1. Go to an indoor snow slope
There are five indoor snow slopes currently in the UK with more planned including one for the Olympic Park in London, which will be the country’s largest. If you live in the south east of England then The Snow Centre Hemel is currently the closest, but there are facilities in Glasgow, Castleford, Milton Keynes and Tamworth too.
2. Get involved in the GO Ski GO Board Campaign
Go Ski Go Board is an initiative from Snowsports England that has been set up to encourage new people into the sport. Subsidised ski lessons on various ‘partner’ slopes around the country means that you can learn to ski for the price of chips (well almost). The whole thing ties in with Slide to Sochi in the lead up to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games and the program will continue for the next 4 years.
3. Go skiing in the Alps
Yes, that’s right, it’s not too early to get on a plane and head out to the mountains and get your pre-winter fix. Just a couple of hours from Geneva and you’re in the resort of Tignes with its high-altitude glacier and world class sports facilities. Accommodation is cheaper than in winter and the snow is normally in great condition during October and November. Snoworks run ski courses in Tignes throughout the autumn for intermediate skiers upwards so you can improve your skills and surprise your friends on your next winter ski holiday.
4. Go to a Skiplex slope
If you want to learn to ski for the first time or want to fine tune your skills on a surface that demands precision, then look at one of the three Skiplex centres in Chiswick, Reading or Basingstoke. The revolving surface moves under your skis and you can then make turns whilst remaining stationary. Not only does this mean you can have an endless ski run, but your instructor is always standing right in front of you, ensuring that any mistakes are rectified immediately. It’s fun to ski on and very safe too – perfect for children and adults alike.
5. Visit a snowsports show
It must be winter when the ‘ski show’ season starts to kick off. You have a choice of venues starting with Manchester, Event City on October 25 to 27 and then London, Earls Court 2 on October 30 to November 3. Not only can you book your holiday, buy your skis and take an après ski tipple too, you can get a free ski pass for one of the partner slopes, Snow Factore in Manchester and The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead.