 Poster: A snowHead
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I am sure there are plenty of snowheads out there that have already been at either this or a similar venue across the country, but today was my first trip, and I was surprised how much fun it was and also a bit wierd....
With no such facility in the North East, a visit to my parents who live in the North West gave the opportunity to give the place a go with my 7 year old, on the way home.
It was 26 degrees outside. Why did I think that it would not be cold inside. I had my usual gear on but my brain told me it was July. Yes it is man made snow, but there can be plenty of that in the Alps these days as well. There did not seem to be many people there, being a Monday lunchtime, do these places get really busy at the weekends and you have to queue to get on the tow lift?
The slope is steep enough to get a bit of pace up, ok just for a few seconds.... but the whole experience was very different to the out door artifical slope in Sunderland that I hate with a passion.
Good for a workout for an hour and a half, but a bit far to drive from Newcastle
Can anyone comment on the one in Castleford - better, worse or just different from Manchester?
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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, 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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chrisb, Only been for a look around up to now. There are a number of horror stories regarding long queues both to get in and for the lifts but it looks fun for an hour or so. As with dry slopes I think I would get bored quite quickly but you never know 
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halfhand, I think the queues are a seasonal thing! Low season for indoor slopes at the mo, so should be v quiet.
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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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Chill factor 'e'
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chrisb, Castleford is different in many ways. The snow is similar (Tamworth's is different - sort of more granular and a thinner layer), but that's about it!
- You book by the hour not 90 mins & there are quite a few "sessions", ie slightly cheaper deals such as 2hrs ski with lunch, £25 (You can book online)
- The slope's a bit shorter & narrower, with a steeper top section (15 deg) and a shallower lower section (10 deg) that is pretty narrow at the bottom due to the kids' toboggan area and ice slide taking part of the slope away. When they put out lots of freestyle features the space gets a bit limited.
- The nursery slope's separate - it meets the main slope at the bottom with a huge safety barrier separating the two.
- The bar overlooks the side of the bottom of the slope through a few pathetically small windows - not great spectator facility
- There is no formal entry/exit control to the slope; lift passes are manually checked occasionally by lift operators - no feeding them into a silly machine.
- There are 2 Pomas, but usually only one's working unless it's busy.
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Oh and I must warn you that one of the drag lifts is &^%$ing evil! Or at least it was in November; hopefully it's changed 
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