 Poster: A snowHead
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I've recently been to Tamworth & Castleford. I was struck by how run down Tamworth looks - are they in the middle of a refit?
But the snow was much much much better than it used to be - I remember some years ago it was boiler plate most of the way.
Or maybe I've just got better. 
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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 was at Castleford last night and I was pleasantly surprised by it. Still not sure it was worth the 5 hours on a coach to get there and back, but for £25 including travel, 3 hours skiing and food, you can't really complain 
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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 was at Braehead the other day and it's not La Nina yaer in there... snow all scraped away early in the day, no snow on the poma-uplift tracks-don't know whats going on tbh
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm at Castleford every week. The only fault with it is the lack of a membership scheme.
It doesn't effect me as i'm on the books as an instructor but i reckon the opening of the Chill Factore in Manchester might give it a bit of healthy competition and encourage them to offer a discounted membership scheme like they have at Sheffield Ski Village.
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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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Ok guys, given the choice of any UK snowdome, which would be your preference and why?
I'm up for a trip with a few of the lads, but want to make sure we head to the right place.
Ta in advance. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chill Factor e But give it a few weeks to settle down.
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Does anywhere in the UK have a decent ascent system? Tamworth travellator is sooooooo tedious.
I went to one in Germany, just outside Dusseldorf - 4 man chair lift, ski straight to it, ski straight off at the top, padded seats.
I've only been to Tamworth here so don't know what other centers have got.
Does anyone know of a real snow place in the South/South West?
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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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Dubai too has a chairlift! Not skied there, but saw it through the massive windows in the shopping centre. Others in the UK all have Poma lifts. There's none as yet in the S/SW. There's only
Xscape: Milton Keynes, Castleford(Leeds), Braehead (Glasgow)
Tamworth
Manchester Chillfactor-e(at the Trafford Centre)
Hemel Hempstead is being developed from dry slope to snow slope.
There was some suggestion of a similar project in Swansea I think but I believe it's not going ahead.
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I've never understood why they can't run one of the lifts at Castleford twice as fast - with a great big sign saying "This is for experienced skiers only - if you fall off you will be asked to leave". The thought of spending most of the time sat on the lift staring at the people in the gym is the main reason I don't go very often.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| MarkS wrote: |
| ........spending most of the time sat on the lift staring at the people in the gym is the main reason I don't go very often. |
Strangely, I always thought this was a plus point. You should never sneer at a chance to letch.
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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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| Tim Sawyer wrote: |
Does anywhere in the UK have a decent ascent system? Tamworth travellator is sooooooo tedious.
I went to one in Germany, just outside Dusseldorf - 4 man chair lift, ski straight to it, ski straight off at the top, padded seats.
I've only been to Tamworth here so don't know what other centers have got.
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The others all use Pomas, but don't run them particularly fast.
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Does anyone know of a real snow place in the South/South West? |
Not yet, unless you consider Milton Keynes to be South.
I believe there are proposals for one in Plymouth, but know nothing more.
There are also proposals for both Cardiff and Swansea but no firm dates for starting work either of those yet.
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there is talk of a new excape snow dome in essex near lakeside shopping centre....
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You know it makes sense.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| ........Not yet, unless you consider Milton Keynes to be South......... |
Isn't it?
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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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achilles, Yes so far as I am concerned, but his request was "South/South West", so I suspect he doesn't count it.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| beanie1 wrote: |
| Chill Factor e But give it a few weeks to settle down. |
It does look the biggest I guess. Never tried an indoor slope, would the 1 1/2 hr sessions be enough, not enough, or more than enough? It's a long old treck from here and seems that 1 1/2 hrs of ski time isn't that much. How do they know how long everyone has been on for?(I'd be looking to go on a weekday if that makes any difference)
Ta.
edit to add another question, sorry.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
achilles, Yes so far as I am concerned, but his request was "South/South West", so I suspect he doesn't count it.
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Correct, I'm in Wiltshire, so MK is actually further than Tamworth!
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It does look the biggest I guess. Never tried an indoor slope, would the 1 1/2 hr sessions be enough, not enough, or more than enough? It's a long old treck from here and seems that 1 1/2 hrs of ski time isn't that much. How do they know how long everyone has been on for?(I'd be looking to go on a weekday if that makes any difference)
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I have gone to Tamworth for three hours a couple of times - there is a bar/cafe place that allows boots, so you can break up the session that way. I reckon 1 1/2 hrs is a bit short, especially if the lift system is slow, cos you spend most of the time on that.
At Tamworth they have a card system so you swipe in and out and can tell how long you've been on for.
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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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Tim Sawyer, Cheers, I think the 2 x split sessions could work. Assume that at least 1 bar in Chill Factor e will allow boots?
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Sage, I want to know when they actually make snow so i can head down and get some decent turns in before everyone else scrapes it away//they decide to make a huge kicker!
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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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Is there any more news on the snow dome that was due to be built somewhere close to Ipswich. Wasn't it going to be a holiday park like centre parcs or similar and built in an old quarry?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Rossfra8, nice link, interesting to here the slope will be 475 meters!!! lets hope it comes off
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8 hours drive for me:|
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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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Rossfra8, closer than MK or Hemel for me
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I'm just back from the one in Dubai and it's my first time ever to ski a snowdome, cos we ain't go one here in the Emerald Isle but I can tell you it's more than just Methadone for the Heroin....it was brilliant.
