Top places to go skiing in the UK

You don't need to fly to the Alps to go skiing. The UK has dry slopes you can ski on all year, indoor centres with real snow and five resorts in the Scottish Highlands when winter delivers. Here are the best places to learn, practise or warm up before a ski holiday, starting with the slopes you can book on eola.

Norfolk Snowsports Club, Norwich

Just outside Norwich at Whitlingham, Norfolk Snowsports Club describes itself as one of the UK's leading dry slope centres. First-timers aged 8 and up can start with a ski taster or snowboard taster, there's a Teddy Bear ski taster for 5 to 7-year-olds, and multi-week beginner courses follow for adults and kids.

Anyone in the group who would rather not ski can try tubing, for ages 6 and up.

Alpine Snowsports Aldershot, Hampshire

Alpine Snowsports Aldershot offers skiing, snowboarding and donutting for all ages and abilities. Adults and children aged 11 and up work through group lessons from Level 1, younger skiers aged 4 to 10 join the Junior Ski Club, and there are ski and snowboard camps for improvers. If someone in the family would rather stay off skis, book them a donutting session instead.

The Hill, home of Ski Rossendale, Lancashire

In the Rossendale valley, The Hill is a ski and snowboard centre open all year for lessons, tubing and more. Try a ski taster or snowboard taster, then move on to a beginner course, and once you're confident, two-hour recreational ski sessions let you practise at your own pace. Family tubing runs on two slopes.

Source: Ski Rossendale

Cardiff Ski & Snowboard Centre

Cardiff Ski & Snowboard Centre is an outdoor dry slope close to the city centre, with lessons for every stage. Little ones aged 4 to 6 have their own minis' lessons, first-timers can book a Level 1 ski lesson or a beginner snowboard lesson, and private lessons suit anyone who wants one-to-one coaching.

For pure fun over the winter holidays, look out for super tubing sessions.

Source: Cardiff Ski & Snowboard Centre

Torquay Alpine Ski Club, Devon

On the English Riviera, Torquay Alpine Ski Club runs ski and snowboard lessons through the week and at weekends. Its Learn to ski in a day course on Saturdays is a quick way to find out if skiing is for you, there's a junior ski school for children, and snowboarders can book Sunday morning lessons.

Source: Torquay Alpine Ski Club

Ski clubs for improvers and racers

Once you've got the basics, a local club is a great way to keep improving. North Wales Snowsports Club in Llandudno is a voluntary club for skiers and snowboarders above beginner level, with improvers' sessions for adults and juniors. 3 Counties Snowsports in Welwyn Garden City runs skier development sessions, with a taster session to get you started.

In Cumbria, Kendal Snowsports Club is run entirely by volunteers and offers a moguls and terrain course, while West Wales Ski Club near Llanelli runs ski race training.

Indoor snow centres

If you want real snow without the trip north, the UK has several indoor slopes that stay cold all year, including Chill Factore in Manchester, The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, Snozone in Milton Keynes and Castleford, and Snow Factor in Glasgow. They're great for getting used to the feel of snow, although the runs are much shorter than on a mountain.

Real snow in Scotland

For proper mountain skiing, Scotland has five ski resorts: Cairngorm Mountain near Aviemore, Glenshee, Glencoe Mountain, Nevis Range near Fort William and The Lecht. Conditions depend entirely on the weather, so check the snow reports before you travel and be ready for wind and low cloud on the Scottish hills. A few sessions on a dry slope beforehand will help you make the most of a good snow day.

Tips before you go

Cover up on dry slopes. The matting is bristly and can graze bare skin if you fall, so wear long sleeves and gloves, which many centres insist on.

Start with a taster. A short taster tells you whether you enjoy it before you commit to a course, and recreational sessions are usually for people who can already turn and stop.

Book early for holidays. Lessons fill up in the run-up to Christmas and February half term, when lots of people want a refresher before their ski trip.

Ready to hit the slopes? Find skiing and snowboarding sessions near you on eola.

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Looking for a booking system to help you run your ski school? eola is dedicated to helping instructors and ski centres share their passion with more people. We take care of the admin, so you can have more time on the slopes.

Planning your first session? Read Dry slope skiing vs snow skiing: all you need to know, Where to go donutting in the UK and our pick of experience gifts for Christmas.

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