... Over the years I have declined several chances to accompany friends to winter ski resorts for fear of being a likely candidate to suffer a broken leg or worse, but I have a group of friends that are regular visitors to the European ski resorts and these same friends also frequently visit the ... Read review
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Advantages: Good fun Disadvantages: Quite expensive
...friends also frequently visit the Sheffield Ski Village, which is only a few miles from where I live. One day last year I accompanied them on a visit here, initially as a spectator, only to return a few weeks later as a fully participating visitor.
The Sheffield Ski Village is the largest artificial outdoor ski slope in Europe and opened in 2001. Unlike places like Xscape at Milton Keynes and Castleford, and the Ski Dome at Tamworth ... ...slopes. If you visit the Sheffield Ski Village you will find that the prices vary considerably but be warned the prices are not cheap. The standard off peak cost on the main slopes is as below:
My friends who are quite frequent visitors have made themselves members and enjoy a reduced entry ... more
When it comes to sport I have always tried to avoid extreme sports, favouring instead things like athletics and running. I represented my county (Yorkshire) at both cross country running and athletics when I was still at school and since then I have completed one full marathon and three half marathons but as far as sport is concerned that is about it for me.
I have always consciously avoided skiing, although I realise that this is quite tame in comparison with a lot of what is available these days. Over the years I have declined several chances to accompany friends to winter ski resorts for fear of being a likely candidate to suffer a broken leg or worse, but I have a group of friends that are regular visitors to the European ski resorts and these same friends also frequently visit the Sheffield Ski Village, which is only a few miles from where I live. One day last year I accompanied them on a visit here, initially as a spectator, only to return a few weeks later as a fully participating visitor.
The Sheffield Ski Village is the largest artificial outdoor ski slope in Europe and opened in 2001. Unlike places like Xscape at Milton Keynes and Castleford, and the Ski Dome at Tamworth this does not have real artificially created snow but instead its slopes are covered in a special kind of matting that is sprayed with water to make it glisten like ice. This matting is very slippery and I am told by my friends that it is very similar to skiing on real snow, although visually it looks nothing like the real thing.
During my first visit here as a spectator I spent my time in the bar watching my friends on the slopes. The ski village has both a bar and a restaurant from where the slopes are visible and it is certainly very entertaining watching the skiers fly by. There is also an outdoor terrace area with seating that has excellent views of the same slopes and I would imagine that this would be a great place to view from during the summer when the weather is nice.
There are various different slopes here. The main slope is reserved for the more experienced skiers and it is on this slope that my friends can usually be found. For the more experienced skiers there is a half pipe and a quarter pipe and several jumps. All of this looked quite scary for a novice like me but it is certainly good fun to watch. In addition to the people skiing in these more advanced areas of the ski centre there are also quite a few people on snowboards too.
For the beginners and less experienced visitors there are two different nursery slopes. If you visit the Sheffield Ski Village you will find that the prices vary considerably but be warned the prices are not cheap. The standard off peak cost on the main slopes is as below:
My friends who are quite frequent visitors have made themselves members and enjoy a reduced entry fee.
During my second visit here I came with a friend who had been here once before with some work colleagues. She had reassured me that during this visit she had not progressed beyond the nursery slopes and so I was quite happy to accompany her when she asked. Rather than just messing about on the nursery slopes as she had done on her first visit we actually decided to pay for a lesson, something that I was very nervous and apprehensive about. We each paid £17 for a one hour lesson, which included the hire of all of the equipment.
The first difficult task was encountered shortly after parting with our money and long before we got anywhere near the slopes since neither of us could get our ski boots on no matter how hard we tried. After a few minutes we were both rolling around on the changing room floor hysterical until a member of staff took pity on us and sorted us out. Then, with no more excuses we headed off to the nursery slope where we met our instructor, Caroline.
As there was only the two of us we were put with another group of people which formed ten of us in a group of absolute beginners. The lesson began with a quick chat and then we were each encouraged to participate, under the watchful eye of Caroline. The nursery slope is very gentle but looking around I could see that some of the people in the other more advanced beginner groups were reaching quite impressive speeds and this made me very nervous.
Within just a few minutes my friend fell over, which was followed by another bout of hysterical laughter and then I toppled over sideways. Over the next 20 minutes we both discovered that neither of us had very good coordination skills and that keeping your balance and staying upright is not something that happens naturally.
Eventually I did begin to get the hang of things a little bit once I had worked out how to keep my skis parallel which kept me in going in a straight line but by the time the lesson was over I still hadn't worked out how to stop in a dignified matter that didn't involve colliding with an object or another person. I had also discovered on numerous occasions that the matting was quite hard when you hit it with a thud and I wished that it was nice soft snow.
Overall I really enjoyed my visit to the Sheffield Ski Village and if this sounds like your sort of thing then I would definitely recommend it as it is a good laugh.
It is open all year round at the following times:
Monday to Friday from 11am until 10pm Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 8pm
Sheffield Ski Village 4 Vale Road Sheffield S3 9SJ
Advantages: variety of slopes Disadvantages: equpiment could be better
...a trip this year to sheffield ski village, i was understandably a little apprehensive, but i signed up for it anyway. I took along just about everything possible, including about 3 pairs of gloves, as i had heard that when you fall on dry slopes, the matting can be painfull on the hands.
When we got there, we was fitted out with the boots and skis. For about half an hour we were trying to fasten them, and finally one of the staff took pity on us ... ...like i had expected!
Sheffield ski village is said to to be one of the best dry slopes in the Uk, and is is quite resonably priced, and i would recommend it to everyone, no matter what level of ability you have, there is sure to be something for you.
(does not have accomodation, so ignore that part below, ok) ...
naomiuk 27.06.2001 (06.07.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sheffield Ski Village
Advantages: Good place to practise if you live nearby. Range of slopes. Disadvantages: Not as good as snow! Hired equipment is sometimes poor.
...to the real thing. Well Sheffield Ski Village is a dry slope, but it is very good still...
Sheffield Ski Village comprises of Three main slopes ranging from a beginner slope to a long and reasonably wide central slope and an advanced slope. There is also a cool aggressive park (which i have never tried, just watched in awe as people fly off the ramps! One day...) and two self contained nursey slopes for those having lessons.
You can hire equipment ... ...If you live near to Sheffield and you want to start snowboarding or skiing then it would not cost too much to start here. It is also a good place to practise your skills and just have some fun on the slopes. I recommend it because I think it is the best dry slope in the UK.
NB- Please ignore what it says below about Accommadation: terrible etc. I had to complete those fields even though Sheffield is not a holiday resort! ...
tendril- 05.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sheffield Ski Village
Advantages: I cant fault them Disadvantages: It is a bit far out and up a massive steep hill
...took a trop to the Sheffield Ski Village. I went thinking that it was going to be like one of the normal everyday slopes but when i got there i was pleasently suprised. There were 2 nursery slopes, a junior slope down the left hand side. Down the middle there was a large slope that was for the more advanced skier and then down the right hand side there was a half pipe and a couple of jumps. Anything that the skier and snowboarder of day need. When ... ...which landed in a water bath kind of thing.
There is not actually any real snow at the ski village but at some places it is the woven mat stuff and in other places it is like carpet that is sprayed with water to make it like ice. Wicked or wat!?
When i got there the staff where very helpful and after I had paid the reasonalbe price they pointed out where to go to get my ski's/snowboard and my boots. The hire of the ski/snowboard and boots is all ...
Kuli2 03.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sheffield Ski Village
Advantages: Instuctors, beginner to advanced, hire inc. bar shop Disadvantages: Dendex, v painful
...you do live in the Sheffield area and you would like to learn snowboarding (rather than the one off lesson) they do accept jobs in the boot-room - 6hours/week and you get free lessons and and lift-pass - which is worth more than the wage you could get if snowboard/ski alot!
But back to the Ski Village. On arrival you are greated by a small car park that looks like something from the wild west, but beyond that is the view of Sheffield (which can ... ...introduce himself. The instuctors at sheffield are really friendly aswell as good at what they do. They won't rush you and will et you progress at your own speed, aswell as 1-1 help down the slope if needed!
And if its not your first lesson, you may request the same instuctor (If they are working) or a instuctor you like. At sheffield your not just "Another idiot learning to snowboard/ski", you will be remembered by your instructors.
--Stick A ...
punkboii 31.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sheffield Ski Village
Advantages: A good way to see if you're any good before booking a holiday. Disadvantages: A bit out of the way, you need your own transport.
My visit here last week was the first time I had ever tried snowboarding, I was terrified. I'd been skiing before, but never here. My friend knew about the place so we decided to go for a laugh, and it was. We decided to have a 1 hour lesson, which cost us £17, including hiring the board + boots, which I thought was pretty reasonable. Fortunately there was only three of us in our group, which was great. However some groups semmed to have more than ... ...pace not pushing us to learn things too quickly and didn't laugh when we all fell over each other!!!
I thought the ski villiage was brilliant. There was a bar, a shop and a cafe. The bar was great, the prices were reasonable and it had a huge fire, just like being abroad. The whole place was really modern, all big wooden beams and wooden flooring, all the staff seemed great, including the guy who had to show us how to put our boots on!!
I found ...
hrclark 26.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sheffield Ski Village
Value for Money
Sightseeing
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
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