Albeit a bit disorientating coming in at +35 degrees to -1 but I loved it and it would make great pre-season training.
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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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| Rossfra8 wrote: |
| http://www.snoasis.co.uk/ think thats the one mac |
Seems to have been going on forever - stuck in public enquiry hell I think!
Shame because the website's already miles better than Chill Factore... they just need to build the blasted thing now 
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You know it makes sense.
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doctor_eeyore, tamworth opened in 1994 so it has been used and abused for a few years now....that could be the problem
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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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There is a lot of local opposition to this site, the cement works have been down a long time now and the local football clubs now used some of the wasted ground, there have been planning meeetings followed by more meetings and on each occasion the local people turn up with thousands of signatures as to why it should not go ahead.
I have mixed feelings about it, only because I know the family who run the Ipswich Ski Centre and I have skied there since it opened many years ago (when it faced the other way!) it would be nice to ski on snow locally, but I wouldn't want a friends business to end, as I am sure Ipswich does not need 2 slopes and most people would prefer snow to bristle matting (or whatever it is !)
http://www.eadt.co.uk/search/story.aspx?brand=ADVOnline&category=StowmarketNews&itemid=IPED16%20Nov%202007%2010:05:42:343&tBrand=ADVOnline&tCategory=search
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Poster: A snowHead
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Tamworth is in the middle of a re-fit. The problem is that they then took over the gym/swimming pool adjacent to the Snowdome, and have spent much of their time getting that refurbished and re-opened, and so the actual Snowdome looks very tired. However the cafes and other facilities have much improved over the last few years, and once the actual decor in the Snowdome has been sorted, it will be very nice indeed.
I've also been to Milton Keynes and I'd say that Tamworth is way cheaper, has much, much better snow, and I'd choose Tamworth over MK any time. Don't know about the others, but since I live 2 miles from the Snowdome, I'd be reluctant to go anywhere else unless it was much better and much cheaper than Tamworth.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| docsquid wrote: |
| Tamworth is in the middle of a re-fit. The problem is that they then took over the gym/swimming pool adjacent to the Snowdome, and have spent much of their time getting that refurbished and re-opened, and so the actual Snowdome looks very tired. However the cafes and other facilities have much improved over the last few years, and once the actual decor in the Snowdome has been sorted, it will be very nice indeed. |
In truth though it was tatty and in need of a refit well before the gym/swimming pool went under and they bought it out so I'm not sure that's a reason why they haven't given the dome a facelift before now - good that it's getting one now though and lets hope they stop the drips from the roof that seem to contribute to those icy patches.
I like it though and I think the staff there are pretty excellent on the whole but like the other UK domes it's way too short and the travellator is way too slow. I haven't visited any of the other domes but have heard very mixed things about the Xscape ones that have led me not to bother trying them. I'd definitely like to get up to Chill Factore sometime though, but only once all the opening hullabaloo has subsided.
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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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| dazman wrote: |
Albeit a bit disorientating coming in at +35 degrees to -1 but I loved it and it would make great pre-season training. |
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35:1 (ie 35 to 1)? (= 1.6º - almost flat)
35º? (=70% - very, very steep)
35%? (= approx 2.8:1 or 19º) - possibly right: was that for the top half or an average?
In the past the snow at MK has been better than Tamworth, but the slopes keep changing depending how well they are maintained.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 12-12-07 10:28; edited 2 times in total
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brian
brian
Guest
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snowball, Dubai, so celsius I think
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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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brian,
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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roga, the Snowdome has had a massive re-fit over the past year, but not the main slope. The nursery slope, the children's snow play area and the ice rink have all been improved, as well as a big refurb to the cafe area. That only finished recently, and then the fitness thing came along and they had to do something about that quickly. They were working on the main slope in the Summer - re-wiring and removing some of the roof lining. Presumably due to replace it and make it look nicer. That all stopped when the work on the fitness centre started. I suspect they will not be able to finish it now until after this coming ski season.
snowball, the snow at MK when we went in June was definitely much poorer than Tamworth. Tamworth can be icy first thing, but it is much better than 2-3 years ago. Removing the plastic sheeting in the roof has cured the ice drips - not seen any in the last few weeks (we go once a week).
It is short, but still long enough to practice drills or have a bit of fun. Better than no skiing at all IMO.
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Always used to go to Tamworth from Banbury as only place available, but now go to MK.
IMO MK has better snow than Tamworth, I believe MK is snow from cannons rather than the scraped ice they use at Tamworth. Although this may well have changed since last visit. The other reason for going to MK instead is the dedicated practice/lesson slope they have there. At Tamworth lessons were always on the hill, again I believe that they have now opened a mini mini snow hall for beginner and child lessons.
The one thing I detest about Tamworth is that stupid Travelator thing - slow and excellent for ruining your own skis should you take them
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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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Gonna be difficult to compete with this - 400 metres! There's a video of the decsent - Watch for the boarder wiping out on 52 seconds! 
http://www.skidubai.com/
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