A new initiative by Menter Iaith (plural: Mentrau Iaith, English: Language Initiative), a community-based organisation which works to raise the profile of the Welsh Language in a specific area, has brought Welsh language teaching to snowboarders.

Continue reading ‘Lottery subsidizes Welsh introduction snowboard course in Lllandudno’

Erna Low offers ski packages by train

Tour operators promoting skiing into the 2010-11 are promoting guaranteed accessibility by promoting use of the Chunnel to avoid holiday disruptions by the volcanic ash and labour disputes through Europe. Continue reading ‘Lingering ash cloud hanging in Europe prompts tour operator to promote Chunnel’

A fresh spell of cool weather amazingly brought new snow to Scotland for the mayday holiday period and continuing cold weather means even more snow is still possible.

Cairngorm Mountain above Aviemore is now the only Scottish ski centre still open for snow sports and it reported 2.5cm (an inch) of new snow earlier this month. The centre has received 141,000 skier visits to date, more than double the 65,000 skier visits in 2009, recovering from worst season on record in 2007. So far the centre has been open 133 days open since the end of November 2009.

Several hundred skiers enjoyed the fresh powder as Cairngorm entered its seventh calendar month of continuous operation in one of its busiest and most successful seasons in memory.

Continue reading ‘Scotland’s miracle snow season continues, somehow’

The Midlothian artificial slope near Edinburgh.

The Midlothian artificial ski slope in Scotland will remain open for the time being despite suffering huge annual losses.

The ski surface at Hillend near Edinburgh is currently losing £500,000 (€580,000) a year.

A new report given to the local council which runs the centre has suggested Midlothian Ski Centre stay open until August, during which time cuts in spending and increased fees should reduces losses, and at the end of that the centre is sold or leased to a private operator.

Continue reading ‘Edinburgh dry slope starts 11th hour cost cutting plan’

Chill Facore indoor snow centre.

The Chill Factore indoor snow centre in Manchester has announced it’s offering a cheap one hour lift pass this spring and summer.

The offer lets snowsports enthusiasts ski from as little as £15 (€17) for adults or £11 (€12.50) for juniors.

A summer membership package is also returning following a successful trial last year, meaning those who want to ski on a regular basis get 30 percent off lift passes, lessons and snow activities until September 30th.

Continue reading ‘Chill Factore lauches one-hour lift pass deal’

Scottish ski resort Cairngorm.

Scotland’s Cairngorm Mountain just finished its last full week of operations this season, which is widely regarded as having been the best for a generation.

The season doesn’t end with the May bank holiday however, as the ski centre above Aviemore will continue to operate at weekends through May as conditions permit. Glencoe will also be open on weekends, but the other three Scottish centres have closed for the season.

At Cairngorm you can still ski top to bottom although lower runs are getting narrow and thin in places. The centre expects to operate the Ptarmigan, Ciste, Cas, M1, and West Wall uplifts along with the train.

Continue reading ‘Swan song for Cairngorm’s super ski season’

Colorado's Copper Mountain ski resort.

Colorado’s Copper Mountain and Italy’s Val di Fassa have topped a list of the most satisfying ski vacation destination this season.

The numbers come from a poll conducted by TUI Ski, the company which owns Britain’s largest ski tour operator Crystal, as well as other leading brands Thomson, First Choice and Flexiski.

Copper Mountain in Colorado is the most popular overall, although as the company sends a limited number of clients there, the verdict is not based on the number of passengers. The company believes Val di Fassa would probably triumph if the number of forms returned was factored.

Continue reading ‘Copper and Val di Fassa top ski satisfaction survey’