What are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, is nature’s display of coloured lights that fill the nights sky in the most northern parts of the world. It is a shapeshifting swirling cloud of coloured lights caused by the interaction between gas particles in the atmosphere and electrically charged particles from the sun. The Northern Lights occur when a continuous stream of charged particles called the Solar Wind that comes from the Sun hits the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The light is created when this solar wind causes ionisation of oxygen and nitrogen atoms. Oxygen gives off a greenish glow, and nitrogen gives off a red or blue glow. So, where are the Northern Lights?

The Northern Lights are seen above the magnetic North Pole and are called the Aurora borealis. There is a similar light phenomena over the magnetic South Pole which is called the Aurora australis. It is easier to travel to see the Northern Lights than the Southern Lights because Antarctica is a bit of an inhospitable place.

Where can you see the Northern Lights?

View of the Northern Lights from Alaska

The best places to see the Northern Lights are in Alaska, Canada, Iceland and Norway. The amazing light shows given off by the Northern Lights are never guaranteed, but if you get yourself to locations close to the northern latitudes at the top of the world such as in Iceland or Canada, you will maximise the chances of an unforgetable experience.

The level of solar activity is a big factor in the intensity and appearance of the Northern Lights. The solar activity changes in intensity over 11 years, and was expected to be at a maximum in 2012-2013.

You can also see the Northern Lights from places like Sweden and Scotland.

Northern Lights Holidays

Iceland offers some of the cheapest options for Northern Lights Holidays. You can book short breaks to Reykjavik with Thomson on a three-night trip. The Thomson Northern Lights Tour and a Golden Circle excursion takes in some of Iceland’s most spectacular sights, from geysers to waterfalls, for approximately £400pp B&B, including flights. Departures tend to be in January and February.
Inghams Northern Lights Holidays to northern Norway include the Narvik Polar Express Adventure. You get to ride on the Polar Express train, go husky sledding and on a trip to the Polar Wildlife Park. A three night Northern Lights Holiday from Inghams will cost about £800pp, including flights and excursions.

Northern Lights Cruise

Most of the Northern Lights cruises sail to Norway or Iceland where the aurora appears regularly and the climate is relatively calm.
P&O Cruises has a 12-night round trip from Southampton on Oriana. It calls at Stavanger in Tromso overnight, Alta for a two night stay and Flam. It costs about £850pp.

Northern Lights Flight

If you don’t like the cold and just want to have a look at the Northern Lights, you can get a plane from UK airports that flies up over Iceland and back in a few hours. The Aurora Tours mean that you can see the Northern Lights in a few hours without a long trip or having to stay out in the cold. However, nothing beats the awe and wonder of spending time with your camera in Alaska or Canada on a Northern Lights Holiday.

The post Northern Lights Holidays appeared first on Active Outdoors.

If you want somewhere to go out and have fun with your friends (or boyfriend or girlfriend), then what you need to do is get yourself to one of the temporary outdoor ice rinks that are becoming ever more popular at this time of year.

You will find them popping up everywhere, from shopping centres such as the Winter Garden Outdoor Ice Rink at Bluewater in Kent, to landmarks such as the ice skating rink in London at the Natural History Museum.

At all of the outdoor ice rinks, they will provide the ice skates. You may need to book tickets for the outdoor ice skating rink in advance, as they are very popular. Plan a trip with your mates and make a day of it at the weekend.

Ice Skating in London

• Natural History Museum
• Tower of London
• Somerset House
• Canada Square, Canary Wharf
• Hampton Court Palace
• Ice skating at Westfield in Stratford
• London Eye

Outdoor Ice skating rinks in the UK

• Winchester Cathedral
• Cardiff
• Windsor
• Alexandra Palace
• Newcastle Life Cantre
• George Square, Glasgow
• Spinningfields, Manchester
• Bristol
• Ice skating at the Pavilion, Brighton
• Eden Project, Cornwall
• Smithfield, Dublin
• East Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh
• Warwick Castle
• York
• Nottingham
• Millenium Square, Leeds
• Cambridge

Outdoor Ice Rinks Around the World

• Berlin – Winterwelt am Potsdamer Platz www.winterwelt-berlin.de;
• Budapest – City Park Ice Rink www.mujepalya.hu
• Helsinki – Ice Park, Rautatientori Square next to the Central Railway Station.
• New York – The Rockefeller Center, between 47th & 50th Streets and 5th & 7th Avenues www.therinkatrockcenter.com.
• New York – Wollman rink in Central Park, close to the entrance at 59th Street and 6th Avenue www.wollmanskatingrink.com.
• Oslo – Frogner Stadium, Frogner www.visitoslo.com.
• Paris – Rève de Neige, Stade de France, Saint-Denis www.stadefrance.fr;
• Vienna – Vienna Eistraum (Ice Dream), Rathausplatz, boasts 6,000 square metres of pure ice. Located between Hotel Intercontinental and Konzerthaus [More information on places to ice skate outdoors in Vienna].

If you know of any more outdoor ice rinks, let us know and we can add them to the list.

If you don’t want to get your ice skates on and you prefer to slide downhill this winter in a big inflatable ring, you might like to try snowtubing and doughnutting

The post The Best Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks This Winter appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Skiing and snowboarding are the two most popular snow sports. Both let you have some serious fun bombing down a mountain, or perhaps cruising at a leisurely rate.

It is very much a personal choice which is best for you, but here are a few things to consider that may help you decide.

Do I look cool?

Snowboarding is associated with the type of cool dudes you see doing a variety of board sports such as skateboarding or surfing. Baggy trousers and boots with the tongues hanging out.

In the last few years, snowboarding is being taken up by all sorts of people – guys and girls, young and old.

