Like Glenn Close at the end of Fatal Attraction, grass skiing in the UK shows one last spasm of life, thanks to this piece in The Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2079617,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=travel
"so why hasn't it taken off here?".....Ellie, it did take off, then crash-landed a long time ago
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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?
Martin Bell wrote:
"so why hasn't it taken off here?"
erm, wide availability of dry ski slopes around the country for a number of decades as opposed to alpine countries where such structures are rare. I mean, you need a hill that someone will let you tear up and... oh dear, you have to walk up the hill. Sort of like ski touring without the pleasure of the ski bit.
Yes its been and gone, but no reason why it carn't come back again.
Improvements in grass ski design might help. No reason why portable or semi permanent rope tows couldn't be used for uplift.
The 28day rule would allow it in farmers fields. Beyond that planning Permission would be necssary, but probably also forthcoming in many places. It could be a useful source of diversification income.
davidof - ski touring grass skis ? - now there's a good idea.
I'm a year younger than you and had access to grass skis as a junior through my club. I only tried them once though as we couldn''t think of anywhere suitable to use them.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The zenith was probably the late 70s. The biggest occasion was slightly later, in 1986, when Butser hosted the European Grass Ski Championships - arguably the highest-level skiing event ever to have taken place in the UK. Especially since the (alpine) Europa Cup finals, slated for Scotland, were cancelled due to lack of snow.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I've still got an old pair of cat tracks in NZ. I was lucky growing up on a North Island hill country farm close to Turoa ski area so had the best of summer and winter. They squeaked like nothing before so anyone in the valley new I was skiing. Great fun in the summer though, if you've got somewhere to use them.
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Did it on a farmer's land in Monmouth, Wales. 'Ski rental' was in one of his sheds.
Great day out.
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Martin Bell wrote:
"so why hasn't it taken off here?".....
Because it sucks.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I used to regularly grass ski at the Gwent Grass Ski Centre near Usk, run by Ernie and his sons Paul and.....
There were 2 linked tows and the speed one could achieve on a pair of well oiled Rolkas was impressive. The hire stuff was rubbish but if you had your own kit it was a great day out for very little money.
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.
Whitegold wrote:
Martin Bell wrote:
"so why hasn't it taken off here?".....
Because it sucks.
No it doesn't........muppet
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
Actually, Whitegold, it was not me who posed the question "so why hasn't it taken off here?"; that was a quote from the Guardian article - by someone called Ellie Levenson.
One of the main reasons that grass-skiing died, was that Hillend (aka Midlothian Ski Centre) stopped offering grass skiing as an activity. As the only venue in the UK which had Dendix skiing and grass skiing on parallel slopes, it had been an epicentre of the sport and had introduced a lot of ski-racers, like myself, to grass skiing.
Hillend stopped it because maintenance and repair of grass skis is time-consuming and a pain. That factor also put many others off. Also, the risk of upper body injuries, on firm turf, is quite high.
Mike Pow, you're probably talking about this place: http://www.atbsports.co.uk/locations/gwent_grass_ski.htm
It was the last grass skiing venue to survive, hosting British National events into the mid-90s, but according to that link, has now closed.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
That's the place.
Good times.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Martin Bell wrote:
Also, the risk of upper body injuries, on firm turf, is quite high.
Surely no higher than on dry slopes?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I read this as "Grass Skiing in the Garden"
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
SMALLZOOKEEPER, That'll be the Grauniads penchant for spelling mistakes that got you there...
I used to grass ski in Weston Turville oh, about 35 years ago I guess, early 70s certainly. Weekly events through the summer: they'd set up a tow rope at one end of a steep. OK I was young, but there always semed a largish gathering.
I had a pair of the old "rollers" rather than the cat-tracks. My daughter found them in the attic last summer, and laughed herself silly at the thought that her dad would be quite so stoopid as to charge off down a farmers field full of rabbit holes with just these contraptions chained to his winter ski-boots, in high summer.
Thinking back, I am bound to say, I share her opinion...
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?
JimW wrote:
I had a pair of the old "rollers" rather than the cat-tracks.
That would be Grilson grass skis. Strange, when I googled Grilson grass skis, this question came up:
"Did you mean: girlsense grass skis" Now, there's an invention
There are plenty of places around here on the South Downs that would be fantastic for grass skiing - lots of smooth well-grazed hills. The biggest danger I could see would be the risk of skidding mid-turn on a sheep poo!
