Ski Indoors at The Snow Centre

A few flurries of snow, the thought of months to go until the summer holidays or the prospect of two weeks of winter Olympics on the telly; all may be enough to make anyone wonder whether they could afford the time or expense of squeezing another skiing trip. It may have been a few years since you last went, so perhaps some new children in the family or the prospect of a stronger Euro, are part of the reason why you wonder whether a skiing trip this year is such a good idea.

Well for those who yearn to get back on the slopes but seem to have a number of obstacles preventing them from making that booking of a Val D’Isere chalet, there is now a convenient alternative. If may not have the spectacular views or the chalet girls baking those wonderful cakes that await you after a day on manicured pistes, but it is much nearer, much cheaper and possibly quite a lot of fun too. The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead only opened last May and is Britain’s newest indoor real snow winter sports centre. Its location on the outskirts of London, means getting there is very easy for millions of people in the south and, being very new, the facilities and hire equipment are all pleasingly fresh.

The complex was designed and constructed using the latest technology, both for its 4 lift system and for the equipment it uses to make the snow. Conditions on the two slopes are always perfect with fresh snow being generated each night and the indoor air temperature kept at a cool but pleasant minus 2 degrees Celsius. The hire equipment is all state of the art too and is included in the session price (unless you’re at one of the freestyle sessions). Safety is a priority so everyone is encouraged to don a helmet: they must be worn by younger visitors and for certain (more risky) types of activities.

The Snow Centre has two indoor snow slopes. The main one is 160 metres top to bottom, while the shorter, 30 meter wide, training slope is still a spacious 100 metres long. Fast POMA lifts stop the queues building up, while calmer and easier-to-use rope tows are an option for beginners or young children.

There are all kinds of special sessions such as the regular freestyle snowboarding nights and fast-track all day tuition courses run by companies like Definition or Maverix.. For the freestyle sessions the centre builds different features on the slopes such as kickers, rails, and boxes to keep everyone on their toes and test their skills. Those brave enough will have the chance to use a huge airbag for softer landings on one night each month.

Absolute beginners need to join up with one of the instruction courses and achieve some basic skills before taking to the freestyle sessions. If you are not sure where you stand, it is simple just to call up and check with the helpful staff before turning up. They suggest booking in advance for these sessions, especially during January to April, when they expect the biggest demand. Indoor snowboarding is a great way for beginners to start out in the sport in a safe environment. Qualified instructors are usually on hand and newbies will quickly be up to the standard required for the freestyle sessions.

All of the teaching staff at the Snow Centre are qualified BASI instructors and there are over 100 of them, so all disciplines and styles are catered for.

For spectators too, the centre doesn’t disappoint. The Edge café has great views out over the snow areas from its balcony with Costa Coffee and a range of snacks on offer. Conveniently there’s also an on-site branch of Snow+Rock with a great range clothing, equipment and footwear.

So don’t worry if you can’t afford that week in Chamonix or you’re worried about finding out your youngsters hate skiing just an hour after arriving on your first £4000 holiday with them. The Snow Centre has the perfect solution and its right on your doorstep. Get down there during the Olympics and really get into the mood for some great winter sport.

http://www.thesnowcentre.com