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Can’t Wait for Winter? Here’s How to Scratch That Skiing Itch This Summer …

Henry
3 hours ago
4 min read

Stuck staring out the window as the mercury edges from hot to boiling? Here's Skiing Unlocked's guide to cooling off and getting some turns in this summer.

It perhaps goes without saying, but I am not a creature for summer. I don’t do well in hot weather and whilst I love lying on a beach and cooling off in the surf, everything else about this season can take a hike.

I simply can’t cool down enough, can’t lose enough layers, and find myself planning journeys across my hometown of London by which tube lines have air conditioning. I’m so much better in the winter, where I am much better suited to the cold and, of course, can go skiing.

So this is the time of year when I gaze out the window, watch skiing videos endlessly on the internet, and dream of getting back on the slopes. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for me to scratch that itch, and therefore plenty for you too …

Book your Ski Trip

I know, it seems crazy to book your ski trip this far out – we’re talking as much as eight months out. But if you were to book now, you would join around half the UK skiing market that does just this.

There are a few reasons why you might book this far in advance, but the key underlying factor is cost. Skiing is getting more and more expensive every year, but by booking this far in advance you can often secure the best rates for your trip.

This is most true for families tied in to school holidays, such as Christmas and February Half Term, but everyone stands to benefit from booking in advance. This race to book in advance has hotted up in recent weeks with some ski tour operators opening bookings for 2027/28.

Anyway, back to my point. Booking your trip makes you think about skiing, but in a more purposeful way than dreaming of the mountains. Driving this energy into finding new places to ski and learning more about your favourite destinations, before finally getting something in the calendar, can really help direct your aimless dreaming into planning the trip of a lifetime.

Go Skiing …

Yes I know it’s tipping 30°C outside. Yes I know there’s not a cloud in the sky and the sun is beating down on everything. But it is still possible to go skiing across the UK this summer.

To begin with, there are five indoor real snow ski centres up and down the country. These are:

First of all, these use real snow, so its just like the real thing. Secondly, inside the centres it is kept at a balmy -5°C, so they are brilliant for escaping the heat for a couple of hours. Thirdly, they are kind of empty at this time of year? Even as school holidays come and go, people just aren’t thinking about skiing at this time of the year, so there is plenty of space to work on your skiing across the slope.

Many of the centres host themed nights, such as Hemel’s Full Park Fridays – the entire slope is turned over to rails, boxes and kickers on Friday evenings, allow groms the chance to practice their tricks and twists.

Two-hour sessions can be around £40, including equipment hire, and there are excellent cafes and shops at many of them making it an excellent day out for yourself and all the family.

Can’t make it to a snow dome? There are plenty of dry slopes across the UK and Ireland, meaning you are never too far from your closest opportunity to go skiing. I’m not the biggest fan of dry slopes, but they are better than nothing, and are – officially – the breeding ground of World Cup winners, World Champions, and Olympic medallists – so who am I to complain?!

Finally, there are a handful of “infinity” slopes, including two that h

ave opened in the past couple of years – InPiste in Luton, and South Wilts Ski Club in southwest Wiltshire, near Salisbury. These use, effectively, treadmills to recreate the slope whizzing by under your skis, again giving you the chance to practice your skiing and work on your technique.

Looking for your closest slope, whether infinity, real snow, or dry slope? Check out the Ski Club of Great Britain’s facilities map of the UK and Ireland here.

Join a Club

Skiing is a pastime that is best shared; I’ve written plenty before about how the skiing itself is a uniquely personal and individual challenge of you vs. the mountain, but sharing stories on the chairlift, sharing a beer at après, and seeing the world together are all things that mean skiing is a pastime best shared.

There are so many organisations out there to ensure that you are never skiing alone. These can be local ski clubs based at your local dry slope or indoor ski centre, hosting training sessions and races for all age groups.

There are also several “national” clubs, the biggest of which is the Ski Club of Great Britain. Throughout the summer they host events including masterclass days at several snow domes with four-time Winter Olympian Chemmy Alcott, instructor maestro Warren Smith, and maybe more coming up this summer …

Elsewhere, the Muslim Ski Club has done loads to open the sport to newcomers from a Muslim background, hosting taster and development days at the Snow Centre, Hemel and Manchester. These super sociable events are followed up by their trademark après tea, keeping the conversation going off the slopes, too.

Final Thoughts

Asking Brits – and others – to think about skiing in the summer is a tricky one. But I know that there are so many of you that are desperate to get back on the slopes and can’t wait for winter to come around. Hopefully, some of these tips of where to go and how to find a community to share your passion wit will help you scratch the skiing itch this summer.