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Ski & Snowboard Centre – Cardiff
You do not need snow on the ground to go skiing in Cardiff.
Cardiff Ski & Snowboard Centre has a 100-metre outdoor dry slope at Fairwater Park, with lessons for beginners, recreational sessions for experienced skiers and snowboarders, junior coaching and family tubing.
Try Skiing for the First Time
If you have never skied before, this is a much easier place to start than waiting until you are halfway up a mountain on holiday.
Private and group lessons are available, with instructors helping beginners learn the basics of balance, stopping and turning on the dry slope.
Equipment is provided with lesson bookings, so you do not need to buy skis, boots and poles before finding out whether you enjoy it.
Learn to Snowboard
Snowboarding lessons are available too, from complete beginner sessions through to coaching for riders who want to improve their technique.
Learning on a dry slope can be hard work at first, but it gives you the chance to practise the fundamentals close to home rather than using valuable holiday time learning how to stand up.
Bring Younger Skiers
Children are well catered for, with junior ski and snowboard lessons for different age groups and ability levels.
The centre also runs shorter introductory ski sessions for younger children, giving them a chance to get comfortable with the equipment before moving onto longer lessons.
That makes it useful for families planning a winter holiday who want the children to arrive with at least some confidence on skis.
Try Tubing Instead
You do not have to learn to ski or snowboard to enjoy the slope.
Tubing lets you ride downhill in a large inflatable tube and is a much simpler way for children and families to have some fun without learning a new sport first.
Sessions are bookable and are popular for birthdays and family activities.
Practise Before a Ski Holiday
Already know how to ski or snowboard? Recreational sessions let you use the slope to practise between holidays.
A dry slope obviously feels different from real snow, but it is useful for keeping your balance and technique familiar before heading back to the mountains.
The centre is also used by local clubs and competitive skiers, so it caters for much more than complete beginners.
A Few Useful Tips
Cardiff Ski & Snowboard Centre is at 198 Fairwater Road, Cardiff CF5 3JR.
This is an outdoor artificial dry ski slope, not an indoor snow centre.
The main slope is approximately 100 metres long.
Private lessons, group lessons, junior sessions, recreational skiing and snowboarding, and tubing are currently available.
Opening times depend on the day’s lesson and recreational programme, so check the current timetable and book ahead rather than simply turning up.
Equipment is included with many lesson sessions, but confirm exactly what is provided when booking.
Because this is an outdoor slope, dress for the weather and wear clothing that covers your arms and legs. Gloves are particularly useful on a dry slope.
Stay in Cardiff: Find hotels and cottages for combining a ski or snowboard session with a longer break exploring Cardiff and South Wales.