A-Z of resorts: Engelberg

Once upon a time, when Swissair was still a sensible airline, it sold ski day-trips from London. I paid my £130 and found myself with several dismal hour in Engelberg. It was a cold Sunday in January, the visibility was poor, and I wished I had stayed at home. But first impressions can deceive.

Perseverance, and another, longer, visit, revealed that Engelberg is an ideal resort for anyone keen on high altitudes, long vertical drops and year-round skiing. The main mountain is Titlis, more than 10,000 feet high, with a glacier where you can ski all year. The official winter season begins this year four weeks from today, and will continue until 26 May, but there is already plenty of fresh powder up on the glacier.

Getting up the mountain is a slow process, a 45-minute journey involving a gondola and two cable cars – although one is revolving, which adds novelty value if not speed. But the reward for the journey is the prospect of skiing one of the longest vertical drops in Switzerland – more than 6,000 feet – down a run nearly eight miles long. There are less ambitious slopes from the lower station of Stand and from Jochstock, with more slopes on the other side of the valley.

The Swiss regard Engelberg as the region's major ski resort. Yet it has never become popular with British visitors, despite the fact that several operators, including Crystal, feature it in brochures. But it has plenty to offer, not least a short transfer time – about 90 minutes by road, a couple of hours by train – from Zurich airport.

With cheap flights on offer from Luton and Liverpool, Engelberg is an excellent place for a short-break or even a day-trip. But don't be put off by a spot of bad weather.