Definitely something I'd like to have a go at.
petemillis, The danger isn't that you skid on it but that it jams up the tracks.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
And it kinda stinks but it's still fun.
After all it is free
After all it is free
rjs, nice high fibre diet around here - not much chance of jamming the tracks! More likely to get it flicked into your face from the person in front.
kiwi1, yeah, nothing helps me feel more at one with nature than to be covered head to foot in sheep or cow poo! But the dogs' stuff....eeeerrrgghhhh
dingdong, go on, get yer coat!
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petemillis, I was writing from experience.
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Martin Bell,
Grilsons (now and forever more aka 'girlsense' ) - yes I think that's them.
Well before the days of skateboard trucks or low profile wheels. These were bright red plastic cylinders, about 2" diameter, 3 - 4 inches wide, 4 in line, covered with an aluminum box. You stood / wobbled on top of this, and then had 2 chains, of hanging-garden-basket size, one clipped across your toes, one around the heel. Which was why you needed skiboots, as there was something to purchase on.
Absolutely bloody lethal in the right hands.
What on earth possesed my parents to buy them for me I shall never know - pester power gone mad! Or were they just trying to avoid further costs, on the off-chance I might not survive and grow up?
Back in thems days, we didn't have dry slopes, and we didn't know about snow and mountains and chairlifts and such-like, no need see?
Used to get up afore we went t'bed, lick grass clean wit tongue, tow rope used to be driven by burly lad in treadmill. But we were 'appy like. Course, try telling that to kids today...
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Interesting post I remember Merseyside SC doing a race around Birkenhead Park in the late 60's or early 70's I think it was an annual event.
For those who think it has died as a sport, may I point you here http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/disciplines/grasssking/fiscalendar.html
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.
Great sport - John Scott shame that the Gwent ski centre in Usk is closed now.
BTW: I've got an old pair of Rollka (cat-track) skis if anyone wants to make me an offer
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
I appreciate that I am way behind, but take a look at www.grass-sledge.co.uk, we still make grass skis in the UK, it's just that we bolt them onto the bottom of snow sledges.
You never know it might come back!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I've just noticed this thread. I grass ski regularly on the south Downs, in various London parks and anywhere else that I can find a nice, smooth, grassy slope. I use Rollka skis which I bought about 30 years ago. You can see me in action - not very dramatic I'm afraid - on YouTube: http://youtube.com/v/7KnwmoyrJNE
If anyone wants to get in touch, please do!! I'm so lonely.
Andy
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
RoadProAndy, give me a shout if ever you're in Richmond Park, would love to see grass skis in action in person and would happily exchange beer tokens for a go on them
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
skunk skiing. It can't be any worse than attempting regluar skiing after a couple of Jagerteas
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?
Sideshow_Bob wrote:
RoadProAndy, give me a shout if ever you're in Richmond Park, would love to see grass skis in action in person and would happily exchange beer tokens for a go on them
Hello Bob, are there any decent hills in Richmond Park? Smooth, long and steep! If there are, I'll meet you there. Parks I've skied in London are: Brockwell Park in Herne Hill, Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath, Crystal Palace and Greenwich Park.
RoadProAndy, there're plenty, of varying degrees of steepness too. I'm not sure how firm the surface is after all the recent rain though.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
OK, when the weather improves and the grass dries out, I'll get back in touch. I've never been snow-skiing in my life and I don't fancy mud-skiing either. I'm sticking with grass.
I've just got hold of a pair of rollkas, so i'm looking at taking these out for a bit of sport around N. london. As i live around Alexandra palace it would seem like the easiest venue, any tips on actually skiing these things.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Notes to self
1/ Don't cross skis
2/ Wear body armour + helmet (of course i await the great helmet backlash)
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Betterinblack, if you want to meet up, we can compare Rollkas and I can show you how it's done or, at least, how I do it. I don't know Ally Pally but if you reckon there are some decent slopes - smooth, grassy ones - let's go!
Andy
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Looks like we may have a meeting of the London based grass skiing fraternity this weekend, however the more I see of this "sport" the more terrified I become!
Coincidently I had my rollka's at work and the first thing a colleague said was "Hey grass skis I haven't seen any of those since my sister knocked her front teeth out".
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
