Best Snowdomes and Indoor Ski Centres In The UK
Image Credit: Karsten Winegeart
The British love to complain about the weather, and if you love to ski, let's face it you do rather have the issue that most of the UK is too warm for skiing, most of the time.
In fact Scotland is the the only part of the UK which combines being both cold enough for any length of time, and mountainous enough to do any serious skiing.
But of course, there is a solution; in the UK there are 5 snowdomes - indoor ski centres where you can ski and snowboard on real (created) snow. Of course to keep the snow from melting, they also give you the real experience of snowing in the cold, with temperatures in the domes kept at around the -3°Centigrade mark.
These snowdomes give the the chance to try out skiing on real snow, even if you can't go abroad to the ski slopes of Europe or the USA. Snowdomes offer ski classes for beginners and more advanced skiers, you can hire the full set of equipment if you are just trying out skiing for the first time.
This is particularly good if you want to go skiing with kids. Your long awaited family skiing holiday will go a bit more smoothly if the kids have had the chance to try skiing before you land at a ski resort.
If you are a bit more confident on the slopes you can take the opportunity to try out snowboarding, or have a go at tubing, Ringo slide, tobogganing and they even have a ski lift for the full skiing experience.
So let's wrap up warm and head off to the snow!
Indoor Snowdome Skiing Centres in the UK
Image Credit: Urban Sanden
- The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead
- Snozone Milton Keynes
- Snowdome Snow Ice & Leisure Tamworth
- Chill Factore Manchester
- Snozone Yorkshire
- Snow Factor Glasgow
in Hertfordshire is the nearest snowdome to London, and has the UK's huge 160m Main Slope as well as the UKs largest indoor lesson slope.
With party options for kids and adults, team building exercises for businesses and and lessons for children and adults at all different levels there is something for everyone, including fun Ringo slide sessions and snowboarding too.
Less than 30 miles from Hemel Hempstead is Snozone Milton Keynes. It offers a wide range of activities for all the family and for all levels of ability from complete beginners to freestyle pros.
Whether you're looking to learn to ski or snowboard, want to get some time on the slopes or want to have some fun in the snow, such as sledging or a party.
Once you have learnt the basics you can purchase a ski pass and ski on your own on the main slope without a coach.
They are also committed to making snow sports accessible for all, bespoke adaptive (disabled) tuition, guiding and coaching for all types of skiers and snowboarders.
Image Credit: Cade Prior
Tamworth's Snowdome Snow Ice & Leisure offers so much more than just skiing; it was the first real snow indoor skiing venue in the UK, and it also has a skating rink, swimming pool, gym, spa, climbing walls and also hosts fun events such as a Santa's Winter Wonderland at Christmas.
With lessons for kids and adults, with both groups and individual lesson options for skiers of all levels plus snowboarding, along with toboggoning and snowballing in the snow fun park, there is something for everyone.
Chill Factore Manchester, located in Manchester's Trafford Park offers a snow school for kids aged 3-16, skiing and snowboarding lessons for all abilities, or you can sledge to the delights of the Downhill Donuts in the Snow Park, along with luge matts and sledges.
You can also tackle the twists and turns of the ice slide or Sledge 'n’ Slide - race your pals to the bottom of the real snow slope.
There are also classes for adult beginners, and a programme of events for all the family.
Image Credit: Jake Heidecker
Further north in Castleford is Snozone Yorkshire, located at Xscape Centre. They offer skiing and snowboarding on real snow, whether it's your first time on skis or you're an experienced snowboarder.
Snozone has a range of indoor activities to suit all ages and abilities including sledging, holiday camps, disability snowsports and lessons to get you going. Pluse group events and parties too.
Breahead's Snow Factor sadly closed in 2022. It boasted the longest indoor real snow slope in the UK, and offered ski and snowboard lessons for beginners and more advanced skiers and snowboarders.
The company went into administration that year and at present there are no plans to reopen the centre.
There is a 7th Snowdome planned for the UK - in Swindon, run by the owners of Hemel Hempstead's Snow Centre and based at Swindon’s North Star Leisure Complex.
As of 2023 building work had not been started and the latest reports are that the project may be scrapped along with a planned cinema complex.