Indoor SKi/Snowboarding place - articial snow/dry
Discussion
All
Is there an indoor ski run near Reading area? i thought i saw signs the other day - but can't find it on web.
I know about the one at Milton Keynes......are there any others within an hour or so drive of say Heathrow?
I've done a Pistonheads search - and nothing obvious came up
Obviously artificial snow is better than dry. We need to give a newbie a taster for skiing and snowboarding to see which one they want to choose for holiday in Jan.
ta
Is there an indoor ski run near Reading area? i thought i saw signs the other day - but can't find it on web.
I know about the one at Milton Keynes......are there any others within an hour or so drive of say Heathrow?
I've done a Pistonheads search - and nothing obvious came up
Obviously artificial snow is better than dry. We need to give a newbie a taster for skiing and snowboarding to see which one they want to choose for holiday in Jan.
ta
RacerMDR said:
i don't know why i put Indoor - wasn't thinking there. Outdoor is good too!
basically anyway for a novice to try on the kit, have a early idea of how to stand etc.
Don't bother! you'll just pick up bad habbits, wait till your on the slopes and get a proper 1 on 1 lesson. Dry ski slopes wont teach you a thing, they are far too short, you cant catch an edge etc etcbasically anyway for a novice to try on the kit, have a early idea of how to stand etc.
- i know dry is a bit pants - but it will help a complete novice to get a feel. Personally - i don't need any lessons!
the Bracknell one looks good - but expensive!
the Hillingdon one - can't find any website for it - although its on way home so i'll swing by and see if its operating.
thanks all
RacerMDR said:
- i know dry is a bit pants - but it will help a complete novice to get a feel. Personally - i don't need any lessons!
the Bracknell one looks good - but expensive!
the Hillingdon one - can't find any website for it - although its on way home so i'll swing by and see if its operating.
thanks all
ETA picture of Hillingdon Dry Ski Slope now:
Edited by Bee_Jay on Wednesday 22 October 15:34
When i was at primary school I went for a number of lessons on dry slopes got as fas as the parallel turn.
But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope). First thing I remember - falling on a dry slope hurts (fair enough I only had one fall to compare it against on actual snow so maybe its easier not to fall on the actual slopes). Secondly its far easier to parallel turn on actual snow - I got to the stage of turning on the "edge" of the ski's which you effecitvly lean into the mountain like you would on a motorbike cornering - whereas when your turning normally you lean out of the mountain.
The other thing is the piste is so much wider than any dry slope ive been on (much steeper too.....in places).
I really love going fast be it cars, bikes, skating etc but when skiing with my mad instructor he bet me a beer that he'd go down the blue run backwards as fast as I was willing to go forwards. Up to that point I'd been going side to side down the tricky bits but confidence had built up so I took him on that challenge and went "straight" feck me thats fastyou really have to focus (still many many flying past me as I'd got fear/reaching my ability/fear of falling and at that speed it would be serious injury. Still he kept going backwards side by side begging me faster faster. I ended up buying him a beer at the lift.
one other thing always take a ruck sack with you - nothing better than 6ltrs of plastic bottles local beer in your bag & very nice to drink on the lifts going up.
Enjoy it.
But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope). First thing I remember - falling on a dry slope hurts (fair enough I only had one fall to compare it against on actual snow so maybe its easier not to fall on the actual slopes). Secondly its far easier to parallel turn on actual snow - I got to the stage of turning on the "edge" of the ski's which you effecitvly lean into the mountain like you would on a motorbike cornering - whereas when your turning normally you lean out of the mountain.
The other thing is the piste is so much wider than any dry slope ive been on (much steeper too.....in places).
I really love going fast be it cars, bikes, skating etc but when skiing with my mad instructor he bet me a beer that he'd go down the blue run backwards as fast as I was willing to go forwards. Up to that point I'd been going side to side down the tricky bits but confidence had built up so I took him on that challenge and went "straight" feck me thats fastyou really have to focus (still many many flying past me as I'd got fear/reaching my ability/fear of falling and at that speed it would be serious injury. Still he kept going backwards side by side begging me faster faster. I ended up buying him a beer at the lift.
one other thing always take a ruck sack with you - nothing better than 6ltrs of plastic bottles local beer in your bag & very nice to drink on the lifts going up.
Enjoy it.
Welshbeef said:
When i was at primary school I went for a number of lessons on dry slopes got as fas as the parallel turn.
But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Ski's changed a lot in those 20 years, its all carver skis now, completely different to 20 years ago, I learnt 20 odd years ago, then last year bought some new ski's (carver) after not skiing for a long time, prefer to board, and I had to have a couple of lessons again, I could hardly stand up or turn on these 'new' fangled things But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
smilerbaker said:
Welshbeef said:
When i was at primary school I went for a number of lessons on dry slopes got as fas as the parallel turn.
