A Highland sled dog centre is shutting its doors because of climate change.
Cairngorm Sleddog Centre owner Alan Stewart said there was simply not enough snow to continue.
He and his wife Fiona – who have welcomed Sir David Attenborough and Bear Grylls to their centre at Rothiemurchus Estate, near Aviemore, over their 19 years of operation – will call it a day in April.
“Climate change has finished us off. I could see it coming six years ago. There is no snow – it’s not rocket science,” said Mr Stewart, 64, yesterday.
“We moved from the west coast 20 years ago because we could get five months of snow – now we just have mud.
“To train dogs professionally you need several months of snow – but even in Europe you cannot get enough snow.
“In British Columbia – where my son raced two years ago – they are having to ship in snow by lorries.
“I don’t see a future for Scottish ski resorts – skiing in Scotland is finished, completely and utterly finished.
“I have 20 dogs left and my youngest is 10 years old and they will stay with me until they die – 100 percent.”
To mark the end of an era, Mr Stewart – who works as an offshore diving supervisor – is hosting an evening with friends and some of the world’s leading winter explorers, mushers and divers at the Macdonald Aviemore Resort in Aviemore next week.