I would love to know this too! I was looking to do some lessons with an indoor snow company who has a few centres across the uk: http://www.snozoneuk.com/ so that then we could go on a ski holiday and really make the most of it.

They do 'learn to ski or snowboard in a day' courses which just teach you enough to be allowed to use their main slopes. They do have a disclaimer though that says some people learn more slowly and it might take longer - which you would then have to pay extra for I imagine. I think the course is about £250 - costs are on the website though. You can also break it up and do smaller lessons on different days.

Not sure about lessons at ski resorts as haven't looked into this yet.

I was torn between ski and snowboard - on the one hand it seems that with ski at least you have the poles to help control yourself, on the other hand with snowboard at least you aren't facing down the hill!! haha

When I learnt to ski (and I think this is probably easier than learning to snowboard first), Austrian ski schools were the most intense - 4 hours a day, compared to 2 hours in France/Italy etc.

You will probably get more out of your holiday if you continue your uk snozone/dry slope lessons throughout your first holiday, plus you get to meet other people and enjoy the mutual support, challenges and socialising that come with that!

If you are starting lessons in the UK, I would see if you can start with a few lessons close together, then maybe one a week for 5-10 weeks, just so you can get used to the feel of the planks on your feet, stopping, turning, rules of the piste, drag lifts etc.

I would choose a small, friendly resort for your first holiday, and try to go out of school holidays (check when the locals are on holiday and also be aware that they may flood the slopes at weekends throughout the season).

HTH
Jane

Hey,

I haven't done any Skiing since school and that was only Dry-Slope, so can't offer much on that. However I do like Snow Boarding and have been a few times. The first time I went to the Nevis Range ( http://www.nevisrange.co.uk/ ) in Scotland and this is also where I learned to do it. I got a course off them which was 3 days and included all equipment and lift passes etc.

Basically you got tuition in the morning and had the afternoon to yourself and on the last day you pretty much had the whole day, when I went a few years back it was around £90 per person and it isn't much more now (http://snowsports.nevisrange.co.uk/lesson.asp)

From what I remember of Skiing, snowboarding is harder if nothing else because getting to the standing position on the board really works your abs and as you are bound to fall . . . a lot you get to work them all day. Balance wise when you start boarding you go pretty much on the side and you have a lot of control so it isn't to bad.

I would recommend Snow Boarding :-) sorry for going on, hope it helps.

David

Oooh Kezza, your experience makes me even more keen to do it. Was thinking of going to the Milton Keynes one myself. Maybe this summer