About Crans-Montana

Stretching from the Rhone valley to the Plaine Morte Glacier at 3000m, Crans-Montana is one of Switzerland’s foremost skiing regions. Visitors and residents love it for its many hours of sunshine and great slopes, with breathtaking views over a string of mountain peaks that unfold from Bietschhorn to Mont Blanc via the Matterhorn. But there’s also so much more to Crans-Montana than just winter snowsports activities, both for skiiers and those just wanting a fantastic winter break.

Two towns, Crans and Montana, merge together to form the resort and both have their own identities. Sitting on a high plateau above the Rhone Valley and facing south, the views are spectacular, especially from higher altitudes where it’s possible to see Mont Blanc in the west, through to the Matterhorn and way beyond to the east. During the winter, the skiing is well suited for intermediates, with a wide range of blue and red runs, but there are also excellent beginners areas as well as some more challenging slopes for experts, including some interesting off-piste and ski touring terrain.

During summer, the resort is a haven for both road cyclists and mountain bikers as well as hikers and adventure seekers. Accommodation is varied, with a strong luxury element including several 5* hotels and a spread of 3* and 4* options as well as self-catering apartments and Bed and Breakfasts.

Crans-Montana has a host of hotels that contain spas, enabling their elite, older patrons to enjoy a combination of skiing, health treatments and shopping at the resort’s chic boutiques. This well-heeled, health-seeking clientele mixes with bankers from Geneva and – rather incongruously – a huge snowboarding crowd and freestyle skiers, who visit Crans-Montana in winter for one of the best snowparks in the Alps.

Ski and Snowboard in Crans-Montana

Crans-Montana is a good intermediate’s resort with good slopes for beginners.  A good beginners area is Arnouva, accessed by the short gondola from Montana.  The nursery slopes down by the golf course in Crans are even easier.

Long Open Runs Fit for Carving

The largest group of intermediate pistes at Crans-Montana is in the Violettes sector, with trails winding their way through the woods. The Toula chair leads to steeper reds. From Bella-Lui you can head down the Nationale ski slope or Chetseron, both World Cup runs. The only official black run in the resort is a bumpy fall-line pitch on the ridge under the Toula chair, although by the standards of many resorts it’s no more than a red. On the whole, this is a resort of long, open runs fit for cruising and carving.

Snowboarding, Skicross and Snowparks

Crans-Montana is an active snowboarding centre and the Adrenaline snowpark, at top of the Crans gondola, is one of the biggest in the country. It has a half-pipe, several rails, an area for beginner freestylers, a skicross/boardercross course and a brand new snowpark for teenagers.

Some 50km of Langlauf tracks in Crans-Montana include a 10km loipe, set unusually at an altitude of 3000m on the Plaine-Morte Glacier. A host of other winter sports take place on the mountain and in the town, including snowshoeing, ice-skating and curling. Only about half of all visitors to Crans-Montana come here to ski or snowboard.

Crans-Montana Winter Activities

Dog Sledding

For a unique experience that doesn’t involve trying to stay upright on two planks of wood, try a dog sled ride at Crans-Montana on the stunning Plaine Moret Glacier. You’ll get to take the reins and steer your own husky team, guided by a professional musher. Afterwards you can even play with the dogs.

Find out more about dog sledding and how to get a dog sled transfer from airport to resort.

Snowtubing

You and the kids can go snowtubing on Snow Island. Spin your way downhill in a big inflatable ring, knowing that you can use the magic carpet conveyor to get back up to the top again. Perfect for tired children (and parents).

Ice Rink

Channel your inner Torvil and Dean on the ice rink at one of the ice skating sessions.  Or watch the kids going round while you nurse a hot drink.

Paintball and Laser Tag

If you have enough energy left after being on the slopes, you can get rid of your angst with a spot of winter paintball. For those who aren’t keen on being hit by paint pellets, you can opt for the more gentile laser IR tag.

Shooting Range

Learn how to handle a 357 Magnum, 7mm Remington or 9mm Parabellum on a shooting course with a professional coach.

Horse Riding

Panwall Stables in Crans-Montana offer group riding lessons, private lessons on dressage and jumping, forest walks and Shetland tours.

