Snowsports Centre in Kent. By creating a longer and higher run in the Highlands, CMSL expects the attraction to broaden Cairngorm’s appeal beyond traditional snow sports and provide a new family-friendly experience that can be enjoyed during warmer months as well.

Cairngorm Mountain has been offering snow sports for more than 60 years and remains a fixture in the region’s tourism calendar. In addition to its extensive piste network, the resort emphasizes summer activities and the potential for year-round visitation, aligning with broader efforts to diversify the Highlands’ tourism product. The plan for a 1.2km mountain toboggan reflects a growing interest in adaptive, seasonal experiences that leverage existing terrain and infrastructure while introducing new attractions that can operate with minimal environmental disruption.