Some hardened skiers do look down on snowboarders, as they consider it not as stylish, and that snowboards tend to push the snow down the mountain and leave it all lumpy at the bottom of the piste. Skiers do tend to be able to travel with more finesse than boarders, but that is the nature of the sport. Snowboarding is more about tricks and carving.

Skiing has started to get more media coverage of tricks and stunts. The winter X Games have included ski cross and board cross, which is where several skiers or snowboarders race at the same time on a course of ramps and jumps, making it much more exciting to watch.

Looking cool is not just about the clothing and reputation. It also depends on your skill. There’s no point trying to look cool if you can’t stay upright.

Which do you prefer?

Skills

The basics of snowboarding can be learned in a couple of days. Skiing takes longer as you use different techniques for different terrain and speed.

I ski and snowboard, but one is easier than the other in certain situations that you will encounter on the mountain. Narrow runs can be a bit challenging if you are not that skilled at controlling your board with the nose pointing down the hill. Steep narrow gulleys limit your ability to stop on a snowboard, whereas you can always snowplough on skis.

Chairlifts

Chairlifts are designed for skiers. Basically, you ski to the red stop line and wait for the chairlift to arrive behind you. When the seat arrives and touches the back of your legs you just sit down, pull the safety bar down and off you go. All you need to do is to make sure you don’t smack the person next to you with your ski poles.

At the top, you stand up and push away from the seat. You then ski off. Easy.

Snowboarders have to cope with being sideways. You wait for the chair with your snowboard pointing forward. this means that you have to sit down sideways. Once you are on, you can sit round properly. Your snowboard dangles sideways and annoys the skiers next to you unless you rest it on the foot bar. This is not exactly comfortable for your ankle.

At the top, you reverse the process. The hard bit is standing up and riding off with your board flat (not on an edge). Get it wrong and you are on your face in front of the crowd that usually lurks at the top of the lift sorting themselves out for the run down the mountain.

After a couple of goes, it is fairly easy to do it on skis or snowboard. The fun bit comes from different chairlifts. Each one is different. Some have conveyor belts at the start so they don’t have to slow down the chairs for you to sit down. Some have steep run offs at the top, where everyone has to quickly get their balance and get out of the way

Ski Tows

Once again, ski tows are designed for skiers. You stand and grab the hanging pole or T bar and use it to drag you up the hill (hopefully while you are standing up). When skiing, you have to concentrate on keeping your skis parallel. Not always easy on uneven snow.

Some ski tows are quite fast. The hanging poles are in a hopper and you grab the end one. By doing this, the top then moves and locks onto the rapidly moving cable and you get launched up the mountain at high speed. If you are not ready for this, you fall over, or get your manhood squashed. Watch other people do it first so you know what to expect.

For snowboarders, you have to stand sideways. It is best not to have your back foot in your binding, as if you fall over you are stuffed and in the way of everyone else coming up behind you. You look a right fool crawling away. At least with your back foot free, you can put it on the ground and steady yourself.

To get on you grab the tow pole and stick it between your legs whilst putting your back foot on your snowboard on the uphill side of the back binding (usually where your stomp pad is). It helps if you put your back arm out poining at the back of the snowboard to balance. This adjusts your weight towards the back of the snowboard to compensate for the sudden jolt as the tow pulls you away.

The fun doesn’t stop there. You have to keep your wits about you as some of the snow on the ski tows can be uneven. There may be lumps, bumps and holes or ruts. If the snow is patchy, you can even get stones or rocks sticking through. If you survive all that, then there is the final test of getting off the ski tow. MAke sure you don’t throw the towing pole or T bar away from you, as it can swing up and get tangled in the towing cable. This will stop the ski tow until an engineer comes to free it. This really messes up everyones’ time going up the ski tow.

Coping With the Varied Terrain

There is a varied amount of snowy terrain you will encounter when doing snowsports. Skiers and snowboarders cope with everything, but as a beginner, it helps to know what to expect..

Ice

When the temperature is lower, the piste will freeze overnight. In the morning, the runs can stay frozen for some time depending on the temperature, and whether they are in the sun or shade. I have found that it is easier to stay upright on a snowboard when going down icy runs, especially as they get steeper.

For a skier, You may have to side slip. This is similar to descending on your toe or heel edge on a snowboard. Skiers have two skis to keep parallel and at the right angle. Much easier on a snowboard.

Wide pistes

Wide pistes are great for skiers and snowboarders alike. The beginners dream. You can practice long sweeping turns without the fear of going off an edge or drop.

Flat pistes

Flat pistes and green runs are lovely for beginner skiers. For snowboarders, they can cause a few problems if they are really flat. The first problem is the lack of a slope. Snowboarders need a slope to move, or else they have to take their rear foot out of the binding and scoot. Skiers can just push themselves along with their ski poles, or move their skis in a skating motion.

The second problem flat slopes cause snowboarders is a lack of control. To get any form of speed, you are going to have to point in the direction you are going, with the board flat on the ground. Which is your back edge now? If you get it wrong and you catch an edge, you will suddenly find yourself face planting into the piste. Be prepared for the fall, or work out a technique that helps you to keep moving on an edge instead of the flat of the snowboard.

Narrow sections and gulleys

You are going to come across narrow bits on the mountain. No problem for a skier until they get a bit soft and mushy. Then you have to swoop bout in snowplough making sure you don’t get your skis tangled on big lumps of snow.

For a snowboarder, narrow sections can be a problem for beginners. If the slope is gentle, it is not to much bother. If it is steep, you have to be able to control and steer your board as you will be nose forward which means you will gain speed unless you can turn. Scary at first.

Gulleys and drops add to the fear factor. You don’t want to disappear off the edge. Gulleys are U shaped, which causes problems when you want to turn your board to slow yourself down. A bit of practice where there are no crowds is needed.

