Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Suggestions for southern UK's best synthetic ski centres

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm traveling from the States and interested in visiting some of the best synthetic ski slopes within 3 hours of London. Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi if you're within 3 hours of London then you've got options of real snow too with the following ranked in distance closest first

Hemel - the snow Center
Milton Keynes - snowzone
Manchester - chill factorie

Manchester is probably my favourite for size but Hemel is good and the snow pretty consistent if a little bumpy.

If it's particularly artificial you want. I quite liked Brentwood ski in great warley essex.

Have a great trip and welcome to snowheads
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Ps this site might help you locate what you're after

http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/infoandadvice/uksnowsports/ukslopesmap.aspx#.V7_lx8R4WnM
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@SkEO, why?
latest report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@djf, that's a useful resource but worth mentioning that it isn't totally up to date. E.g. it includes Bromley which closed recently.

Also regarding Manchester, it was reported on another thread that they are having some technical issues with their snow making at present so if the OP is visiting very soon Hemel or MK probably a better bet.
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Longest artificial slope in the Southern part of England would be Gloucester - I don't know when you are thinking of visiting the National artificial slope ski championships are being held there weekend 3rd/4th Sept, so that's either a chance to see what can be done on the surface, or a restriction on skiing it yourself, depending upon you point of view. Norfolk is another of the best ones (and it's not much of detour off the route from London if you wanted to take in the Ipswich one on the way).

There are a few different types of surfaces - indoor artificial snow, the original dendix (which is a brush type mat) surface used on the majority,

Snowflex which is more carpet like so more beginner friendly and also useful for artificial moguls/terrain features but has some disadvantages too (less "grippy" for more advanced skiers, and can't have Slalom courses set on it)

and Proslope only at Snowtrax near Christchurch in Dorset at the moment, which is has some similarities to the Dendix design in that it is based on a diamond shaped structure, but with varying length bristles (and again doesn't lend itself as well to setting changing patterns of slalom gates)


Some slopes will have a mixture - snowflex on beginners areas and terrain features, but Dendix on main slopes for example - e.g. the pic below (Norfolk) has snowflex on the beginner area to the left and on the moguls, but Dendix on the longer slope on the right.


If you're looking for indoor, the snow isn't great at Chill Factore in Manchester at the moment. There's also another indoor snow one at Castleford in Yorkshire which is within the 3 hours, and the first one which was built in the UK at Tamworth.

The video below includes clips from a number of the slopes, indoor and outdoor.

http://youtube.com/v/Mq88DVqTjbM
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thank you all for the great feedback!
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@SkEO, you can get to Edinburgh by train from London in a little over 4 hours or around 1 hour if you fly. Toofy Grin That then opens up the possibility to ski on the longest artificial slope in Europe. In fact there are 2 slopes at Hillend, or to give it its official name, Midlothian Snowsports Centre.

This video from last years Scottish Outdoor champs will give you a good isea of what it looks like:-


http://youtube.com/v/tILH61iUHhI
snow report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
That's awesome Gaza. Any idea what surface they are using?
latest report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@SkEO, the main and 'tow' slopes use Dendix. There are 2 nursery slopes that use Neveplast.

I learned to ski at Hillend many years ago. The mat is generally in good condition. They replaced a large amount last summer and another section this. The upper section is steep and I doubt there is anywhere else in the UK that anything like it.

Here is another slightly different view (my 8 year old practising for this coming weekends Scottish Outdoor Champs):-


http://youtube.com/v/OdUevqg8u8c

At around 24 seconds you can just see the 2 nursery slopes (green Neveplast) and the jump slope (white Snowflex).

If you are looking to get an idea of different surfaces for research purposes then Hillend will allow you to see 3 in a single visit.
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Can anyone suggest a centre that uses Neveplast surface within 3 hours of London?
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy