 Poster: A snowHead
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For my sins my time in this country is spent on plastic, but prior to going on holiday I am considering a couple of trips out on the real thing.
Is there much difference between the Snowdomes in the UK? Whether in quality of surface, length of run, too many people, price, food & drink? Or anything else I haven't thought of?
IE. Is there only one worth going to at the end of the day?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've only visited MK and Casleford, with my only comment being that Castleford is wider.
Well, it's not actually wider, but it is one big piste whereas MK is split down the middle by a load of pillars.
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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 think the snow is "slower" at Tamworth, from what i've heard they put something in the snow and the combination means a slower ride  I've not been there that's what friends have said.........is this true???
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Castleford has the best snow and the longest slope. Tamworth (by all accounts) is the one to avoid.
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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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Not sure that I'd be that harsh. Skiing a hard-packed or icy slope may not be the greatest pleasure in life but it can't be bad training, especially with some specific instruction from a professional.
The Tamworth slope is a generous width and a good gradient. I originally saw it in its skeletal form, while being constructed by John Llewellyn (who'd never skied until he got involved in the project). It was a really risky thing to do because it was one of the world's first domes, opened not that long after the huge Tokyo Skidome, which subsequently went bust.
Llewelyn had real guts and spirit to put the thing up, especially using an untested method of uplift in the UK - the travelator. This caused them a lot of problems in the early days (maybe it still does?) He later sold the Snowdome, but I do believe he's bought it back. Don't take that as gospel, since things may have changed.
I guess the key issue is whether Tamworth is making money. See separate thread on their new investment in snow grooming. It's worth a visit, especially if you're just interested in innovative buildings. There's a public swimming pool in the same complex, and I think they've stuck a separate training slope inside since I was last there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I owe a great debt of gratitude to Tamworth Snowdome and will be going there on Friday to remind my feet what skis are. My first efforts on skis were there in 1997 at the age of 47.
It is in good heart and seems to be at least holding its own. The travelators are still a problem and the place is frequently icy, but it is the best thing available to us Midland skiers by a very long way.
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I've been to both Tamworth and MK, and notwithstanding David Goldsmith's, valid point, the Snowzone at MK gets my vote for the better quality of coverage and the closer similarity to the real thing. However, at a mere 176m it can all go by a little quickly which can be compounded if you have to queue for long to get on the drag - which we did yesterday.
For beginners, the introduction to drag lifts can also be beneficial - another reason for going to MK or Castleford.
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Castleford is best in my opinion, quieter, better snow, steeper. Tamworth has rubbish lifts, very slow. Also the last time I went they had put black rubber mats at the top of the lifts which coated my bases in black rubber, when I took them to Snow and Rock they took one look and said "Tamworth?"!
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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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mjg, Castlefords snow is good but the drag lifts sometimes are in a poor condition on one visit a boader actually ripped the edge off her board on a screw that had worked up through the floor where the snow had worn away. The dreaded black mats have now appeared, these are normally covered with snow but if you get a lazy liftie at the top and they don't shovel snow back to where its worn away then you can catch the edge of the mats sometimes I have had a ski ripped off from not paying attention and catching the edge of the mat.
On the whole Castleford is very good but they do close off some of the slow for tobogganing for about half an hour at 7.30pm sometimes
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I would echo the comments of Chris Bish.All my family learnt to ski at Tamworth,and found the tuition generally good.Several years later we are all still members.Biggest bonus for us is that its only 40mins away.Been to MK a few times.At one time I would have said the "snow"was better at MK,but it seems to have improved at Tamworth.Certainly,on the last couple of visits,the dreaded ice patches seem to have gone.Yes,the travellator is slow,but I dont consider the Poma at MK much faster(might seem quicker as its a shorter slope,or seems it)Tamworth has a bit of interest as it has a bend,a hollow and a couple of bumps.Its also wider than MK.Wide enough for some 1/2 decent parallel turns  Black mats  They keep playing with the top at Tam(why??)We have gone from a 9" drop,to an ice ramp,to black rubber mats  Not suffered the black marks(I step over them)but they seem to trip up loads of beginners 
The best?They all have differing problems so maybe its down to value.Depending where you live probably dictates your choice anyway.Looks as if the best will be the one proposed in East Anglia(if it actually gets built?)But I shudder to think what it might cost you
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Castleford is good for snow but one thing I have noticed is that they have a tendency to close one of their two button lifts. I presume they do this so they can send one member of staff off to do something else when it's quietish.
But the last time I was there when this happened (Sat 4-6pm) they had a class of little uns on the slope from halfway. They repeatedly fell off the buttons halfway up and the operators slowed the lift down to a crawl. Whilst it's good to see kids learning at an early age I thought that they should keep the other button open for the adults. I wanted to ski, not sit around on a lift.
Winge over....
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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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crispy, It's a good idea to have 2 lifts running.... one fast for experienced skiers, one slow for beginners.
Heck, they even have a sign on one lift saying 'Experts only'.
Do they enforce it? Do they B******s 
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