Injuries and Protection

As with all snowsports, there is a risk of injury. Skiing and snowboarding seems to have different injury risks. Skiers have two skis to control over all sorts of ground. The biggest risk to skiers is that of twisting a ski the wrong way and breaking a leg. Falling over with your skis going the wrong way is the main cause, and can happen even at slow speeds. The wrong skiing techniques also can lead to knees and ankle injuries. At higher speeds, impact injuries may also happen.

Snowboarders tend to get impact injuries. As your feet are both clamped to the same bit of wood, you don’t get the risk of one leg going in a different direction to the other. Instead, you are more likely to catch an edge and hit the deck fast and hard. Your reaction to this leads to what injuries you get, if any. The instinct is to put your hands out to stop the fall, which leads to breaking your wrists. Always wear wrist guards to reduce the chance of this happening. It doesn’t stop it, as a friend of mine broke her wrist guards in a fall and sprained her wrists. At least she didn’t break her wrists!

Also, you will often end up with your knees or backside hitting the floor. Wear knees pads. I also wear padded shorts with a coccyx protector to protect the base of my spine.

You can get spine protectors as well.

Helmets are a good investment. You only have one head. Look after it.

Winter Sports Insurance

Make sure you are insured! It can cost huge amounts (£20000) to get you off a mountain. Then there is the ambulance, hospital treatment, the plane home taking up three seats for your broken leg, and outpatient treatment. And if you drove there, how are you going to get your car back? So, make sure that you have adequate winter sports cover.

What do you prefer? To ski or snowboard?

So what have you decided? Talking to other snowsports enthusiasts, those who ski and then try snowboarding rarely go back to skiing. I haven’t yet found anyone who has started off snowboarding and then switched to skiing. As for me, I haven’t clocked up enough mountain time yet to decide. I prefer skiing when with other skiers, as I can keep up with them whereas I can’t on a snowboard yet. But I prefer the feeling of carving down a mountain, and casually going past skiers sitting on their backsides on icy slopes.

Made your mind up? Perhaps you want to try both and experience the differences between skiing and snowboarding for yourself.

Once you decide you will want some tips for choosing your first snow sports holiday.

The post Should I go Skiing or Snowboarding? appeared first on Active Outdoors.

As we move into winter, the weather can change quite unexpectedly. If things become severe (torrential rain or deep snow), the best thing to do is leave your car at home and go sledging

Winter Driving Hazards

If you do go out driving in winter, expect other drivers to do something really stupid, as they will. Last winter in the snow, I saw people using mobile phones whilst skidding all over the place. People expect a 4×4 to have perfect grip and end up getting into trouble. You need to understand how your car behaves in different winter conditions. Watch out for these hazards:

Wet Leaves

Being a movable slippery carpet, these can be a right pain if you need to brake or turn, especially on a motorbike. Avoid sudden braking, sharp turns or quick acceleration. Plan ahead by watching what is happening as far ahead of you as you can see. Also, leave a good distance between you and the car in front. If they stop suddenly, you want to make sure you don’t end up in the back of them.

Rain

Rain and spray from other cars can make it difficult to see and be seen. Slow down and give more room. Watch out for unexpected big puddles.

Floods

Big rain makes big puddles. Hitting puddles at speed will mean you are no longer in control of the car. If you have to drive through a flooded bit of road, drive slowly in first gear to avoid stalling the engine.

Fog

Fog can be solid or patchy. You can suddenly find yourself going from sunshine into thick fog, and if you aren’t paying attention, you may hit those in front who have most likely panicked and slammed on their brakes as they can’t see anymore. Slow down. Use your dipped headlights (the ones you normally use for night driving). Sidelights aren’t visible in fog. The high beam or main beam will just reflect off the fog. You also need your fog lights on, but remember to turn them off when it is not foggy.

Winter Sun

The sun is low in the sky in winter, and you often find yourself driving towards it. Keep a pair of sunglasses in the car ready to hand.

Ice

Did you know it takes ten times longer to stop on ice than a dry road? Leave a bigger gap between you and the car in front. If you get stuck on an icy or snowy bit of road, you can get moving by using first gear

The first gear trick on ice and snow

From standstill, press the clutch and put the car into first gear. DO NOT touch the accelerator! Then gently lift the clutch very slowly. It will seem as though the car is going to stall, but before you know it, you will find yourself moving. Then, carry on driving, carefully.

Carpets, mats and hessian sacks

Keep some old mats or pieces of carpet or sacks in the car boot. If you get stuck on ice, don’t go digging with a shovel. Just lay down your mats in front of the front wheels (or rear wheels if rear wheel drive – BMW), and slowly drive on. Don’t forget to go back and get the mats though, as you may need them again.

Snow

Slow and steady is the way to go on ice and snow. Be extremely careful on corners. Once you skid, you are supposed to steer in the direction of the skid, but I have experienced hitting ice at 15 mph on a corner and there is absolutely nothing you can do except ride it out. I did a 270 degree spin and the rear hit bushes at the edge of the road. No damage, but boy do I now be really careful. You can buy snowsocks to cover the tyres so that you have grip on ice and snow.

Don’t use Cruise control

Most cars sense slippery conditions and prevent you from using control. But, if you are using cruise control and hit water or ice, the car may sense that the wheels have slowed down and increase the accelerator, which means you take off like a rocket out of control. Modern sensing and traction control may now overcome this, but don’t risk it!

Gritting Lorries

Keep well away from grit lorries. They will shower your car with grit, which doesn’t do your paintwork any good. Also, don’t expect the road to be safe just because it has been gritted. The salt used only work down to -5c, so if it gets colder, then there will be ice!

Prepare your Car

As winter approaches, make sure your car is ready.

• Battery – This is the biggest problem drivers experience for car breakdown in winter. Make sure your battery is fully charged. replace it if it is unreliable.
• Antifreeze – Make sure you have the right amount of anti-freeze in your car’s cooling system. Also, use a screen wash that has anti-freeze in it to stop your windscreen from freezing. If you don’t, you are going to be in big trouble if you use your screen wash whilst driving as it will freeze on the windscreen and you will suddenly find you can’t see anything.
• Service your car – Make sure your car has been serviced regularly
• Lights – Check all of your lights work
• Tyres – Check that your tyres have enough tread. You can check this by running your finger in one of the grooves on the tread. Tyres have a little bump in the grooves that indicate the minimum tread depth. If the bump is at the same level as the top of the tread, then you need to replace your tyres
• Windscreen Wipers – Check that your wiper blades clear the water off the windscreen properly. When it gets below zero, you will find that your wipers freeze and don’t wipe properly. Before you get in your car, check that your wipers are not frozen to the windows, or you may break your wipers or wiping motor mechanism.
• Windows – Clear all of your windows and mirrors before you drive off. Remove all ice and snow. By law, your windows and mirrors must be clear and de-misted before driving.
• Emergency kit – Keep emergency kit in your car, and keep it stocked up!

Stuff to have in your car in winter

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1. Ice scraper
2. De-icer
3. First Aid Kit
4. Torch
5. Warm clothes, such as a thick woolly jumper and extra coat
6. Blanket
7. Sleeping bag
8. Snow shovel
9. Food and drink (thermos flask), chocolate
10. Jump leads
11. Tow rope
12. Welly boots
13. Warning triangle
14. Spare bulbs for car
15. A couple of carpet tiles or cloth sacks to use for grips in snow if you get stuck
16. Full tank of fuel

You can buy all of your winter car essentials from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

The post Winter Driving Safety Tips appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Whether you are hitting the trails offroad or onroad, for those of you who want to keep cycling this winter, you will need some winter cycling gear to keep you warm and dry. Cycling uphill soon warms you up, but it is very chilly on the downhills with the winter wind blowing at you. Your hands and face definitely will feel that icy blast. Then there are the shorter winter days, meaning that you are more likely to be cycling at night. This leads to the need for visibility.

So, what winter cycling clothes should you have?

Winter Headwear

That wind is pretty chilly in winter, so you will want to keep your ears warm when cycling.  Let’s start with cycling headwear. Most of you will probably be wearing a really cool cycling helmet, but they don’t exactly keep your head and ears warm. What you need is a VeloChampion Thermo Tech thermal cycling skull cap that fits unders your cycling helmet. A microfleece beanie hat will fit under your cycling helmet, or you could try a balaclava if you are not too fashion conscious. A thin powerstretch hat may look better, especially when used with a fleece tube around your neck. You can pull these down so that they cover your ears.

Keeping Your Neck Warm

A fleece tube is better than a scarf for keeping your neck warm. You don’t have to worry about it coming unwrapped. A Polar Buff is ideal. You can also pull it up over your nose to be really toasty, though some people find that it can steam up their glasses. You can pull it up over your nose when cycling downhill, and then easily lower it when climbing hills.

Winter Cycling Tops

You will definitely need a long sleeved top. Cotton is much better at ensuring you don’t get too hot and sweaty under all of your layers. One recommendation is a Frosty Boy top from Ground Effect. They also do a ladies version. It is excellent as it has a windproof front to keep you warm when cycling downhill.

There are plenty of dayglo bright yellow cycling jacket on the market. Just have a look at Evans Cycles, or Wiggle. They should be reasonably waterproof, with a cotton mesh lining. The mesh reduces the amount of sweat you get inside. The cycling jacket should also be windproof. My jacket has a fold down flap at the bottom of the back which covers my backside when cycling. This stops the spray from the road going down the back of my trousers.

Cycling Gloves

Make sure that you have a really warm pair of winter cycling gloves, as your hands are really exposed to the winter wind. You should still be able to grip the handlebars, as well as operate the gears and brakes. A great idea for cycling gloves is to make sure they have reflective strips on them. when you are cycling in the dark, cars won’t see you indicating to turn. If your cycling gloves don’t have reflective strips on them, you can get sticky strips to put on, or buy reflective wrist bands. You may also want to put reflective strips on your cycling helmet as well.

Winter Cycling Trousers and Leggings

Now we’re getting close to the wet road. Waterproof trousers are recommended to keep out all of the spray. Evans Cycles sell waterproof trousers that are jsut the job when cycling in winter. The reflective strips on them light up really well in car headlights.

Winter Cycling Footwear

For keeping your feet warm and dry when cycling in winter, nothing can beat Sealskinz.
100% waterproof, you can get a knee high version which will keep your whole leg warm and dry. You could also wear waterproof overshoes. These are less sweaty than Seal Skinz.

For a cheap solution, just put some carrier bags on your feet before you put your shoes on. Or, you could always put them on top of your shoes, but you have to be careful that any loose bits don’t get stuck in your wheels or chain!

Outdoor Shops for Winter Cycling Clothes

You can get clothing suitable for winter cycling from most outdoor clothing shops. At this time of year they will have a good range of winter clothing that you can also use for all sorts of other winter outdoor activities. Be cool and stylish whatever outdoor activity you are doing, even if it’s just hanging out with your mates.

Bestselling Bike Lights for Winter

Technology is constantly evolving, and you can get some really super bright bike light sets. For road bikes or mountain bikes, you are going to want bike lights that have the 3 modes of always on, flashing slow and flashing fast. LED bike lights can provide seriously bright 900 lumens, are water resistant to cope with all of that rain, and are easy to mount.

If you really want to see where you are going in the dark, you have to get the Sahara Sailor 5600 Lumens Bike Light with T6 Cree LEDs. With currently 62% discount at £23, it has a 4400mAh 18650 rechargeable battery that lasts at least 2-4 hours on high lighting mode.

For a huge range of winter cycling gear, why not get your winter cycling clothes from Amazon

The post Essential Winter Cycling Gear and Clothes appeared first on Active Outdoors.

I have discovered you can buy textile snow chains that are easy to put on and cheaper than snow chains. This review of snow socks for tyres shows fabric snow chains provide a quick, easy to fit alternative to snow chains and mean that you don’t have to swap to winter tyres.

What are Snow Socks?

Snow socks are textile snow chains that you slip over the driving wheels on cars or light commercials. On 4×4 cars, you put the snow socks over the front tyres. These fabric snow chains provide grip on icy roads. There’s only one possible way to fit them, so no practice is needed. Snow socks for tires are reusable time and again and take up minimal space in the car.

How do Snow Socks work?

Snow and ice sticks to fabric, which is why many people still put woolly socks over their shoes when walking on ice or snow. The specially developed textile on a snow sock “wicks away” any water that’s found between the ground and the tyre, (generated e.g. by the warmth of the sun, or wheel spin), improving the dry friction grip. The textile also has an unusual weave which maximises the friction contact with the ground.

Are Snow Socks Any Good?

If you want to see if snow socks are any good, review the snow socks video below.

What do drivers think about Snow Socks?

Lots of people are raving about how great snow socks are, especially BMW drivers who have rear wheel drive on their cars. In icy conditions, rear wheel drive cars are nearly impossible to drive as the back end skids all over the place.

Snowsocks are being hailed as invaluable in snow socks reviews on the car forums. On the Pistonheads website, there are comments from rear wheels drive BMW drivers using snow socks; “fitted to my wife’s Laguna and my BMW – and as I promised to report back, they are utterly brilliant!”

“I took my wife and kids to school this morning in her fwd Laguna. The school is on a lane closed for the last 2 days and still a nightmare, thick sheet ice visible through a lot of now and mush in places. Most people parked up and walked in (which still looked iffy, my wife fell down there yesterday) but with these on I had absolutely no problems with steering, braking etc. They really are amazing.”

Snow Chains Vs Textile Snow Socks

So, which should you buy – snow chains or snow socks? If you are going to be driving where there is a constant amount of snow and ice, then you would be best to go for snow chains. If you are driving on a skiing holiday, you should buy snow chains as they are a legal requirement in most of the skiing resorts. Check before you go.

Where there is only snow now and then, such as in the UK and Western Europe, you may prefer to buy snow socks for your tires.. You can buy Autosock or Multi-Grip snow socks for cars. AutoSock provide an ideal “Get me Home” or “Get me to that meeting” solution. They work well in wet snow conditions and are therefore particularly appropriate for the UK where snowfall is sporadic and few people use winter tyres. Even 4 x 4s usually have wide tyres which are wholly unsuited to winter driving. The good news is that AutoSock have been shown by the TÜV to be more effective than winter tyres, with the further benefit that you only fit them when you need them.

Snow socks are good for cars with limited clearance around the wheels as there is nothing that will rub the back of the tyre. Fitting a snow sock is also easier than snow chains as there is nothing to adjust and they automatically self center as you drive. Since there is no metal chain in contact with the road, snow socks are totally smooth running with absolutely no vibrations or noise being apparent.

IMPORTANT: Snow socks should be removed once you get your car back onto tarmac, otherwise the fabric of the snow sock will soon get worn.

What Brands of Snow Socks can you buy for Grip in the Snow and Ice?

When you’ve had the opportunity to test snow socks for tyres, you’ll make sure you have a set in your boot in snowy weather. Most people are not only surprised but astonished at the difference fabric snow socks make to general traction, cornering, and braking.

Good brands to buy are:

• Autosock snow socks
• Weissenfels Weiss Sock
• Multi-grip snow socks from Rockshore
• Snow Gecko Snow Socks, which are similar to Autosocks

You can buy all makes of snowsocks from Amazon.co.uk in the UK with prices starting from £38 for a pair of snow socks.

In the US, you can get Snow Socks from Amazon.com

The post Snow Socks Alternative to Snow Chains appeared first on Active Outdoors.

How does a sledge work?

A sledge works by sliding over the snow, being pulled downhill by the force of gravity. The reason a sledge slides on snow is due to the low friction between the sledge and the snow. Friction stops things sliding. Sledges with thin runners, such as wooden sledges, are much better at sliding because the pressure of your weight in a very small area (the runners on the ground instead of the entire bottom of a plastic sledge) melts the snow a bit which creates a very thin layer of water between the runner and the snow. This really reduces the friction, and makes you go much faster. It is the same way that ice skates work.
Inflatable sledges work in the same way, but are also made from a low friction material which makes the sledge moves faster on the snow.

Choosing a Sledge or Toboggan

There are is a huge range of sledges and toboggans available. There are:

• wooden sledges,
• plastic sledges,
• inflatable sledges,
• pan sledges.

Wooden Sledges

Wooden sledges come in two main designs. the most common one is one with runners that keep the main deck about a foot above the ground. These types of wooden sledges are great where the snow is deep. The runners cut through the snow down to the more compact snow near the ground.

The second main design for wooden sledges is a flat sheet of wood that curls up at the front. This works very well on compact snow, and can hold several people.

Plastic Sledges

Plastic sledges usually have a flat bottom, or slight ridges to act as runners to keep it going in a straight line. They require compact snow to work. you may have to sit on your plastic sledge and push yourself down the slope several times before the snow is compact enough to get you some speed.

One of the challenges of plastic sledges is the steering. To steer a plastic sledge you either have to use your feet hanging over the sides to dig into the snow, or you can not worry about holding onto the sledge rope and use your hands. You could always just see where the hill takes you, but trees can sometimes be a bit of a nuisance.

Plastic Sledges With Brakes

So, it just so happens that you can buy a plastic sledge with brakes that you can use to control and steer. All you have to do is to hold onto the black levers on each side of the sledge. By pulling up the lever on the right it digs the right brake into the snow and you turn right. Same for the left brake on the sledge.
These sledges with brakes are brilliant because it means that you don’t end up with a face full of snow where you have dug your heels into the snow to steer your sledge.

Snow Tubes, Inflatable Sledges and Airboards

There has been a recent revolution in sledging, and that is the Airboard. An airboard is an inflatable sledge used in a similar way as a bodyboard used for surfing. The airboard is inflatable and has hard ridges on the bottom to keep it sledging in a straight line. You lie down on it on your stomach and hold onto the handles on either side. It is extremely lightweight and easy to carry back up the hill, and you can reach speeds of up to 80mph if the slope is right.

For more information on airboards, read my article and watch amazing videos of extreme downhill airboarding.

Pan Sledges

Pan sledges are the most compact and easiest to carry back up the hill. Trust me, your kids will very soon get fed up of having to walk back up the hill. These look like a frying pan, with a round disc shape that you sit on whilst holding onto the handle. They aren’t as quick as wooden, plastic or inflatable sledges, but are good fun for smaller children.

It is very easy to bail out if it gets too fast for them. Adults will find them a challenge, and they make your back ache after a while because you have to lean back to lift your feet up.

Using wax to make a sledge go faster

I have used candle wax on the runners of a sledge to make it go faster. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work. Normal candle wax increases the friction and will slow your sledge down. You can reduce the friction further by using ski and snowboard wax. Ski wax is specially designed to reduce the friction and will make your sledge go really fast. I usually keep a Zardoz Not Wax Pocket Puck in my pocket when snowboarding and sledging. This stuff is liquid Teflon, the same stuff used to make frying pans non-stick. Works great on sledge runners.

What Other Things Can I use to go Sledging and Tobogganing?

There are lots of things you can use as a sledge or toboggan. The obvious choice is a traditional wooden sledge. With high runners, they are great for use in deep snow.

If you have a plastic sledge, you will need to use it on more compact snow. This may take a few runs down the slope to get the snow firm enough to get some decent speed.

You can even get inflatables sledges. But if you can’t get hold of a sledge or toboggan, don’t worry as there are plenty of other things to use as a sledge.

Wooden skim boards are good for sledging as the curled up front enables you to surf over the snow. The board also takes out some of the bumps on your bottom. Bodyboards do not make good sledges. But if you put them inside an empty compost bag they work a treat.

Other things you can use for sledges are tin trays, canoes, large inner tubes or inflatable rings used in the swimming pool. An inflatable dinghy works very well, but watch out for any sharp things in the snow that could burst it. If you want the real things, then get yourself a snow tube.

You can buy a great range of snow tubes from Amazon

Hints and Tips on using Sledges and Toboggans

First you need a hill that is steeper than 30 degrees, and have snow on it.
Whatever sledge you get, you will need to be able to steer it. If you are sitting on your sledge, you can use your feet to steer by digging your heels into the snow on either side of you. Or you can use your hands behind the sledge to steer. There is a misconception that you can steer by leaning. In practice you are more likely to fall off your sledge sideways.

The most important thing is stopping. Use both feet to stop by digging your heels into the snow. Make sure you can stop before the bottom of the run. also check that there are no hazards such as fences, barbed wire, roads, water or drops at the bottom of the hill. If you find you cannot stop, bail out before the end by rolling off the back of the sledge.

To make your sledge go faster, you can rub ski wax onto the runners on the bottom of the sledge. The ski wax makes it go faster. Candle wax does not have the same effect.

There is so much choice when buying a sledge. Here is a list of the best sledges on the market.

Get yourself a sledge now before the shops run out again this year.

If you want some all round fun, try snowtubing in an inflatable inner tube.

The post How to Make Sledges and Toboggans go Faster appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Would you believe it but you can buy nonslip grips that hook over the bottom of your shoes to give you grip on ice and snow? Well, there are a number of ice gripping shoe products on the market.
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Without having to resort to buying crampons for your shoes, you can get a more discreet grip. These snow chains for shoes provide grip on ice and snow. They work in the same way as snow chains for cars. It is a snow chain that fits over the sole of your shoe and stops you slipping on the ice. You can even buy ice grips for high heels and stiletto shoes.
Some nonslip shoe coverings consist of spikes on a piece of rubber. This is then put over your shoe to give grip. The Yeti Snow Claw or IceGrips are two great solutions. Others snow spikes for shoes include Springyard, Get-A-Grip, Yak Trax and Pogo.

Supatracks.com supply sets ice studs for hiking and work boots. They can be quickly and easily installed into any sturdy foot wear. They provide a massive increase in traction and grip. When the weather or conditions improve, they are just as easily removed with the provided tool.

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A cheap alternative to buying ice and snow grips for shoes that will stop you slipping on the ice is to wear a pair of woolly socks over the outside of your shoes when walking on ice and snow. It is the wetness of the ice that makes it slippy. Wool wicks away the moisture and sticks to ice and snow. If you make snowballs with woolly gloves on you will notice that the snow sticks to the wool in clumps.

So, if you want superb grip for your shoes when walking on ice and snow, put a pair of woolly socks over your shoes. If you want to look stylish, you might prefer to buy ice grips for your shoes from Amazon
.

Grip in Ice and Snow in Your Car

Snow socks for car tyres – If you want to also stop slipping about on ice and snow while out driving without the hassle of snow chains, get yourself some clever fabric covers for your tyres for instant grip.

Snow Shovels – If you need to dig yourself out of the snow, make sure you have a decent snow shovel.

The post Yaktrax Snow Chains and Ice Grips for Shoes appeared first on Active Outdoors.

The problem of the disappearing dog in the dark

I am not afraid of the dark, but the unexpected tree branch in the face or hole in the grass can be somewhat annoying. You get to hear some colourful language from me when that happens. The problem I find about the dark is having to take the dog for a walk.

