Ski Indoors During The School Breaks

The sun may be shining outside but the ski season is not too far behind us and those lucky enough to have ventured to the slopes last winter may be yearning to get their skis or snowboards out again already. Well that's exactly the opportunity being offered by the newest indoor skiing and snowboarding slope in the UK. The Snow Centre, which opened this month in Hemel Hempstead, just outside London, offers two real snow slopes and a snow play area for younger snow fans. It's a brand new snow sports complex that uses the latest technology to produce its real snow and is welcoming skiers and snowboarders of different abilities from all over the South of England.

The Snow Centre has two real snow slopes aimed at providing almost perfect conditions for snowboarders and skiers. The complex houses a main 160m long main slope alongside a 100m long lesson slope which is ideal for beginners and training groups. With both slopes being over 30m wide they total a huge area of over 8000 square metres.

As well as providing recreational skiing and snowboarding, the centre also has a large training programme on offer with 120 qualified instructors available. Individual or group lessons can be booked which vary in duration by age group. A special offer that is proving increasingly attractive is a course of lessons scheduled during school holiday periods. In the summer half-term break junior skiers aged 4-6 can sign up for a course of four 1 hour lessons for only £50. Older children are offered courses of four 2 hour lessons for only £90, which represents a saving of at least 30 per cent over the standard price for group lessons. Similar savings are also available to anyone taking out membership of The Snow Centre. In addition to discounted sessions, members are also given access to member-only sessions that have restricted numbers and get a free skiing or snowboarding session every year on their birthday.

Skiing conditions this year have been fantastic in Europe and interest in winter sports holidays is increasing. However the costs of taking a family trip to the Alps or the Dolomites is not insignificant and many people are opting to ensure they get the most out of their holiday by improving their skills on an indoor slope during the summer months. The Snow Centre aims to provide that with high quality instruction and plenty of opportunities to stay in tune ready for the next outdoor trip to the mountains.

In addition to traditional skiing and snowboarding, the centre also offers tobogganing, ringos and special freestyle sessions, including a regular "park and ride" evening every Friday. Each week a new freestyle park layout is set up for skiers and snowboarders. A combination of rails and ramps is available and a team of qualified freestyle instructors are on hand to give guidance and ensure everyone is safe.

As well as providing regular sessions open to the public, the centre can also be booked for private groups. These include corporate sessions, birthday parties and family celebrations. The centre is also used by three Race Clubs who have dedicated slope areas at certain times of the week. In addition to the snow areas, the centre also provides some great après ski relaxation with The Edge offering a variety of food and drink to complement its panoramic views over the slopes. You could almost imagine yourself being in the mountains!