Snow Island

Snow Island transforms the competition standard golf course into a family-focused island of fun. On Snow Island you’ll find plenty of different winter activities including snow-tubing, a sledge run, snowman-building competitions, a ‘magic carpet’ ski lift to make getting back to the start of the run way more fun, huge inflatable towers on the snow and La Maison de Bibi, the house where Crans-Montana’s famous marmot mascot, Bibi, lives. Parents and children alike love the place.

Trail Running

Crans-Montana hosts a variety of routes for trail runners. There is a fitness trail that starts at Moubra Lake which has exercise along the way to test your endurance, mobility and strength.

Climbing Centre

The indoor climbing centre at Crans-Montana has a range of routes that lead up to a height of 13.5 metres, from 4C to 8A.

Curling

This beautiful indoor curling hall is right next to the Ycoor Café, right in the center of Montana. The 3 tracks enjoy an extraordinary ice cream which, according to specialists, curle perfectly. For insiders, it’s a pleasure.
For those who want to discover this sport, you can take an introductory course.

Crans-Montana Winter Activities Indoors

Bowling

When the winter chill is seeping into your bones, you can spend some toasty times indoor. Bowling is a popular family favourite.

Cinema

there are a selection of films to see at the cinema.

Indoor Golf

The indoor golf academy is composed of 5 experienced teachers as well as an assistant in 3rd year of apprenticeship. The academy is located in the golf area between holes 8 and 12 of the Ballesteros course.

The whole area is fully equipped for players of all levels. Whether you are a beginner, advanced of expert, the outdoor and indoor facilities are specially designed to help you progress.

The performance center is equipped with trackmans, a gym specially dedicated to Golf-Fitness and an indoor putting green.

More Indoor Sports and Games

There are more indoor activities to keep everyone amused including:

• Swimming Pools
• Gym sessions
• Badminton
• Snooker
• Table Football
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Yoga

Hiking and Exploring on Foot in Crans-Montana

With its lakes, forests, glacier and vineyards, the region has something to offer every nature lover. Ski touring is available, as are snowshoeing trips exploring the area.

Sports fans will be delighted to discover a large array of amenities dedicated to sporting activities, whilst cultural devotees will enjoy the wide range of museums, events and festivals.

Luxury and Outstanding Service

LeCrans is generally considered to be one of the top in terms of hotels in Crans-Montana and it also has a one star Michelin restaurant that is exceptional.

The Crans Ambassador is also really nice and it has great views as it’s elevated above the town. It’s pretty much ski-in-ski-out too which is the only large hotel to offer that (until the new Sixth Senses opens up but that’s in 2021).  The Ambassador is amazing to be honest.

Another amazing place to stay is Pasdelours , again with a one star Michelin restaurant. It’s very high end and a little more cosy feel too.  The food is amazing.

Then there’s the Chetzeron – it’s a hotel on the mountain.  You can only get there by snow cat or skis during the winter, which makes it a bit like a James Bond lair.  It has really nice super friendly staff including the owner who is a really nice guy. The restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide.  It doesn’t have a star but just great food done well, from traditional stuff like fondue to more varied international dishes.

Find Out More About Crans-Montana Winter Activities

You can find out more about events and winter activities in Crans-Montana from the Cran-Montana Tourist Board. The resort is part of the Best of the Alps group.

You can also find out about Crans-Montana Summer Activities

The post Crans-Montana Winter Activities appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Not only will it help beat the winter blues away, but it is a ridiculously good workout for your entire body, especially your core and lower body. It’s a sport that requires a ton of balance and overall body strength to stay upright and prevent injury during steep drops and sharp turns.

The skiing itself is a great workout, but it’s only available for a few months of the year and therefore requires some off-season training to stay in shape for most of us. 

Learn what kinds of cardio and strength training will suit you best so that when the time comes to hit the slopes, you’re fully prepared to take on what the mountain throws at you. 

Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is vital for your health generally – it keeps your heart healthy, lowers risks of almost every type of disease, and keeps your fitness levels reasonably high. 

Skiing requires quite a bit of cardiovascular energy, so you should be performing medium-high intensity cardiovascular activity throughout the off-season to stay in shape. 

Perform one or a combination of these cardio exercises 2-3 times per week to reap the benefits you’ll need come ski season. As your cardio improves and you grow ever nearer to ski season, amp up the cardio sessions to 3-5 times per week.

