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Just Skied at the Chillfactore

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We just got back from the Chillfactore. Oficially it doesn't open till the 16th but if you get down there now, just pay your money and off you go. They are keeping it quiet, so there were only a handfull of people there, I guess that will be the last time for a long while before we can ski on the empty slope.

My overall impression is that it was OK but not quite as good as I was expecting. The snow was better than Castleford and Tamworth but my disappointment was that the slope didn't seem any longer. Top to bottom in seconds and then 3 or 4 minutes back up. The staff are extremely friendly and the consessions for food and drink seem excellent although a bit expensive.

In conclusion, I would say that we will be going fairly regularly to hone up the skills before the real thing in February or to overcome any withdrawal symptoms in the summer, but probably not as often as I thought we might before we had tried it. However, I still feel lucky that they have built it just 4 miles away from where we live.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
how much per hour? will maybe give it a go in the week
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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?
I have a feeling of deja vu.
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bh1, Didn't you say that last time ? snowHead
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do you know when the official opening is
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Friday
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It was £22 for 1.1/2 hours but it's £17 off peak. To be honest the one and a half hours was too long, it was kind of getting our money's worth towards the end.
Mind you it was empty when we went and we probably got double the number of runs than we would have done if it was full as it inevitably will be.
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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!
Very Happy
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AlanUK wrote:
We just got back from the Chillfactore. Oficially it doesn't open till the 16th but if you get down there now, just pay your money and off you go. They are keeping it quiet, so there were only a handfull of people there, I guess that will be the last time for a long while before we can ski on the empty slope.

My overall impression is that it was OK but not quite as good as I was expecting. The snow was better than Castleford and Tamworth but my disappointment was that the slope didn't seem any longer. Top to bottom in seconds and then 3 or 4 minutes back up. The staff are extremely friendly and the consessions for food and drink seem excellent although a bit expensive.

In conclusion, I would say that we will be going fairly regularly to hone up the skills before the real thing in February or to overcome any withdrawal symptoms in the summer, but probably not as often as I thought we might before we had tried it. However, I still feel lucky that they have built it just 4 miles away from where we live.


im rather jealous, i havent been on snow for 10 months and 5 weeks and its feeling like an eternity, just want to buclke up and ride! dont matter at the moment whether its the alps or a shed.
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AlanUK, is this 'just turn up and pay and ski' thing available for most of the opening time, e.g. we could go one evening this week?? And if I ring to check, will they lie to me and tell me I can't?
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If you make a story that you are in Manchester for a few days and would love to try the slope, it is likely that they will tell you to come along. If it's not too far, just turn up like we did. They seem quite happy to let people use the slope, they are still ironing out minor teething problems and appreciate feedback. They are just trying to avoid a mad rush like it will be on the 16th.
Go for it!!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
AlanUK, you must have been there at the same time as me! Although coming on here and telling everyone it is open is probably not the best idea in the world! I live five mins away and was hoping to get a few sessions in this week before it goes absolutely mental.

I was told that they are only letting members on this week, with non members being let loose if the slope is not very busy.

I thought the general feel of the place was very good, although i would agree that the slope was shorter, narrower and less impressive than their marketing leads you to believe.
I had a steak baguette in the Mont Blanc restaurant which was very nice, great chips too. My wife had the same and we both had a coke too. The total was £16.10 which i didn't think was too bad really.
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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
I know what you mean about coming here and telling everyone but I use this forum quite a lot and felt I shouild share with the buddies. Sadly, I won't be able to go again for a few months although I only live in Monton. I am going into hospital on Wednesday to have my cartilages cleaned out in my knees. You can imagine how pleased I was to find that I could have a ski just in time.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
FastCarver wrote:

I had a steak baguette in the Mont Blanc restaurant which was very nice, great chips too. My wife had the same and we both had a coke too. The total was £16.10 which i didn't think was too bad really.


Over £8 each for a baguette and a coke!

A lot of people complain that mountain restaurants in the Alps are overpriced, but I can't imagine ever paying that much there.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
FastCarver wrote:
... Although coming on here and telling everyone it is open is probably not the best idea in the world! ...


I guess that is what you would call "community minded" rolling eyes

AlanUKthanks for sharing the inside news snowHead . Not something I am likely to try personally, one day there may be one in the south.
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alex_heney wrote:

Over £8 each for a baguette and a coke!

A lot of people complain that mountain restaurants in the Alps are overpriced, but I can't imagine ever paying that much there.


Just go to the Factore, you won't need to imagine it, you can experience it Toofy Grin

does sound a little on the pricey side, but it could have been worse
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You guys should go to Wembley Stadium NehNeh £7.50 for fish and chips NehNeh
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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?
Don't know what you lot are complaining about. I bought 3 coffees and 2 hot chocolates at Tignes 3025m, and didn't get much change out of a 20Euro note.....
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veeeight wrote:
Don't know what you lot are complaining about. I bought 3 coffees and 2 hot chocolates at Tignes 3025m, and didn't get much change out of a 20Euro note.....


