 Poster: A snowHead
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I've never liked dry ski sopes since I was a teenager but I now go to Silksworth in Sunderland every Wednesday evening. I've also joined the Ravens Ski Club which is based there.
The reason is because I've had enough of finding that I forgot everything I learned the previous trip and having to fork out 100 euros for Ski-school.
So far its been successful and I'm beginning to become less nervous on dry slopes, I will be trying the Castleford snowdome in a couple of weeks as well, I am determined to make myself ready for Fernie next year! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well it's the closest I get to snow, so yeah I like them! Unfortunately I'm rather financially challenged and don't get to ski on snow that often! But never the less I absolutely love skiing and I'm always on the look out for cheap holidays...freebie anyone? 
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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?
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I can think of great times on quite a few plastic slopes, and been racking my brain trying to work out which was the first I ever skied. Probably Watford or Alexandra Palace in London (both now defunct). One of the most memorable experiences was Hillend (now Midlothian) outside Edinburgh, on a dewy autumn morning. A really big slope with a great location.
Sheffield was excellent - a very imaginative layout, choice of pistes, and with challenging bumps - although I've read one or two negative comments about the state of the mat in the past year. Gloucester, Hemel Hempstead, Swadlincote, Aberystwyth, Wycombe were all fun. Beckton Alps had a great urban location, but it seems unlikely we'll see skiing there again, unless someone pulls the snowdome project out of the hat.
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Better than nothing when you live in the South of England. I've skied at Bournemouth and Southampton with the later longer and more interesting but found excellent tuition at Bournemouth- anyone tried Southampton since it privatised a couple of years ago ????
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I don't ski on plastic all year round, but I do like to warm myself up before going on a skiing holiday. The past two years I've used Southampton - not as big as Wycombe, but it serves the purpose. No bar/food area, either.
Southampton seems to be reasonably well run but they could do with spending a bit more on lift mainenance.
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RichardB, I've spent many brass-monkey-esque November evening at Ravens and I have to say, although I was very cynical about skiing on plastic when I started going, I thouroughly enjoyed it and kept going back for 4 years of uni!
I would say though that if you're looking to rip up the back country in Fernie, some of the racing tips from the guys there may not prove to be that useful in the 4 foot powder fields Fernie is famous for!
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Hate them Hate Them!! Its like skiing on carpet! and I live in fear that i'll fall over and my arm will be wrenched off, so I dont use them, and I can always ski no probs as soon as I get to resort
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I haven't skied on a dry slope for 12 or years but am beginning to be tempted by the thought, again mostly to cut down on that initial ''I've forgotten how to ski' moment that seems to happen at the start of each trip. The nearest slope to me is Bromley - has anyone skied there and can tell me what it's like?
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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.
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I'm wary of dry slopes since I wrenched a thumb some years ago (I know, I know, don't fall in the first place - and if you do, don't spread out hand to protect self on fall).
Quite like to do a warm up run at Sheffield before the star of snow skiing though. I'm not a natural sportsman, and I like to remind my head what the planks under my feet do. But I don't find it essential, and must admit I agree it's like skiing on carpet.
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Hate, hate, hate!!! I can ski black runs but put me on a dry slope and I'm back to snowploughs...why on earth is that?? It's a snowdome or nothing for me....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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It also depends on the surface of the different slopes. I find the matting at Sheffield and Hillend (Edinburgh) to be pretty horrid - bumps, metal poking out everywhere, but places like Silksworth and Wycombe are ok - but 'ok' is a relevant term I guess!
The unique aspect of most dry ski slpoes is that they have to close on the rare occasions we get snow in this country. A cruel irony...
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You know it makes sense.
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tough crowd, we haven't closed when it snowed - but the transition from snow above the bristles to snow below the bristles after it's been scraped a bit makes life interesting.
after an early morning bout of freezing rain a few years back the grass hillside next to the slope was covered in a clear ice sheet - that was fun 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Last time I went to Edinburgh ski slope it was fine - although the fact it was actually snowing probably helped!! Wasn't chucking it down, just a fine dusting coming down as I pootled around the slope - very pleasant and definitely helped the experience.
I like that slope simply because it has a great range of skiing (for a dry slope). It's long enough to string more than two turns together (unlike my local Glasgow slope) and even has a steepish bit.
Beats sitting in the office, anyway!
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Poster: A snowHead
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masopa, no-one will disagree with you there, save perhaps the real dendix haters! i see what you mean about hillend - it does offer much more skiing and yes, the steep bit does make it interesting, especially in GS races! I think I'm right in saying it's the longest plastic slope in Europe (no great claim i guess) but the only one long enough for a GS. the big air jump is good though but i think sheffield is the place if that's your bag!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Slightly OT, but how much does weight play a part in dry slope racing? On snow it is more or less significant, depending on conditions/steepness/course setting/wax used etc, but I suppose there is extra friction on dendix? Lightweight racers are signficantly at a disadvantage in the speed events, much less so in slalom, but even so, on a slope that isn't very steep it's bound to have an effect.....
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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?
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PG, yes, certainly the case on the less steep slopes i think, such as wycombe, although there is no substitute for technique. a good friend of mine in the welsh team can't weigh more than 11 stone and is 5'6" - basically, he would drift off in a crosswind - but his technique is so good this becomes less of an issue on longer dendix courses such as hillend. where weight, or should i say power, comes into effect is on the shorter, flatter courses where the push out of the start gate really can make a world of difference. but i guess to an extent this is the same on snow - but just accentuated on plastic.
dendix really has to be well watered too. many a time you'll reach the bottom of hillend and smell the burning p-tex from your base!
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I think they are good fun. You have to accept that they are not the real thing, but as long as you do that they are great. We go to our local slope for their intermediate/advanced coaching once a week during the winter months (well Sept to April!) and it has improved our skiing no end, not to mention that it's good fun and nice to be skiing/talking skiing on a regular basis.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've been to Sheffield and Harrogate (RIP) dry slopes a few times, but to be honest I would strongly reccomend that anyone who is not an obsessively keen skier, or who is within an hours drive of an indoor snow slope, steer well clear. Certainly for beginners dry slopes are a great way to discourage people!
They just feel different to any snow, with far more drag on the bases for straight running, and much less efficient braking and carving in turns. Sure you can make it work if you're good, but it's not even remotely as much fun as the worst artificial snow, boiler plate or mashed potato!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Plake - I learnt to ski at Harrogate while at school next door! It was tiny - only experience of a dry slope. I understand that they've moved on a lot judging by this thread!
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Hate-especially after tearing my thumb ligaments 3 weeks before my first ski holiday. Only some intensive help from my father-in-law, and a brilliant removable splint helped me to get to the snow. An extra large glove completes the picture. Never been back on the dry slope-horrible place.
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Dendix Thumb. Nasty. Try sewing the thumb and forefinger of your gloves together. It's an old trick, but it might just work.
Confession: I got this "cunning plan" off a guy I met in the pub last night called Baldrick.
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