The best summer ski destinations: Zermatt, Tignes, Hintertux, Glencoe...

Only a very brave man or woman would ever declare an official end to the Scottish ski season. Long after the resorts have closed, you can be pretty sure that there will still be a few hardcore backcountry enthusiasts out charging steep, narrow gullies on some inaccessible north face, where a few patches of snow are clinging stubbornly on. And, of course, there’s always the novelty of the Midsummer Slide at Glencoe Mountain ski area, which resort owner Andy Meldrum says will be going ahead as usual next month “as long as there’s a decent-size patch of snow left to ski on.” This year, however, there’s been a lot less white stuff than usual, so the gully hounds who might typically have spent much of May and even early June seeking out still-skiable lines around the Highlands face a stark choice: either pack away the ski gear until the start of the 2019/20 season or look elsewhere for those super-late-season turns.