Running

Running is one of the most intense cardio forms and requires no extra equipment to perform, besides a decent pair of running shoes. 

Your best bet for great results is to stick with interval training, which means cycling between your maximum effort and a more manageable recovery period at approximately a 1:2 ratio. The time can vary, but this means that for every 1 minute of maximum action, you recover for 2 minutes at a pace that is relatively easy to sustain.

Studies on interval training show that it is better at increasing “stroke volume” (blood pumping), increasing the mitochondria levels in muscle, and can have the same results of steady-state cardio in shorter periods. 

You’ll only need to run for 20-30 minutes in each session if you’re using interval training wisely to reap its benefits.

Stair-climbing

The stair-climber is a star when it comes to ski training. Why? It combines lower body strengthening with cardiovascular exercise. If you don’t have access to a stairmaster for skiing training, get outside and find a big set of steps you can use instead.

The stair-climber impact helps keep your bone density at a healthy, high level, and improves the climber’s V02 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise. It is also a good way to strengthen your thigh muscles which are key to long days on the slopes.  These will all go along way when it comes time to dust off your skis.

Elliptical Training

We’ve already discussed how to do some interval training, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore steady-state cardio altogether. It’s still an essential part of training, specifically for recovery.

You don’t want to go hard all of the time and risk over-training and injury. On a day when you want to get in some cardio and get your blood pumping, but your body is sore and tired, do some steady-state exercise on the elliptical for 30-60 minutes. 

This low-impact exercise will aid recovery, keep you moving, and get the blood flowing until you’re ready to push hard on your next workout.

Weight Training

Now that you have a cardio plan let’s talk about weight training.

Skiing requires a lot of balance. The best ways to improve balance are practising and building an overall healthier body composition, focusing on the core. 

For this, you will want to get into resistance training. Instead of traditional weight-lifting using dumbbells and barbells, use resistance bands (like these https://victoremgear.com/products/booty-bands). 

Resistance bands are not only a smaller, more inexpensive option, but they build core strength no matter what exercise you do. Unlike weights, the band creates even tension on your muscles throughout the exercise and works your core to provide stability while you perform the move.

Perform a combination of these resistance band exercises 2-3 times a week with at least 48 hours of rest in between. 

Best Upper Body Moves 

• shoulder presses
• bicep curls
• tricep kickbacks
• resisted push-ups
• assisted pull-ups

Best Core Moves

• planks
• bicycle crunches
• v-sits
• side planks
• oblique crunches

Best Lower-Body Moves

• squats
• one-legged deadlifts
• lunges
• monster walks
• clamshells
• donkey kicks

Final Word

By adding the right combination of full-body strength training using resistance bands and interval/steady-state cardio into your off-season training routine, you will see significant gains by the time ski season rolls around again. 

5 affordable luxury ski deals

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Skills – Strength: 7, Balance: 6, Flexibility: 3, Agility: 5, Coordination: 6
Time needed: travelling time + 3 hours, Cost to try: £100

If you would like to do something unusual this winter, have a go at dogsledding. Canada and Alaska are the best places to go dogsledding. You can go for a dogsledding weekend, or perhaps you may prefer a dogsledding vacation.

What is Dogsledding?

Dogsledding is where you have a sled that is pulled by one or more dogs across snow and ice. The dogs used for this purpose are usually huskies, chosen for their thick fur that keeps them warm.

There are various different types of dogsled. A basket sled is has a woven bed that is raised above the snow on runners and is used for dogsled racing. A Sprint sled is a short version of the basket sled. A toboggan sled has a lower carriage and uses a closed bed, allowing the sled to slide or float over deep snow.

The sleds have runners that stick out behind the dogsled, and are used by the mushers to stand on.

Dogsledding Adventures in Canada

Do I Have to Be Fit to go Dogsledding?

You don’t have to be an athlete to go dogsledding, but you will need to be reasonably fit. When you go dogsledding, you aren’t on the dogsled for the whole time. Sometimes you will have to get off and run beside the dogsled in snow. This is usually to help the dogs pull the dogsled up hills. You will also have to help load equipment onto the dogsled.

