The Skiing Department Blog

The best advice that I can give anyone before they head off on their first winter holiday is to get some ski lessons first.

There are many excellent facilities to learn to ski in Europe and around the world. These include dry ski slopes, indoor ‘real snow’ ski complexes and revolving carpet machines.

The UK has an abundance of artificial ski slopes that are made from plastic materials. There are a few different surfaces but the bristle style (like an upturned toothbrush) is still the most common. It is essential to wear clothing that will protect you if you fall. Jeans are OK although I would recommend an old pair of ski trousers if you can get hold of some. Gloves are mandatory as are long sleeves, and obviously >> Continue reading

Category 2. Nightlife and Après Ski.

Many people take this part of their winter sports holiday very seriously and there are a few things to consider when deciding what you want to do once the ski lifts shut down.

Each European Alpine nation has a different feel when it comes to nightlife. This is often due to the overall culture of the country and also the outside influences of foreign tourism. So, the first thing you should decide is what kind of ‘Après Ski’ (A French term simply meaning ‘After Skiing’) you want?

For example, in Austria it is typical for the festivities to start early on before the ski lifts close down. They party early, then go home, have dinner and either carry on, or go to bed. Carrying on has its >> Continue reading

The ski industry breaks skiers into four different categories. Beginner, Intermediate, advanced and expert.
Beginners are people that have never skied before or who have had very limited experience, for example a few days skiing or ski lessons on an artificial ski slope.
Intermediates are skiers who have had at least one weeks skiing and can usually descend comfortably on a blue or red ski run. But then this category becomes very broad as many people who have been skiing for years still consider themselves to be intermediates and can stay on a ‘plateau’, struggling to break into the next stage of development.
Advanced skiers are those who can ski most terrain including black runs and maybe some back country or off piste. >> Continue reading

Being a ski teacher and in the snowsports industry for many years means that I am always being asked by fellow skiers for advice on where to go skiing.

It’s the impossible question to answer, as it is such a subjective thing. Also there are so many questions you have to provide so I can get the best idea of what you are looking for.

For example; how many people are on the ski trip, are they couples or singles, have they skied before, what standard are they, what ski resort have they been to before, what’s the budget, do you want good nightlife and nice places to eat, do you want catered accommodation or self catering, do you want a traditional ski resort or will a modern purpose built town suffice >> Continue reading