Poster: A snowHead
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has anyone here ever been, i drove past it last winter and couldnt believe my eyes!!! must have been 300 people there and it looked great, then the lift broke lol! thinking of heading up this winter to check it out and have a go, anyone from the manchester of northwest fancy it?
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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 went there lasy year, luckily before it got really busy. When they're parking both sides of the road, carry on to Weardale.
For a place with one lift, it's got a lot of variety. Take food and drink and cash for the lift.
I'm in south Cumbria and go in from Penrith, so I check the road conditions before going and leave before dark.
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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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Search for "Yadd Moss" in the Search function.
Plenty of SnowHeads ski there.
Last season was a classic.
Like Scotland, snowcover can be volatile.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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cheers, certainly going to give it a go, yeh i drove past weardale aswell, which is the best out of the 2 for variety of runs?
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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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I've never been, but planning it this season if we get the weather! They both look similar for variety of runs, maybe Weardale's a bit better, and I think they have two tows. Maybe somebody who's been can confirm? Check their websites: skiweardale.co.uk and yadmoss.co.uk
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ricklovesthepowder
Last winter, Mrs MA and I managed a vintage season of 8 or 9 days in the 'Pennines massif' shared between Yad Moss and Weardale.
In good snow, both are excellent and it's quite hard to pick a favourite as they are quite different. I think that both have more or less the same vertical drop of about 200m - which means a pretty decent ski that beats a snowdome hands down. Yad Moss has one continuous tow, whereas Weardale has one above the other.
In full snow cover, and at a push, I'd have to go for Weardale. From the top tow there is some wilderness experience off piste, some nice gulleys and one or two short, near-extreme (for County Durham!) slopes of (seemingly) 40 degrees+. There's also a great traverse/downhill back to the car, which verges on a ski touring experience - especially when darkness is closing in.....
Weardale seems to be able to operate on very thin snow cover - like about a quarter of an inch on one day we were there! Great fun and no harm done to bases as it's all very grassy underfoot. Yad Moss is located on a main road which is usualy ploughed. Weardale is on a middle of nowhere back road with a couple of steep bits which get very icy. It's not usually ploughed - we bought chains to ensure access last winter.
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I live 10 minutes away and have never been
On the note about the main road to Yad Moss, you have gotta be careful coming from the barnard castle way. As the border between Weardale and Cumbria. The snowplows seem to leave a massive gap, where one county cant be arsed to go all the way.
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We skied both for the first time last year, as others have mentioned the snow cover was fantastic.
Access for Yad Moss is easier, main road is ploughed but take a spade to dig a car parking space. Its a very steep walk/scramble upto the lift, takes about 10-20 mins with gear. Run feels long (for the UK !), and not very steep, lift is a good button tow and there are a couple of different routes down. Small hut to shelter/eat lunch but you need to take everything you want with you.
10 Year old son at top of Yad Moss Poma
Weardale is less accessible, its a long steep single track road to get there, snow chains are a minimum and in really bad (or good ) weather a 4x4 helps. Walk upto lifts is not as steep as Yad Moss, but its a lot further- about 40mins. There are 2 button tows, and a lodge at the middle station. I felt the terrain was a little more challenging than Yad Moss especially at the top. Ski back to the car is great way to finish the day.
Not bad snow depth for England
I really enjoyed both ski clubs, all the members were friendly and helpfull, but remember these are just clubs in the middle of a fell, if you are expecting La Plagne, or even the Lecht you will be dissapointed. Read the websites before you go and be prepared. It was well worth it.
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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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landlockedpirate, great pics.
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Little Ripper!
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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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