So, how fit do you need to be? It is recommended that you should be able to walk 3km on hilly terrain in less than 45 minutes. You should ideally also be able to run 3km in less than 35 minutes. If you aren’t able to do this now, then gradually build up to it. Consult your doctor before starting any physical exercise programme. You can find more details in Outward Bound Canada – Dogsledding – How Fit do I Have to be?

Where Can I go Dogsledding?

You can go dogsledding in several places in Canada and Alaska. Locations include:

• Algonquin Park, Haliburton Highlands, Ontario;
• Banff;
• Canmore;
• Kananaskis Country
• The Canadian Rockies;
• Alberta, Canada;
• Guelph, Ontario, Canada;
• Port Blandford, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Huskies

Huskies are the breed of dog selected for pulling dogsleds, as they have an amazing ability to survive in the cold winter snow. When you have finished dogsledding for the day and have unharnessed them, they bed down in the snow and their thick fur keeps them warm.

A dogsled team is put together with much thought. The team consists of leader dogs, point dogs, swing dogs, and wheel dogs. The lead dog is very treasured, and mushers will seldom let these dogs out of their sights.

Dogsledding Holidays

• Exodus Travel Dogsledding – Finland, Sweden and Lapland.
• Ontario Outdoor Dogsledding – Northridge Ranch in Huntsville, Algonquin Park and Temagami.
• Winterdance Dogsledding, north of Haliburton Lake on the doorstep of Algonquin Park
• Whistler Dog Sledding Tours – Soo Valley near Whistler.

If you would like to recommend any other places to go dogsledding, post it on the discussions area, or submit an article about your dogsledding experience.  If you prefer to go sledding somewhere hot, try basket sledding in Madeira down steep cobbled streets.

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In searching for the best hand warmer, I compared three types of hand warmer to decide which is best for my needs:

• OCOOPA USB Rechargeable Hand Warmer – best for ease of use, recharging and style
• Zippo Hand Warmer – Best for durability and lasting all day long
• Gel Hand Warmers – best for reusable ease and fun designs
• Little Hotties – best for ease of use and long lasting

USB Rechargeable Hand Warmers

The OCOOPA USB rechargeable hand warmer is the perfect solution for blending a phone charger with a hand warmer.
If you are outdoor enthusiasts, the hand warmer is good equipment to hike, camp, hunt, fish and other sport events.
And it’s also good choice for outdoor workers and those who have blood circulation problems.  For those of you who get painful white fingers in the cold and have had problems with your smartphone packing in in really cold conditions in the mountains, this USB hand warmer solves both problems. It takes a couple of hours to charge up fully using the included USB charge lead.
As a hand warmer it has 3 different heat settings. The highest setting is great for rapid warming when your hands have got freezing cold but the second or lowest setting is fine for maintaining temperature when placed in the palm of the glove or in a zip pouch in the back of mitts.
I am getting about 6 hours heat on the lowest setting (not 8 hrs claimed) and about 4 hours on the middle setting.
As a phone charger using a USB to lightening lead it works fine. When I go skiing or climbing in the extreme cold I plan to put it in a pouch alongside my phone on a low setting to keep the phone warm and I can switch it over to phone charge if I run low on battery.
I found it to be an ideal size for a man’s glove (large). My wife finds it fine in a mitt but on the large size for her small palms in a glove.
My only criticism is that it is possible to accidentally change the settings by knocking the button on the face of the warmer. A recessed button or slide switch might be better. However you soon realise it has got too cold or too warm and it is easy to correct.

The Best Durable Reusable Hand warmer

The Zippo Hand Warmer is built for winter warriors. It features a sleek and compact design and fits easily into pockets and gloves without the bulk of other warmers.

The Zippo Hand Warmer uses Zippo premium lighter fluid to produce more than ten times the heat as traditional models and lasts for up to 24 hours. Plus it comes with a one-year guarantee making the Zippo Hand Warmer a perfect fit for any outdoors activity such as golfing – fishing – hiking or walking.

It burns without a Flame – The platinum-catalysed glass fibre burner offers quick and sure lighting. It produces a radiant heat without a flame – Extra Warmth – Produces around 10 times more heat than most disposable warmers – Economical – Constant warmth for around 24 hours with just 0.4oz of zippo fuel – Environmentally friendly – Virtually polution free , low odour. Low cost replaceable burner after around 70-80 uses.