That sounds cheap. 5 drinks for 20 euro is about £3 Uk prices which is actually comparitive considering you were at 9,000 feet. Cost of running something like that is huge.
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gwaelod, 20 euro is not £3, more like £14.
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rjs wrote:
gwaelod, 20 euro is not £3, more like £14.


I might be wrong but I think he means £3 per drink........ wink
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Ray Zorro,

May be one day, in the not too distant future...
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
beanie1 wrote:


May be one day, in the not too distant future...


You know something we don't??

Spill the beans, where, when.... Toofy Grin
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i don't think it's any secret that there are lots of plans for indoor slopes in the south east! wink
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Ray Zorro, have far south is south? The Hemel Hempstead snowdome will start construction next spring. Is that close enough to you?
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rob@rar, March the 3rd to be precise. Very Happy
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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.
Hemel is in the North Toofy Grin

Let me help,
North as in Northampton
South as in Southampton

Laughing


Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 13-11-07 17:42; edited 2 times in total
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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
rob@rar, nope that's in the north too Sad
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
veeeight wrote:
Don't know what you lot are complaining about. I bought 3 coffees and 2 hot chocolates at Tignes 3025m, and didn't get much change out of a 20Euro note.....


At the end of last season i bought 8 various coffees/chocolates in Courcheval VERY little change out of 50€ no wonder the ski schools charge so much wink
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:


It's about 1 short turn longer than Leeds. But a lot closer Very Happy

View across to beginner slopes/ tubes etc


Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Wed 14-11-07 22:39; edited 1 time in total
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[img]


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veeeight wrote:
Don't know what you lot are complaining about. I bought 3 coffees and 2 hot chocolates at Tignes 3025m, and didn't get much change out of a 20Euro note.....


That is expensive, but only about 50% more than the same would cost in a typical UK high street coffee shop.

£8 for a baguette and a coke is more like twice what I would expect to pay from a high street sandwich shop. And they don't have the expense of carting all their stock up a mountain.
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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?
Just skied at Chill Factore last night and on the whole I liked it! We had a good couple of hours - the lift on one side could be got around without bleeping the ski pass, so you didn't have any reason to come off when your 90 minutes was up. Hope they sort this out for the opening, or the slopes will just get fuller and fuller with nobody leaving.

Good to have a go at it before the crowds arrive, not sure how the queueing is going to work with hundreds of people there.

Still, good news for Manchester and we enjoyed it snowHead !

D
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SCGB site is due to carry a live video stream of Chill Factore opening events, including skiing and boarding demo teams tonight, starting 6:45pm!

Live pictures now showing!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Alastair Pink wrote:
SCGB site is due to carry a live video stream of Chill Factore opening events, including skiing and boarding demo teams tonight, starting 6:45pm!

Live pictures now showing!

Thanks for the heads up on that - managed to get it working okay and the slope looks good.

Just wish they had their sound sorted better and there were some more imaginative shots of the slope and, in between the action, the rest of the place.
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I've just been to the Chill Factore with my son Ben(5).

We live in Liverpool so; Tamworth is miles away, Rossendale is quite far Runcorn very short.

Trafford was at least ok!

I bought some tele boots at slush and rubble (they probably fit / I had the inners moulded / they only cost a little more than telemark pyrenees- internet shop- no fitting etc). Finding a shop with telemark boots is a hard thing to do- more if they have your size and they actually fit.

Food was quite dear- but Ben really loved pancakes with maple syrup.

The slope is great if you are 5! just long enough to do in 1 and get tired. Much older than that and it is really quite small.

I tried my new tele boots and some movement freeheel skis I (perhaps foolishly) bought on ebay at the end of last season. Tele turns were made- perhaps not the best turns - but turns , boots were flexed.

After some early wobbles Ben was fine and ripped up the grown ups (I'm so proud)- but whinged to see Father christmas in his Grotto!

Excluding the new kit the passes and refreshments came to far more money than I expected, alot of waiting in lines and not alot of skiing- but far better than the alternatives (apart from selling up and moving to Chamonix). Perhaps we'll be back next weekend?



Puzzled Puzzled Puzzled Puzzled Puzzled Puzzled
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Deliaskis wrote:
Just skied at Chill Factore last night and on the whole I liked it! We had a good couple of hours - the lift on one side could be got around without bleeping the ski pass, so you didn't have any reason to come off when your 90 minutes was up. Hope they sort this out for the opening, or the slopes will just get fuller and fuller with nobody leaving.

Good to have a go at it before the crowds arrive, not sure how the queueing is going to work with hundreds of people there.

Still, good news for Manchester and we enjoyed it snowHead !

D



Im looking forward to trying ChillFactore between Xmas and New Year when I go up to North Wales to see the parents- beats sitting in watching rubbish TV. Hopefully the place wont be too packed. I assume they have an online booking facility once its open?
Sarah
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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!
mildy, It's open already, they don;t have online booking as far as I'm aware, just a call centre
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mildy, nbt, there is an ongoing thread about this in the Resorts Board.
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