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Xscape vs Snowdome

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mrs MA and I were at Snowdome at Tamworth for an hour today after making an overnight stay of our visit to the Brum Snow Show yesterday.

It must be over 10 years since we were there, as our nearest indoor snow is Xscape at Castleford these days, so it was interesting to compare the two facilities.

Despite it being quite busy as it's half term week, we enjoyed our session as it's always nice to have a slide on snow. However, we did find the slope a lot flatter than at Xscape - you just can't get up to the same sort of speeds at Snowdome. There were also a fair few slick bits, which may have been down to half term busyness. A further negative is the fact that there is no separate nursery slope - beginners' classes today blocked half of the main slope at times.

On the plus side, the two travellators mean that there was never a queue and we skied non-stop. We also liked the ambience of the place. Unlike Xscape, there's a great view of the slope from the cafe and spectators can also experience the cold and view the slope from the cafe balcony. In addition, the snowy mountain scenes on the walls of the slope, certainly improve the look and feel of the place.

The timing system is perhaps a little overzealous though. It's akin to high security as the timed tickets will not operate the turnstile to the slope as much as one minute before your allotted start time. Thankfully, a member of staff let us through three minutes early(!) For good measure, you also need to be let back off the slope by a member of staff after scanning your ticket. Woe betide if you overstay your time slot (which is possible at Xscape - seemingly without sanction...) as a sign states that every 15 mins extra will incur a charge of £5. Ironically, that works out at good value as our peak hour's skiing cost £34. (Glad we had a Snow Show voucher for 25% off.)

In summary, Mrs MA and I both prefer the surroundings and ambience of Snowdome but the skiing of Xscape at Castleford. Still good to try somewhere different though.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
A while since I have been to the Castleford X scape - though I may go again soon. But I seem to remember that there is a good view from the café. So either my memory is duff (totally possible) or the layout of the café has changed a bit.
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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?
Quote:
But I seem to remember that there is a good view from the café
There's certainly a view of the slope from the cafe. However, as the cafe is at the side of the slope near the bottom, the view is quite restricted.
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I much prefer Chill Factore in Manchester's slope as it is a bit bigger but Xscape itself does have more in it in terms shops, restaurants and other facilities. You also have the shopping outlets opposite at Castleford if you have non-skiers with you as I often take my parents for them to have a look and shop around whenever I ski at Xscape.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A fair point RichardB - I didn't factor in the extensive off-slope diversions and attractions at Castleford Xscape. It is indeed a decent enough place for a wander round and some food and drink.

Oh! And there's also free parking at Xscape. Snowdome now charges £2 per visit. A nominal sum but still an extra nonetheless.
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How do these slopes compare to hemel? Longer? Wider?

Last time I was at hemel, the snow was pretty good (although not well-managed), but I found it a bit short with all the netting at the bottom.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We're feeling a bit put off Xscape Castleford after our recent trip there (i've not skied any of the others). Its never been very well run place but they've made some changes recently and the starting point is almost like they don't want your business. We turned up and the guy on the desk spent the first 5 minutes by telling us we should have booked online and it was like he was doing us a favour by accepting us as walk up customers. They also now want to know every detail about you at point of booking which takes about 10 minutes, we got through all that and he then says we have to wear helmets. At this point i said we're just want slope time not a lesson (helmets have always been mandatory for lessons) but now the rule applies just generally. I do wear a helmet but don't wear it indoors as you never go that fast really we didn't fancy the hire ones either so we walked away in the end. That seem to upset the guy on the desk who'd said had we booked online we would have known about all the changes. I've looked online there doesn't appear to be any info on it anyway (unless its just changed).


Anyway moral of the story is booking online, take a helmet with you, avoid grumpy guy at the desk.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:
How do these slopes compare to hemel? Longer? Wider?
I've skied the slope at Hemel once, Chill Factore once, Snowdome three or four times and Castleford numerous times. Some not for some time, so the following is based on my (perhaps hazy) recollections.

IIRC, Hemel and Castleford were built by the same operator and are very similar in size. The main difference is that Castleford is one wide slope, with no obtrusive pillars down the middle.

I think that all of the slopes are fairly similar in length and width, though:
- Chill Factore is probably (slightly?) the longest.
- Snowdome is quirky in that it goes round a corner as it is L-shaped.
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@mountainaddict, Milton Keynes and Castleford were built by the same operator.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I've skied Hemel and Castleford over the last few weekends.

Last weekend I was doing some shadowing at Castleford. I couldn't believe how quiet the place was in comparison to Hemel where I shadowed the day after the ski test, especially given it was the first Saturday of the half term.

The Nursery area at Castleford is much smaller than Hemel. It's a similar width but I'd say 1/3 the length of the Hemel Nursery Slope. Castleford is serviced by 2 rope tows, one on either side, where as Hemel has a magic carpet on either side.

The main slope at Castleford is very similar in length and width to Hemel. Castleford online states 150m's and Hemel 160m's. I'd say the snow quality is better at Hemel than Castleford, however due to the business of Hemel, it gets chopped up quicker than Castleford.

The changing area at Castleford is much larger than Hemel, but the walls inside the ski area are a dreary white colour, whereas Hemel has some nice mountain scenes all around.

While I didn't use the bar/restaurant at Castleford, so can't comment on the quality of produce, the view is definitely not as good as Hemel as it's on the side so you can't really see the top of the run very well, in comparison to Hemel where it is square on and provides a full view of the slope.

Castleford had a bottom corner of the slope fenced off for sledging, where as Hemel has a serpearate tubing area, so no narrowing of the bottom of the run.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Quote:

Hemel 160m


Seems shorter.
Wales need to step up and build one on one of their small hills*, at least 500-800m long.

Cover with an insulated shed, with a/c, a few snow machines and a chairlift.

Proper diner at the top serving tea, pasties and chips.

Build it and they will come Madeye-Smiley


(*or Devon or Surrey)
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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.
i wonder if at some point it would be possible to run an outdoor snow factory on a sheltered lowland site in the UK ? It would need a plentiful water supply and renewable power but that needn’t be an issue in say Wales. I guess the snow just gets saturated ?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Peter S wrote:
i wonder if at some point it would be possible to run an outdoor snow factory on a sheltered lowland site in the UK ? It would need a plentiful water supply and renewable power but that needn’t be an issue in say Wales. I guess the snow just gets saturated ?
A long time ago there was a dry ski slope at Merthyr which installed snow-making facilities and reckoned they could make snow often enough to justify the investment. It never did work out, and the slope closed a few years later.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
AL9000 wrote:
Quote:

Hemel 160m


Seems shorter.
Wales need to step up and build one on one of their small hills*, at least 500-800m long.

Cover with an insulated shed, with a/c, a few snow machines and a chairlift.

Proper diner at the top serving tea, pasties and chips.

Build it and they will come Madeye-Smiley


(*or Devon or Surrey)


I'll point you in the direction of....

https://www.rhydycarwest.com/
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@swskier, snowHead
Do-able.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quote:

but Xscape itself does have more in it in terms shops, restaurants and other facilities.

Not so sure, popped into MK the other day and lots of places have shut up shop
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
swskier wrote:

Castleford is serviced by 2 rope tows, one on either side, where as Hemel has a magic carpet on either side.

No, Hemel has Pomma drag lift each side.
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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?
snowball wrote:
swskier wrote:

Castleford is serviced by 2 rope tows, one on either side, where as Hemel has a magic carpet on either side.

No, Hemel has Pomma drag lift each side.

I think swskier was comparing the nursery areas not the main slopes.
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Hemel’s nursery slope used to have two rope tows. Hated things, now replaced by travellators.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rob@rar wrote:
Hemel’s nursery slope used to have two rope tows. Hated things, now replaced by travellators.


Much prefer them to the rope tows, at least the slope at Castleford isn't too long. I imagine they're much cheaper to install/run though although I'm basing on that on zero actual information.

I found the Xscape centre at Castleford great though, loads there besides the skiing, you could definitely spend a whole day there.
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