We like to give our dog the freedom to explore, sniff, and run about in a safe environment where he cannot get to a road. He isn’t one for having any road sense. There are some great country parks and country walks where I live, but the woods tend not to have street lights for some reason. Something to do with it being the country and the cost of lighting up nature at night isn’t the done thing. The main thing with the countryside nearby is that it is away from roads.

Once you let your dog go free at night, they tend to magically disappear in the dark. I have learned to discern the slightly different grey speckled pattern that moves in the dark and listen for the jangling of his collar, but it is far better to be able to tell where the little blighter is without having to call him all the time or shine my LED Lenser P7 pocket torch that will pick him out at up to 200m.

Flashing LED dog tags for dog collars

I found that the high power pocket torch is great at finding him, but then wrecks your night vision for a while. To be kinder to my eyes, I bought a little flashing LED dog tag that clips onto the dog collar. These look really cool when they light up at night in the dark. It flashes red white and blue. However, the battery life was poor. The three button batteries it needed would last only three nights. Not good. Time to look for something else.

Reflective dog collars

Reflective dog collars are only good for seeing your dog when you shine a light directly onto it. If your dog is facing you or running away from you, your torch will not shine on the reflective dog collar. So, reflective dog collars were out for walking him at night. They are useful when walking him on the lead near roads though. Cars can easily see you and your dog when you are crossing the road.

Light Up Flashing Dog Collars

The best collar for a dog to wear at night is one that is reflective and also lights up. I found the best collar that everyone recommends is the Fun Pets Super Bright USB Rechargeable Collar that has a long strip that runs the length of the dog collar. Underneath the strip there is a reflective strip that reflects torches and car headlamps in the dark. When you turn the light up dog collar on, it can be set to shine a steady bright blue, flash slowly, or flash quickly. You can see the collar from hundreds of metres away in the dark. I can track my dog when he is haring around the park at night chasing the scent of foxes.

This Led dog collar works by shining the blue light down the length of the strip that runs the length of the flashing dog collar. It used to have one big button battery that lasts for months. I put in a new battery each Autumn, and it lasts all the way through Winter as well. These are now available as USB rechargeable light up dog collars.

Other Glow in the Dark Dog Accessories

You can no longer get the button battery Firefly dog collar, but it has been upgraded and replaced with the Super Bright Flashing dog collar from Amazon in various colours for only £10. The construction is the same as mine, which has lasted for over six years now and is still used every night. The collar can be used to attach the dog lead to, but because I am constantly taking the collar off after use, I wouldn’t trust the clip if my dog decided to pull on the lead. So, I put the collar on as well as his normal one.

You will be for ever grateful the moment you put this light up dog collar onto your dog. No more losing sit of your dog when you let them off the leash in the dark. I can’t guarantee that it will improve recall, but at least you will be able to see where they are running off to!

A lot of my nocturnal dog walking friends also get the Nite Ize Meteorlight LED Pet Ball in Red for their dogs. This glow in the dark ball for dogs comes in three sizes and means no more searching around in the dark for lost tennis balls.

If you want to find some great ways to have fun outdoors with your dog, read how to make walking your dog extra fun for you.

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How to Choose Which Ski Resort to go to

You will undoubtedly spend quite alot going on a skiing holiday, and you want it to be just right. For those who don’t live near a ski resort, choosing the right skiing holiday resort is crucial. You will need to consider the following:

• Ski resort character;
• The type of ski slopes;
• Snow reliability;
• Ski Lifts;
• Queues for ski lifts;
• Ski Schools;
• Accomodation;
• Mountain Restaurants;
• Resort Food and Drink;
• Apres Ski;
• Non-Skiers;
• How to get there.

Ski Resort Character

The skiing resort as a whole will have its own character and attraction. There are some that consist of old concrete apartment blocks, whilst others are home to stylish hotels and excellent scenery. Vail is a ski resort that is strung out over a large area, while Wengen is quite compact.

The scenery will have a huge visual impact on you. You should find out whether the resort is in a valley, or whether it has fantastic panoramic views, such as at Crans-Montana. Some skiing resorts are have lots of bars, clubs and shops
like St. Anton. For somewhere a bit more peaceful, you may want to have your skiing holiday at Arabba. Some ski resort allow traffic, whilst others do not.

The type of ski slopes

Some ski holiday resorts provide a vast and complex area in which to ski with different grades of slope to suit all. You may prefer a smaller ski resort that has only certain types of ski slope. You will need to understand the grading of ski runs, and for the ski resorts you are interested in how the slopes are linked. You should be able to get hold of a piste map for each ski resort showing where the ski slopes are and how they are linked. It will also show where the ski lifts are.

On the mountain slope there are areas called pistes. These are officially marked. There are several grades of ski run on the pistes according to the gradient. These are:

• Easy – Blue in Europe, Green in North America;
• Intermediate – Red in Europe, Blue in North America;
• Difficult – Black in Europe, Black in North America.

You can also go for the challenge of off piste skiing. This is where you tackle the terrain that has not been groomed and is outside of the piste governed area. Off piste skiing should not be attempted without a qualified resort guide.

When there is warmer weather, some ski resorts use artificial snow to enhance the lower slopes. Ski resort information can be obtained indicating what percentage of the slopes use artificial snow.

Snow reliability

when you pay for a skiing holiday, you expect to have snow where you are going. The reliability of snow varies from one ski resort to another. Some ski resorts don’t have to worry about getting snow, whereas others may provide you with a range of snow, mud, slush and ice on the ski slopes. This all depends on the location of the slope and how much artificial snow is used.

Ski Lifts

Well, it’s a big hill, and you have to get up it before you can ski down it. Ski lifts are very good at getting you up the ski slope, however they do seem to be rather popular for some reason and often gather queues of skiers all wanting to have a go. Check to see whether your ski lift pass is included in the price of your skiing holiday.

Queues for ski lifts

Queueing is boring at the best of times, but queueing for a ski lift in the cold is not fun. Improvements in the ski lifts have reduced this, but very popular resorts may still have them.

Ski Schools

If you want to improve at skiing on your skiing holiday, then you may want to attend a ski school. A lot of the ski schools have young children in them and as a teenager you may feel a bit of a wally learning with little kids. Then there is the potential language barrier if your instructor doesn’t speak your language. You may even be unfortunate enough to be in a large class which prevents the lesson progressing very much.

It is better to be able to ski before you go on your skiing holiday. If you want to be seen to be cool on your skiing holiday, it would be a good idea to have a few lessons on a dry ski slope before you go. Lessons don’t cost too much, and you can fall down without getting cold and wet.

Ski Accommodation

There are a few different types of ski accommodation you can choose from for your skiing holiday. You could stay in a chalet, a hotel, or an apartment. You can even stay in rooms above the mountain restaurants (if they have them). You should try to see pictures of your accommodation before you go so that you can choose the one you like. Some people don’t care where they stay as they are there purely for the skiing. You should also find out how far your accommodation is from local amenities such as places to eat and drink.

Mountain Restaurants

Once you have reached the part of the mountain where you ski, you don’t have to go all the way back down the valley to the resort for food and drink. There are usually mountain restaurants. When you go skiing for the first time, it can be rather odd going from the cloudy cold gloom of the skiing resort in the valley, and go up above the clouds and sit outside of the mountain restaurant in the sunshine in the warm.

Ski Resort Food and Drink

The range of restaurants available in the skiing resorts differs enormously. Some resorts have little on offer as the skiers prefer to self cater in their apartments.

Apres Ski

It’s not just about skiing. Once you come down from the mountain, you then want to retell your friends about your day’s exploits and the cool things you did. Some resorts have places to eat and drink that close early in the evening, whilst others have clubs open all hours. Find out in advance what is on offer.

Non-Skiers

If you go on a skiing holiday with your family but don’t want to ski, find out what else there is to do. Where can you sit in the sun with a drink and read a good book? Where is the best place to chat to people?

How to get there

How you get there will depend on where you are travelling from. You may prefer to drive if don’t live too far from the ski resort. If you do, then you will need to think about if your car is up for the task and if your driving skills are. You may have a Channel crossing to pay for, as well as snow chains, a snow shovel, decent tread on your tyes, a reliable battery, antifreeze to cope with -30 degrees, winter screenwash and headlamp deflectors. If you have never used snow chains before, then practice putting them on before you set off. Always take great care on the roads, even if it doesn’t look icy or snowy. Brake on the straights, never on the bends.

You will also have to think about your luggage. Can you fit everyone in the car as well as your skis? If you are flying, how will you get all of your skiing stuff to and from the airport?

Get Discounts on Ski and Snowboard Hire

Renting or buying ski gear from the shops can quite pricy. However, Active Outdoors has teamed up with Skiset to provide you with big discounts. This is becasue we want you to get the best from your ski holiday at a low cost.

Winter Sport Insurance

Travel insurance for a skiing holiday is advisable. You can get a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) from the Post Office. It gives free basic medical insurance for Europe. You will need additional insurance though, as it does not cover getting back home if you have an accident. You will also need to state that it is winter sport insurance that you need. Normal holiday insurance will not cover you for skiing accidents!

Safety on the Ski Slopes

Always stick to the marked piste. These are well marked out, and patrolled so that injured skiers will be found. Do not endanger others. Ski in control. The skier in front always has priority. Always leave plenty of space when overtaking. Look up and down the mountain before setting off. Only stop at the edge of the piste. Obey all signs and markings. If oyu come across an accident, provide help where you can and alert the rescue services. Everybody involved in an accident must exchange names and addresses.

Links for Skiing Holidays

Top Ski Holiday Companies

There are so many ski holiday companies out there now that it is easy to get lost in all of the ski deals. Here is a list of the most popular skiing holiday companies who provide ski holiday packages as well as just accomodation.

• Crystal Ski
• Inghams Skiing Holidays
• Neilsen Ski Holidays
• Alpine Elements
• Ski Solutions
• Igluski Skiing Holidays in France
• Thomson Skiing Holidays

Best Ski Resorts

Each resort has its own style of pistes. Depending on whether you are a beginner or an expert, skier or snowboarder, the width and gradient of the slopes will be a big factor for you. Here are some of the most popular ski resorts in the world.

Best ski resorts in France

1. Les Deux Alpes
2. Tignes / Val D’Isere
3. Flaine
4. Courchevel

Switzerland

1. Engelberg
2. Laax
3. Saas Fee

Austria

1. St Anton
2. Solden
3. Mayrhofen
4. Obertauern
5. Ischgl

Italy

1. Cervinia
2. Passotonale
3. Livigno

North America

1. Whistler
2. Breckenridge
3. Fernie
4. Aspen
5. Mammoth

This list was compiled by the Telegraph.

When to get the best ski holiday deals

For the ski holiday companies, their season begins in September, when they put together their ski holiday packages and deals for the winter ahead. There are conferences and lots of meetings to get their ski marketing information and ski brochures ready for you.

The end of October sees the ski and snowboard shows in Birmingham and London. This is where you can get some fantastic offers and deals on ski holidays. All of the ski holiday companies are there under one roof. It is the perfect way to ask all of your questions and compare offers. You can also get discounts on ski and snowboard gear. Expert advice is on hand from all of the ski resorts and ski holiday companies.

So, visit the ski shows and look online for some great deals on skiing holidays, skiing lessons and skiing holiday packages.

The Ski Guide Manual: Advanced Techniques for the Backcountry – Paperback 1 Nov. 2020

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