Indoor skiing in UK: Year-round snow fun

Indoor skiing in the UK is open throughout the year and you won’t have to worry about snow conditions: every day is a great snow day!

Indoor skiing in the UK is growing in popularity and complexity, with the larger ones now resembling full mountain resorts rather than just straight slopes. And you can shop, play indoor golf, watch movies and much more.

Indoor skiing in the UK offers the opportunity to learn or to brush up on your ski skills before your winter holiday. Many offer great value-for-money courses allowing skiers and snowboarders to maximise their ski time when in the mountains. The freestyle scene at indoor ski slopes is also thriving. There are many online discounts so be sure to book your ski passes and lessons online for the best prices at indoor skiing UK centres.

If you’re not lucky enough to live near one of these real-snow centres, check out your local dry ski slope: “UK’s dry ski slopes“

Indoor skiing in UK

Snozone Milton Keynes, Snozone Yorkshire

Snozone Milton Keynes “Europe’s largest indoor real snow resort” is home to a 170-metre-long main slope covered with more than 1500 tonnes of fresh snow and is served by two lifts. This indoor skiing centre also has a dedicated lesson slope for beginners and to build their skills and confidence before progressing to the main slope. Ski and snowboard lessons are available for all levels, including race training, advanced technique, and freestyle tricks. Weekly freestyle sessions are held at the Snozone. Original and varied park layouts contain everything from beginner Rookie lines on the academy slide boxes, to technical and gnarly lines.

A wide range of special events are hosted at Snozone, from British Championships to charity fundraisers, race days, and freestyle jams. A juniors’ Saturday club offers fun activities such as basic freestyle, race training and lots more.

Snozone Yorkshire in Castleford is located at the Xscape centre, a short drive off the M62. It offers a range of activities for families of all levels.

Prices

Want to ski or ride for three hours. Expect to pay about £26. But, you can find deals online and it may pay to become a member where savings total some £500. Prices fluctuate so be sure to check the website and get your passes in advance. There are also adaptive lessons on a private one-to-one basis delivered by Snozone Disability Snowsports. All prices include the complimentary hire of skis, poles, snowboards, boots, and helmets. Snow clothing (jackets and salopettes) is available for hire. You’ll need to Bring or purchase ski gloves.

Other facilities

Besides indoor skiing, Snozone offers sledging sessions (3 years+); ice sliding (7 years+); and ski riding (15 years+). The bar overlooks the slopes and serves teas, coffees, soft drinks, alcohol as well as hot and cold bar meals 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bar provides an exciting entertainment schedule throughout the year with acoustic sessions, comedy, and club nights.

The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead

London’s closest indoor skiing slope in Hemel Hemstead (about an hour from London) is home to a 160-metre-long and 30-metre-wide main piste lined with snow canons and served by four lifts. Many of you will have seen it on TV as this is where celebrities trained before competing in CH4’s The Jump. The Snow Centre also boasts the largest indoor lesson slope in the UK at 100 metres.

A whole host of lessons, membership packages, and even professional race training is available at Snow Centre. Freestylers can hit the kickers, rails, and boxes of the terrain park.

Qualified instructors are on hand to train all levels. The Snow Centre was recently awarded ‘centre of excellence’ status from the British Association of Snowsports Instructors.

Prices

A two-hour lift pass online starts at £36 adults. The price of your lift or lesson pass includes all the equipment needed (skis/snowboard, boots, poles, and helmet) and all of it is provided by the leading ski/snowboard brand, HEAD. Remember to dress in warm, waterproof clothes and gloves. Snow clothes are also available for hire at the centre.

Other facilities

This indoor skiing slope also offers: Ride the Ringo Slide for £12 for a 30-minute session at weekends. Visit the Schuss Bar for your free tea or coffee. The Lodge Bar & Kitchen overlooks the slope and serves the traditional UK and alpine dishes, complete with Sky Sports. The 8000-square-foot Snow+Rock snow sports retailer sells the best winter sports clothing, equipment, and accessories.

SnowDome, Tamworth

Skiing and snowboarding at the SnowDome take place on its 180-metre main slope and at the two Snow Academy areas (separate 30-metre and 25-metre teaching slopes).

There are numerous lessons available at SnowDome: day courses, coaching sessions, and discounts available to all levels of skier and boarder. Kinder Lessons are for children aged between 4 and 7 and last 45 minutes every Saturday and Sunday morning. There’s also a disability ski school.

No specialist equipment is required at this indoor skiing centre; just bring warm clothes and gloves. Skis, snowboards, snowblades, and boots are provided free of charge or you can bring your own. Protective headwear is also supplied, inclusive, for all skiers and boarders using the ramps or rails. Helmets are also compulsory for all snowboard lessons.

Prices

Be sure to check the website for updated winter pricing, but here’s about what you can expect. A two-hour lift pass starts at £23.80 online. For ski/snowboard lessons, choose either the 2-hour group lessons, 3-hour fast-track lessons or the Learn to Ski in a Day course. Check out a membership for year-round savings.

Other facilities

This indoor skiing centre also offers Santa’s Winter Wonderland (seasonal), a children’s snowplay area with snow treehouse, ice skating rink, tubing, sledging, tobogganing, a huge gym, swimming pool and luxury spa. The Aspen Good Company serves hearty meals and there’s also a Starbucks serving coffees, cakes and snacks. The mountain sports specialist, Ellis Brigham, is also located at the entrance to the SnowDome and has two floors full of clothing and equipment.

Chill Factore, Manchester

Chill Factore is home to the UK’s widest indoor skiing slope: 100 metres wide and 180 metres in length. To use the Chill Factore main slope all users must be able to control speed and direction, link turns, stop, and use the button lift unassisted.

Chill Factore offers taster sessions for beginners which take place on the 40-metre beginner slope. A wide variety of lessons are also available, as well as the usual beginner or improvement lessons, Chill Factore offers sessions for those wanting to learn parallel turns, carving, moguls, telemark, and freestyle skills with ramps and rails.

Prices

Be sure to check prices for the winter season. But here’s a guideline. A two-hour lift pass starts at £35. Skiers must be experienced and meet minimum slope standards. Prices include the hire of boots, helmet, skis/snowboard and poles. Jackets and trousers can be hired separately and gloves/socks can be purchased separately.

Other facilities

The indoor skiing centre also offers Santa’s Grotto (seasonal); a 12-metre-high climbing wall offers a challenge for all levels; Mini Moose Land is for children under 4 who can play and hide in the snow; Altitude is a new game featuring ice slides, sledge runs and downhill tubing. For a great selection of shops, bars, cafes and restaurants, check out Alpine Street – an authentic wood and stone indoor mountain village.

Indoor skiing in UK

For more information about indoor skiing in UK, read our related article ‘Indoor skiing UK centres: Pros and cons‘