But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Ski's changed a lot in those 20 years, its all carver skis now, completely different to 20 years ago, I learnt 20 odd years ago, then last year bought some new ski's (carver) after not skiing for a long time, prefer to board, and I had to have a couple of lessons again, I could hardly stand up or turn on these 'new' fangled things But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Total real snow time = 7 days to date. Loved every minute of it. Also am willing to try boarding too but want to nail / be a confident skier first ie. have the kahunas to go for a tricky black run ....
Welshbeef said:
smilerbaker said:
Welshbeef said:
When i was at primary school I went for a number of lessons on dry slopes got as fas as the parallel turn.
But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Ski's changed a lot in those 20 years, its all carver skis now, completely different to 20 years ago, I learnt 20 odd years ago, then last year bought some new ski's (carver) after not skiing for a long time, prefer to board, and I had to have a couple of lessons again, I could hardly stand up or turn on these 'new' fangled things But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Total real snow time = 7 days to date. Loved every minute of it. Also am willing to try boarding too but want to nail / be a confident skier first ie. have the kahunas to go for a tricky black run ....
smilerbaker said:
do you mean snowdome?
ihmo you'll learn bugger all on indoor / dry ski slopes, a complete waste of time and money
I disagree. Whilst artificial slopes dont bear a lot in common with real snow you can learn the basic technique. Not only that but it is a lot harder to ski on artificial slopes so when you do hit the real stuff it gives your confidence a boost. I had two lesson on an outdoor slope in Yeovil many, many years ago, when I got to my lesson in France I was so far in advance of all the other beginers that I didnt bother til the end of the week.ihmo you'll learn bugger all on indoor / dry ski slopes, a complete waste of time and money
smilerbaker said:
Welshbeef said:
When i was at primary school I went for a number of lessons on dry slopes got as fas as the parallel turn.
But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Ski's changed a lot in those 20 years, its all carver skis now, completely different to 20 years ago, I learnt 20 odd years ago, then last year bought some new ski's (carver) after not skiing for a long time, prefer to board, and I had to have a couple of lessons again, I could hardly stand up or turn on these 'new' fangled things But then stopped and only went on a skiing holiday this year FYI thats well well over 20 years later!!! Still having said that I went for 4 hr a day tuition out there for the first 3 days and then planned to see how I got on/practice what i'd learnt.
I fell over once on the actual ski holiday - it took me one run down the nursery slope for it all to come back to me (all 6 lessons worth on a dry slope).
Road2Ruin said:
smilerbaker said:
do you mean snowdome?
ihmo you'll learn bugger all on indoor / dry ski slopes, a complete waste of time and money
I disagree. Whilst artificial slopes dont bear a lot in common with real snow you can learn the basic technique. Not only that but it is a lot harder to ski on artificial slopes so when you do hit the real stuff it gives your confidence a boost. I had two lesson on an outdoor slope in Yeovil many, many years ago, when I got to my lesson in France I was so far in advance of all the other beginers that I didnt bother til the end of the week.ihmo you'll learn bugger all on indoor / dry ski slopes, a complete waste of time and money
we have had quite a few friends and relatives come over to visit, all those that had lessons on dry slopes or places like the snowdome have had real issues when they have hit proper snow, one instructor even hunted me down to ask wtf my nephews where on as they had had a few lessons at an indoor place and where told they where 'level 3' (level 1 being rubbish) yet they couldn't turn or stop and could barely stand.No idea how much lessons etc are in the UK but the instructors here will generally get you up and running in a 2 hours private lesson, that costs around £75
Welshbeef said:
Yes I did see that a lot - many sitting down mid slope....
Think I'll try to get to as good a base as I can with skiing first then have a dabble with boarding.
Do you still have lessons every ski holiday?
I live in switzerland, so go boarding / skiing every weekend during the season Think I'll try to get to as good a base as I can with skiing first then have a dabble with boarding.
Do you still have lessons every ski holiday?
smilerbaker said:
Welshbeef said:
Yes I did see that a lot - many sitting down mid slope....
Think I'll try to get to as good a base as I can with skiing first then have a dabble with boarding.
Do you still have lessons every ski holiday?
I live in switzerland, so go boarding / skiing every weekend during the season Think I'll try to get to as good a base as I can with skiing first then have a dabble with boarding.
Do you still have lessons every ski holiday?
If your a beginner definatley go to an indoor one, its not exactly the same as on real snow but pretty close and a lot better than dry slopes.
Though if you can snowboard on dry slopes proper snow will be a piece of piss!
For indoor ones though the only ones I know are, castleford, milton keynes both Xscape
Tamworth snowdome and Manchesters Chill FactorE
Expensive, though if you learn the basics before you go you will enjoy your holiday a lot more so I would say its definately worth learning first - especially snowboarding.
Though if you can snowboard on dry slopes proper snow will be a piece of piss!
For indoor ones though the only ones I know are, castleford, milton keynes both Xscape
Tamworth snowdome and Manchesters Chill FactorE
Expensive, though if you learn the basics before you go you will enjoy your holiday a lot more so I would say its definately worth learning first - especially snowboarding.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff