Indoor Ski Centres: A Beginner’s Guide to Learning To Ski in the UK

Indoor skiing centres are revolutionising the way beginners learn to ski, offering a controlled, consistent environment perfect for mastering the basics before hitting the outdoor slopes. These centres also provide year-round opportunities to practise, regardless of your level; not reliant on weather or season, there is no substitute for making turns on snow year-round.

With professional instruction and a safe, supportive atmosphere, indoor skiing is becoming a popular choice for those looking to build confidence and skills in a gradual, structured way. In this blog, we explore some of the benefits of indoor skiing for beginners.

Get Used To Using Ski Or Snowboard Equipment

If you are new to the world of skiing and snowboarding, just the idea of putting on ski boots and walking across the snow can be daunting, let alone clipping into bindings, learning how to walk, slide and, most importantly, stop and turn on your skis.

If you’ve booked beginner ski lessons as part of your ski holiday, your ski instructor will explain how to do all this. However, why not get used to all this paraphernalia and master the dreaded drag lift before your ski trip? It will increase your confidence on your first day and is also a fun way to introduce the children to a skiing environment, not to mention building up excitement levels in the process! It’s also the perfect place to test out your ski gear and make sure it’s comfortable and fits properly.

Controlled Environment For Learning To Ski Or Snowboard

Skiing away from the mountains has evolved over the years, from plastic outdoor dry ski slopes, to revolving slopes, to purpose-built indoor snow centres with real snow. Located in the Mall of the Emirates, Ski Dubai in the UAE takes things to the next level with real penguins and chairlifts!  

Year-Round Access

Hanging up the skis at the end of the winter can be a sad moment, but with the great indoor snow centre facilities in the UK you can practise all year. What’s more, the slopes are quieter in the summertime and many centres will have special offers to entice skiers to get their ski fix or try a new activity out of season.

Overcoming Initial Fear & Anxiety

Indoor snow centres provide a confidence building environment. When surrounded by fellow beginners, and supported by excellent, qualified instructors, progress can be rapid, especially given the controlled nature of the experience and the lack of crowds, that can sometimes detract from the early moments in some popular Alpine resorts.

Here in the UK, we are lucky to have access to several fantastic indoor snow centres.  

The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead offers a real snow experience year-round and features a 160 m main slope and a dedicated lesson slope, so it's ideal for both beginners and advanced skiers and boarders. The centre offers a variety of lessons and courses for all skill levels, along with freestyle sessions and fun activities.

What you need to know:

• Opening times vary so please check website for current timings
• Ski and snowboard junior summer camps available in school holidays
• Clothing hire available: £7 for one item or £12 for both a jacket and trousers. Gloves and socks are available to purchase for just £12 for gloves and £6 for socks
• Freestyle sessions available on Thursday evenings between 17:30 and 21:30 
• If your teenager is doing skiing as part of their GCSE or A-Level PE, the Snow Centre has set up exclusive Friday evening GCSE & A-Level PE Assessment sessions so the student participating in their GCSEs/A-Levels can get the video footage they need  

With its expansive indoor slopes, SnoZone provides excellent facilities for lessons, practice sessions and freestyle events. The centre includes a main slope, a dedicated beginner slope and a range of activities from sledging to tubing.  

What you need to know:

• Opening times: Monday – Thursday 10:00-21:00 (April-September) and 09:00-21:00 (October-March), Friday 10:00-22:00 (April-September) and 09:00-23:00 (October-March), Saturday and Sunday 08:00-20:00 (all year)
• Junior ski lessons from age 3
• SnoZone Disability Snowsports private lesson from £52.99
• 90-minute adult beginner group ski lesson from £29.99
• 60-minute children’s group ski lesson (aged 11-15) from £19.99  

The Snowdome complex in Tamworth offers skiing and snowboarding, Snow Fun area and ice skating, plus climbing, swimming, fitness and spa. It also hosts a popular Santa’s Winter Wonderland event at Christmas.  

What you need to know:

• Opening times: Monday – Thursday 10:00-21:00 (April-September) and 09:00-21:00 (October-March), Friday 10:00-22:00 (April-September) and 09:00-23:00 (October-March), Saturday and Sunday 08:00-20:00 (all year)
• Junior ski lessons from age 3
• SnoZone Disability Snowsports private lesson from £52.99
• 90-minute adult beginner group ski lesson from £29.99
• 60-minute children’s group ski lesson (aged 11-15) from £19.99

Boasting the UK’s longest real snow indoor ski slope at 180 metres, Chill Factore also offers a range of activities including snow play zones where you can enjoy the Ice Slide, Downhill Donuts and Sledge ‘n’ Slide.

What you need to know:

• Opening times vary so please check website for current timings
• Free viewing balcony for spectators
• Adult and child rental clothing available to book online
• 1-hour children’s group ski lessons from £22.50
• 2-hour adult beginner group ski lessons from £28.00
• The snow park is for children aged 4 years and above. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a participating adult (aged 17+)
• Adaptive ski lessons available in partnership with DSUK

The temperature in the snow centre will be between –2 to –4 degrees so warm clothing and waterproof gloves, jacket and trousers are essential for all slope users. Layers i.e. t-shirt, fleece and jacket are recommended, and jeans should definitely be avoided as these will restrict movement and can get wet and cold quickly, and don’t forget some thick socks!  
Ski and snowboard equipment (skis, snowboards, boots, poles and helmets) will be included with your ticket.

If you’re looking for a final reason to visit a snow centre, these facilities allow skiing to be accessible to a wider audience and are great places to support. For many families and young people, they are often the first (and sometimes only) experience of skiing that they will have due to budget restraints. They can also be a more accessible way for children and adults with disabilities to experience snowsports.

Snow Camp youth charity is a fantastic organisation that is “turning young lives around with the power of snowsports”. In 2003, founder Dan Charlish, was inspired to create Snow Camp after overhearing inner-city young people he worked with explain that playing a snowboarding video game was the closest they would ever get to experiencing snowsports. Recognising the potential for snowsports to bring about positive social change, Dan transitioned Snow Camp from residential trips abroad to a UK-based training programme at indoor snow centres in 2007.

Today, Snow Camp not only trains young people in snowsports but also provides mental health support, life skills training, qualifications and volunteering opportunities. The charity now runs courses in London, the Northwest, Scotland and the Midlands.

Find out more about how you can support Snow Camp charity.

Skiing or snowboarding at a UK snow centre is a great way to get a feel for the sport, build up your confidence or brush up on your skills before your ski holiday. Maybe you’ve already tried it, but have you tried skiing on a revolving slope?

Moving Mountains are based in Brighton, and offer a unique approach to learning to ski. A little like a giant treadmill, the revolving slope is continuously moving and fits the skier’s ability level. No need for artificial snow or ski lifts, and you’ll have the slope all to yourself.

When you're ready for the real thing, check out our range of luxury ski chalets and start planning your perfect ski holiday.