Indoor ski slopes, or dry ski slopes as they can be called, mimic the attributes of snow but use materials that remain stable at room temperature. This allows people to ski in countries where natural snow slopes are unavailable or inconvenient and has also given a large section of the UK population a chance to get into the sport without ever having to make the expensive trip abroad.
The name “dry ski slope” is a misnomer as they are often lubricated using a jet or mist system that increases speed and minimises damage on to equipment from heat friction. Most European countries tend to have access to proper snow fields, as do the North Americas but the UK and Netherlands are home to many of the worlds indoor ski slopes because of the lack of access to snow the two areas have.
There are quite a few indoor ski slopes near London, including the Chatham Ski & Snowboard centre in Gillingham, Kent which has one of the longest runs. The range of slopes varies widely from 250m to just 20m for children and beginners. All of the indoor ski slopes near London offer mainly the same services such as children/adult parties, practise facilities, snowboarding or watersports and group bookings. Some of them even offer halfpipes and other assorted equipment for the trick side of skiing/snowboarding.
SNO!zone in Milton Keynes has one of the best reputations of the assorted indoor ski slopes, with two 170m slopes and a 135m training slope. They maintain a steady -2 C air temperature and have 1500 tons of real snow. Its good value and well connected to the rail network allowing for easily journeying there and back. It also offers accommodation if you need to stay overnight.
Bulgaria is only a small country, but its hospitable people and beautiful scenery make it a good holiday destination in both the winter and the summer. In winter skiing in Bulgaria is popular and the four main places to visit are Bansko, Pamporovo, Borovets and Vitosha Mountain.
Rila in Borovets, located on the Mousala ridge, is one of the country’s oldest and biggest ski resorts. The resort sits in pine woods at 1,390 metres with its highest ski tracks at 2,600 metres. Conditions are good in the winter season with plenty of snow. In addition Borovets is just 72 kilometres from Sofia. The resort has the reputation as a hotspot for nightlife on the European ski circuit. The pistes are well maintained and are suitable for all levels, the best being in the Yastrebec region. It has a good ski school for beginners and transport is well organised with numerous chair lifts and a gondola lift. The resort also has modern snowmaking machines ensuring that conditions are always excellent and there are some great ski deals to be had.
Pamporovo is in the centre of the Rhodope Mountain at 1,650 metres. It is 240 kilometres from Sofia and 85 kilometres from Plovdiv. The resort has many slopes that are suitable for beginners, but the Giant Slalom will challenge even experienced skiers. Off-piste skiing is also available, but a guide will be required. There is a good ski school with more than 100 qualified instructors and the night life and accommodation are good. Its unique Mediterranean climate and excellent snow conditions make it a popular resort.
Bansko is a more modern ski resort situated in the Pirin Mountains. The slopes are most suitable for beginners and intermediates with ski tracks 65 kilometres long. The small town that dates from the 10th century has plenty of hotels, restaurants and bars. The resort has a big new lift network and boasts the first fun park for snowboarders in the Balkans. The ski school is particularly good for children and they are also catered for by the Ulen Junior Ski Club. Bansko has the longest ski season and best snow record of any Bulgarian ski resort. Bansko is quieter than some other Bulgarian resorts and not really the place for those who like to party. Vitosha Mountain is just 10 kilometres from Sofia. Skiing conditions are good although the nightlife and hotels could be better.
Skiing in Bulgaria is a cheaper option than Western European resorts. A number of websites offer skiing in Bulgaria packages and it is worth comparing the prices under ‘Ski Holidays Bulgaria’ on several of these sites before booking your ski holiday.
If you’ve never taken a skiing holiday before, the whole thing can seem a bit daunting especially the cost and the fitness levels needed. However, many of these fears are unfounded if you do a little homework before you book anything.
If I find out I don’t enjoy skiing, my whole holiday will be ruined:
Not necessarily. If you don’t get the chance to try out some skiing before you go (and one of the UK’s many indoor ski slopes) and you get your first taste of it on holiday you may well not fall in love with it straight away. The good news is that many resorts have alternative activities like horesriding, snow tubing, spa baths and shopping that you can take advantage of.
A skiing holiday is out of my price range:
Ski holidays are no longer the preserve of the rich and famous – these days it is possible to get some fantastic deals on ski holidays particularly if you take the self-catering option and avoid the peak holiday times like school breaks.
Global warming has ruined the chances of really good snow:
Not so, well not yet anyway. Experts think that global warming might possibly start to affect European skiing over the next 50 years, but at the moment there is no real evidence that it has started.
Skiing is a dangerous activity and I’m bound to get injured:
The overwhelming majority of beginners who learn to ski with instructors will have a long lifetime of incident free skiing. Accidents do occur, of course, but more often than not ski related accidents are less to do with the actual skiing and more to do with amounts of alcohol consumed and not taking care on icy surfaces etc. If you learn to ski properly, you will also learn to ski safely.
It will be freezing!:
Well, yes, the weather will probably be pretty cold and it will sometimes snow heavily – that’s half the fun of taking a holiday in the winter. However, there are many special clothes you can buy/hire to keep you warm and all that skiing will keep away the cold too.
I might not like the food:
The food in ski resorts isn’t all cheese and ham – and most places offer a huge variety of restaurants and cuisines. Those on self catering breaks will also find good food in many of the local resort shops and markets.
So, if you want to take a skiing holiday then go for it – don’t let fear of the unknown put you off.
Unfortunately, every year many skiers injure themselves almost as soon as they step foot on the slopes and even if the injury is not a serious one it can leave you unable to move for at least a couple of days. Bad news after you’ve spent all that money for your holiday eh? Luckily, you can work on your fitness and strength before you start your ski holiday which should significantly reduce your chances of injuring yourself on the slopes. In order to get yourself slope ready there are three main areas that you need to work on:
*Cardiovascular fitness
*Building up the muscles you will use the most whilst skiing
*Flexibility and balance.
credit: fincher69
Cardiovascular fitness
Your lungs and heart really need to be in peak condition if you are to get the most out of your skiing holiday. Working on your cardiovascular fitness will ensure that you have enough stamina to last you an entire day on the slopes as many skiers end up injuring themselves as they become more and more tired during the day. If possible, try and start any regime at least a couple of months before your holiday to give your body a chance to get used to the exercise. Cardiovascular fitness is basically getting your heart pumping faster so brisk walking, jogging, cycling etc are ideal especially if you can find time to do them every day for at least 20 or 30 minutes. If you are a member of a gym you’ll also have access to running and rowing machines and circuit training classes which are excellent for this kind of exercise. As the weeks progress you should notice a change in your fitness and stamina levels which means you can increase the intensity of your workouts.
Building up your muscles
To help you ski to the best of your ability and for as long as possible, you will need to work on building your ski-specific muscles such as calves, quadriceps and gluteus maximus (your bum). Your stomach, back, and side muscles also need to be as strong as possible to ensure a good range of movement. Obviously the gym will offer the best kind of machines and free weights designed to help you build your ski-specific muscles but there are many exercises you can do at home like hamstring curls, lunges and squats. Improving the strength of your core whilst at home is easy as you can still practice sit ups and other exercises specifically meant for this region of the body.
Flexibility and balance
If there is one sport which requires great flexibility and balance, it is skiing – the more flexible you are, the safer you will be whilst out on the slopes. Luckily, there are many exercises that are brilliant for improving both your flexibility and balance and that can be done in the comfort of your own home such as the one-leg-squat-and-reach exercise. Most gyms also have an area set aside with exercise mats and various pieces of equipment such as exercise bands which are good for improving your balance and the strength of your core muscles. Another piece of equipment that you can often find in the gym is the wobble board which can be used to enhance your physical balance. It is also great for improving your reflexes. There are numerous exercises that can be carried out whilst standing on a wobble board, the most common being to simply stand on the board and move back and forth without allowing the sides to touch the ground. As the weeks progress you should start to notice some real improvements in both your flexibility and balance.
If you work hard to improve your cardiovascular fitness, strengthen your ski-specific muscles, and work on your balance and flexibility, you will give yourself the best chance of avoiding injury whilst on the slopes. Furthermore, if you are unlucky enough to suffer an injury, you will be able to recover far more quickly than a skier who has not put in the hard work prior to their holiday.
Oh what a fabulous two days we’ve had with some beautiful snow showers here in West Yorkshire and up in North Yorkshire where I work. Granted, the roads have been a bit difficult to drive on and it’s no fun without a big coat and two pairs of gloves but it’s sooooo fantastic to look out of the window, beyond the Christmas Tree and see huge big flakes falling down. I’vve got a bit of a chest infection at the moment so no sledging or snow hiking for me this weekend, instead I’m watching the fun from behind closed doors with a huge bowl of stew and dumplings and some trashy Christmas telly. It’s going to snow again tonight apparently – I’m beyond excited!
photo credit: Jarvist Frost
There are loads of reasons why a winter holiday in a ski resort can be great fun even if you’ve never skied before or are a total beginner. If you book a deal at the right resort, the range of activities on offer for non skiers will easily match those on offer for the skiers in the party, making ski holidays accessible to all. Many skilifts and cable cars will happily accept non skiers, and it’s a brilliant way to get to the top of the slopes but also to get back down the mountain at a sedate speed. You can also try tubing (absolutely brilliant fun), horse riding, dog-sledding, snow -boarding or lots of other snow related activities. Many ski resorts also have spa and pool facilities which can be enjoyed by all. The secret to a great non-skiing holiday at a winter resort is to book ahead and check out the other facilities available so you’ll know there are going to be alternatives for you. Depending on the resort you choose, the opportunities to shop can be superb, as well as some of the tastiest food and drink on offer, often international cuisine. Some of the more exclusive resorts have a huge collection of boutique style shops and large resorts such as Chamonix have a great range of international restaurants and bars. Of course, most of the resorts will have at least one coffee house where you can sit down and enjoy a hot chocolate and a blueberry muffin.
Of course, being in the mountains in the middle of winter can be one of the most amazing and exhilarating places to spend a holiday. The air is crystal clear, the scenery is breathtaking and the weather (although often below freezing) can often be very sunny. No wonder that for generations, the Alps in particular have been a popular destination for convalescence. So, as a non skier, you can see that you can take real advantage of all the resorts have to offer. If you are on a week’s ski holiday, you will want to spend every hour of every day skiing, and all evening recovering. As a non skier, you holiday can be varied, and you can return home feeling like you’ve had a real break. There are so many ski deals available these days it makes sense to take advantage of all the resorts have to offer.
I’m almost beside myself with excitement today as my boyfriend has just let slip he’s booked a weekend away in Yorkshire at the fantastic Snozone in Castleford! Wooohooo. I’ve never been but spend many an hour drooling over the website planning what activities I’d do, which cafe I’d eat in, what I’d buy in the no doubt tremendously well stocked ski shop……
I’m really not much of a skier so I’m not going to waste precious time on the slopes there, when frankly, I’m going to have a much more enjoyable time sledging and trying out the ice slide. These are the kind of activities I do when on a winter holiday anyway and I feel just as exhausted and exhilarated after 30 minutes of these sports as my boyfriend does snowboarding or skiing. It’ll be nice to go there together but to go our own way for an hour or two and do our own thing.
I’ve also been promised a night in one of Yorkshire’s romantic hotels as part of the weekend and a trip to the German Market in Leeds for lovely food and mulled wine. I’m so excited!