Though we lack Alpine resorts in the UK, thanks to our indoor slopes, dendex and Scottish ski hills we have one of the largest and most promising ski and snowboard scenes in Europe. We may not match the Alpine and Nordic nations in terms of Olympic medals but we have a promising future with our three times X-Games Gold Medal winner Jenny Jones and groms like Jamie Nicholls, at 16 years old, making an impact in snowboarding's TTR World Championship.
Now not all of us have the time, talent or tenacity to make a living strapped to wood, metal and plastic whilst hurtling down a mountain or thorough the air, but we still love to get some pre-holiday turns in. Well, with six indoor slopes currently open and over 40 dry slopes out there, there is plenty of choice to get your skiing legs in shape or to get your snowboarding fix in between holidays. Thanks to the Passport Diary blog we have a veritable list of slopes for you to head to in the coming weeks.
Indoor Skiing UK
Link to Indoor Skiing UK map
1. Xscape Braehead,, Kings Inch Road, Braehead, Renfrew, PA4 8XQ Telephone: 0871 200 3222 | Hours: 09:00 - 23:00 (Daily)
2. Chill Factore, Trafford Quays Leisure Village, Trafford Way, Manchester, M41 7JA Telephone: 0161 749 2222 | Hours: 09:00 to 23:00 (Daily)
3. Xscape Castleford, Colorado Way, Glasshoughton, Castleford, Yorkshire, WF10 4TA Telephone: 0871 200 3221 | Hours: 09:00 to 23:00 (Daily)
4. SnOasis, Great Blakenham, Suffolk Telephone: 020 7491 4634 | Hours: Due to open in 2012
5. Snowdome, Leisure Island, River Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7ND Telephone: 08705 000 011 | Hours: 09:00 to 23:00 (Daily)
6. Xscape Milton Keynes, 602 Marlborough Gate, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3XS Telephone: 0871 200 3220 | Hours: 09:00 to 23:00 (Daily)
7. The Snow Centre, St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP3 9NH Telephone: 0845 258 900 | Hours: 09.00 to 22.15 (Mon-Thu, Sat & Sun) 09:00 to 23:00 (Fri)
8. Cornwall Winter Park, Address currently undisclosed. Telephone: TBA | Hours: Opening Date TBA
UK Dry Ski Slopes
Link to Dry Ski Slopes map
1. Midlothian Snowsports Centre, Hillend, Biggar Road, near Edinburgh, EH10 7DU Telephone: 0131 445 4433 | Hours: 09:30 to 21:00 (Mon-Sat) 09:30 to 19:00 (Sun)
2. Glasgow Ski Centre, Bellahouston Park, 16 Dumbreck Rd, Glasgow, G41 5BW Telephone: 0141 427 4991 | Hours: Pone for details
3. Knockbracken Ski Centre, 20 Ballymaconaghy Road, Belfast, Antrim Telephone: 1232 795 666 | Hours: Phone slope for details
4. Golf And Ski Centre, Tullymoyra Lane, Silverwood, Lurgan, Craigavon, Armagh, BT66 6NG Telephone: 028 3832 6606 | Hours: Phone slope for details
5. Sportsman Inn & Leisure, Bradford Old Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 6UG Telephone: 01422 340 760 | Hours: Phone slope for details
6. Llandudno Ski Centre, John Nike Complex, Great Orme, Llandudno, LL30 2QL Telephone: 01492 874 707 | Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (Daily)
7. Ski Club of Ireland, Kilternan, Co. Dublin Telephone: 01 295 5658 | Hours: Phone slope for details
8. Kidsgrove Ski Centre, Bathpool Park, Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 4EF Telephone: 01782 784 908 | Hours: Phone slope for details
9. Stoke Ski Centre>, Festival Way, Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5PU Telephone: 01782 204 159 | Hours: Phone slope for details
10. Swadlincote Ski Centre, Hill Street, Swadlincote, Derbyshire, DE11 8LP Telephone: 01283 217 200 | Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (Daily)
11. Norfolk Ski Club, Whitlingham Lane, Trowse, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8TW Telephone: 01603 662 781 | Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (Mon-Fri & Sun) 10:00 to 19:00 (Sat)
12. The Ackers, Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, B10 0LG. Telephone: 0121 772 5111 | Hours: 10:00 to 21:00 (Mon-Fri), 10:00 to 17:00 (Weekends)
13. Gosling Ski and Board Centre, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 6XE Telephone: 01707 384 384 | Hours: 12:00 to 21:00 (Mon-Fri) 09:00 to 16:00 (Weekends)
14. Cardiff Ski Centre, 198 Fairwater Road, Fairwater, Cardiff, CF5 3JR Telephone: 02920 561 793 | Hours: Phone slope for details
15. Bracknell Ski Slope, John Nike Way, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8TN Telephone: 01344 789 002 | Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (Daily)
16. Sandown Sports, More Lane, Esher, Surrey, KT10 8AN Telephone: 01372 467 132 | Hours: Phone slope for details
17. Chatham Ski Centre, Chatham Ski Centre, Alpine Park, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 3JH Telephone: 01634 827 979 | Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (Daily)
18. Christ's College Ski Club, Larch Avenue, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1JY Telephone: 01483 504 988 | Hours: 09.00 to 22.30 (Mon-Fri & Sun), 09:00 to 16:30 (Sat)
19. Alpine Snow Sports, Gallwey Road, Aldershot, Hants, GU11 2DD Telephone: 01252 325 889 | Hours: 10:15 to 21:45 (Mon-Fri), 12.15 to 18.30 (Weekends)
20. Southampton Alpine Centre, Bassett, Southampton, SO16 7AY Telephone: 02380 790 970 | Hours: Phone slope for details
21. Knockhatch Ski & Snowboard Centre, Hailsham Bypass, Hailsham, BN27 3GD Telephone: 01323 843 344 | Hours: 18:00 to 21:00 (Mon-Fri) 10:00 to 18:00 (Weekends)
22. Plymouth Ski & Snowboard Centre, Alpine Park, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 8LQ Telephone: 01752 600 220 | Hours: 10:00 to 22:00 (Daily)
23. Suffolk Ski Centre, Bourne Hill, Wherstead, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2 UK Telephone: 01473 602 347 | Hours: Phone slope for details
24. Brentwood Ski Centre, Warley Gap, Brentwood, Essex, CM13 3DP Telephone: 01277 211 994 | Hours: Phone slope for details
25. Bassingbourn Snowsport Centre, Royston, Cambridgeshire, SG8 5LX Telephone: 08450 728 293 | Hours: Phone slope for details
26. Christchurch Ski Centre, Matchams Lane, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 6AW Telephone: 01202 499 155 | Hours: 10:00 - 22:00 (Mon-Fri), 09:00 - 23:00 (Sat), 09:00 - 22:00 (Sun)
27. Bromley Ski Centre, Sandy Lane, St. Paul's Cray, Orpington, Kent, BR5 3HY. Telephone: 01689 876 812 | Hours: 12:00 - 22:00 (Mon-Thu), 10:00 - 22:00 (Fri), 09:00 - 19:00 (Sat), 09:00 - 20:00 (Sun)
28. Gloucester Ski & Snowboard Centre, Matson Lane, Robinswood Hill, Gloucester, GL4 6EA Telephone: 01452 874842 | Hours: 10:00 - 22:00 (Mon-Wed), 10:00 - 18:30 (Thu) 10:00 - 22:00 (Fri), 00:00 - 18:00 (Sat/Sun)
29. Pendle Ski Club, Clitheroe Road, Sabden, Lancashire, BB7 9HN Telephone: 01200 425222 | Hours: Phone slope for details
30. Kendal Ski Club, Canal Head North, Kendal, LA9 7BY Telephone: 0845 6345 173 | Hours: Phone slope for details
31. Pontypool, Civic Centre, Pontypool, NP4 6YB Telephone: 01495 756955 | Hours: Phone slope for details
32. Ski Rossendale, Haslingden Old Road, Rossendale, BB4 8RR Telephone: 01706 226457 | Hours: 13:00 - 21:00 (Mon-Fri), 13:00 - 17:00 (Sat), 09:00 - 17:00 (Sun)
33. Sunderland Ski Centre, Silksworth Sports Complex, Silksworth, Tyne & Wear, SR2 3AW Telephone: 0191 553 5785 | Hours: Phone slope for details
34. Bowles, Sandhill Lane, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9LW Telephone: 01892 665665 | Hours: Phone slope for details
35. Folkestone Ski Centre, Radnor Park Avenue, Folkestone, Kent, CT19 5HX Telephone: 01303 850333 | Hours: 10:00 - 22:00 (Mon-Fri), 10:00 - 18:00 (Sat/Sun)
36. Calshot Activities Centre, Calshot Spit, Fawley, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 1BR Telephone: 023 8089 2077 | Hours: Phone slope for details
37. Avon Ski & Action Centre, Lyncombe Drive, Churchill, North Somerset, BS25 5PQ Telephone: 01934 852335 | Hours: Phone slope for details
38. Dorset Snowsport Centre, Warmwell Road, Dorset, DT2 8JE Telephone: 01305 853 245 | Hours: Phone slope for details
39. Swansea Ski Centre, Upper Bank, Swansea, SA1 7DB Telephone: 01792 645639
40. Clifton Hill Sports Centre, Belmont Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2DJ Telephone: 01392 253353 | Hours: Phone slope for details
41. Oval Ski Club, Wirral, Liverpool, Merseyside, CH63 7LF Telephone: 0151 645 2452 | Hours: Phone slope for details
42. Telford Snowboard & Ski Centre, Court Street, Madeley, Telford, TF7 5DZ Telephone: 01952 382688 | Hours: Phone slope for details
43. Ski Village, 4 Vale Road, Sheffield, S3 9SJ Telephone: 0114 276 9459 | Hours: 14:00 to 22:00 (Wed-Fri), 10:00 to 19:00 (Weekends)
P.S. The dry slopes are more fun after a bit of rain.
