We advise you book a week in advance during our quieter Summer season, and two weeks in advance in our Winter season. Weekends and evenings are naturally busier so we recommend booking far in advance to get the times and availability you’d like.
Our slopes are made with an Astroturf carpet and work in a similar motion to a treadmill. We can change the height and speed of the slope so it’s tailored to the ability of the skiers or snowboarders on the slope at the time. There is a support bar at the front. At the bottom of the slope we have a big mirror so you can watch your technique and get real time feedback. It also encourages you to look ahead and not down at your feet – which is what you should do when you’re on real snow too!
All our sessions come with a fully qualified coach. This ensures the safe operation of the slopes at all times and the best experience in the venue.
You will be in the venue for about an hour, and you will be on the slope for approximately 30 minutes. We can split this into two 15 minute sessions if you get tired – 30 minutes on our slope is comparable to a whole morning spent on real snow as you’ll be skiing or snowboarding constantly, whereas you would stop when you reach the bottom of a real snow slope. So you get a great workout too – and it’s a brilliant way of maintaining fitness during the year!
We would ask you to arrive 20 minutes before your allocated time so we can fit you with boots and skis.
Our slopes at Basingstoke take up to 3 skiers or 2 snowboarders on the slope at any one time and we can’t mix the two options on slope at the same time. The Castleford Skizone is tailored for specific 1 to 1 coaching only.
Please wear a pair of long socks, tracksuit bottoms or leggings, and a long sleeved t-shirt. We advise you to wear something comfortable and loose fitting. No specialist ski gear is required, though gloves are compulsory; these can be purchased at all venues, with a special rate for guests.
You are very welcome to bring your own boots but we ask that you use our skis as they have been specially prepared for use on our slopes.
For normal ski lessons the minimum age is 5. For snowboarding lessons the minimum age is 8. If you have a child who is younger than 4 years then please do get in touch as we may be able to offer 1 to 1 coaching as long as they can fit into our boots properly.
The technique you will be taught is exactly the same as that you will use on snow. The only difference is that our slope is less forgiving and will therefore demand perfect technique.
Yes, We have a viewing platform where you can watch others on the slope.