Easiest Hand Warmers to Use

Little Hotties hand warmers are the easiest hand warmers to use. They come in a plastic sachet that keeps the hand warmer ready to use. To activate the Little Hotties, all you have to do is to open the sachet. The hand warmer will quickly warm up once exposed to the air. They provide warmth and comfort in all cold conditions for approximately 8 hours. Once it has finished, it cannot be used again.
The pack of 40 Little Hotties hand warmers is the bestselling hand warmer on Amazon for Snowsports enthusiasts. They provide an average activated temperature of 135°F (57°C), can be used by athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, sportsmen, spectators, skiers, construction workers and anyone who wants warm hands.

The Best Reusable Hand Warmer for Convenience

Reusable gel hand warmers are in my opinion the best and easiest pocket hand warmers to use.
Gel hand warmers instantly heat up by simply clicking the metal disc inside the hand warmer and waiting for the liquid to crystalise and heat up. On the first go it may take a few clicks.
Gel hand warmers last for about 3 hours, which is more than enough to get you to work, and you can have another one ready for using on the way home.
To reuse gel hand warmers, you need to boil them in water for around 10 to 15 minutes. Another great thing about gel hand warmers is that you can buy them in a variety of shapes.

So, that was a quick comparison of the different types of hand warmer. I always keep a few Little Hotties hand warmers in my car for emergencies and holidays. We also have four gel hand warmers for those wintry school trips. Much appreciated by children to keep them toasty on the journey.

• OCOOPA USB Rechargeable Hand Warmer – best for ease of use, recharging and style
• Zippo Hand Warmer – Best for durability and lasting all day long
• Gel Hand Warmers – best for reusable ease and fun designs
• Little Hotties – best for ease of use and long lasting

The post Best Pocket Hand Warmers appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Make Them Comfortable

Bundle up the kids and make sure they are kept warm. Gloves, warm socks, coats and winter footwear should be worn to keep you and your kids comfortably warm. It is always good to have another pair of gloves dry and ready on the radiator to swap out with the wet snowy ones.  You can also use pocket hand warmers.  With that done, you are all ready to have some fun in the outdoors!

Outdoor activities for kids and families in winter is not only going to be fun, it is good exercise too. Here are some outdoor activities the kids and the entire family can enjoy and learn from in winter.

Wintery Fun with Sledding

Head to a major retailer and get the kids their sleds. Going down the hill in a sled is so much fun. Climbing to a hill to have a fun ride down can be tiring. It is good exercise though for the kids and yourself.  Find out which are the best sleds this year.

Let’s Play the Game of Tag

Kids always love to play the classic game of tag. This time it is going to be the flashlight tag. Instead of using hands to tag each other, players will use the beams of light. Bring the kids out in the garden at night and have them chase each other while flashing their flashlights. Be sure to be with your kids when they play this game. They might get carried away and wonder out in the streets trying to catch each other.

Or you could get them their own laser tag gear.

Build a Snowman

An old-time favourite! Even your grandparents use to roll snow into balls to build three parts of a snowman. Making a snowman is not only fun, it is a good form of exercise, too. Moving and rolling all that snow takes a lot of work and will flex all of the kids’ muscles and yours too.

Do some Walking and Hiking

Bundle up and dress in layers. Wear gloves, a well-fitting hat and comfortable winter shoes. Pack in some drinks and snacks. Since you will be hiking with kids, you should be travelling through well-marked trails. You also need to be familiar with the trail. You do not want to get lost in the cold and with kids in tow.

Get on a Fat Bike

Fat biking is similar to mountain biking except that they have wider tires for good snow traction. Fine a nice simple trail for the kids to try out. You can move on to some other trails as soon as the kids get the real feel of fat biking. The nice thing about fat biking is it does not hurt a bit when you fall in the snow.

Help Dad and Mom do Some Snow Shovelling

Snow removal is hard work. It is also a great exercise. The kids can each pick up a snow shovel appropriate for their size and have so much fun clearing the pathway of snow. They will also have a sense of fulfillment that they were able to help in an adult chore.

Hunt for Some Treasure

Treasure hunting will keep the kids on their toes. It will make them do a lot of thinking too. Hide in your garden or nearby park some Ziploc plastic bags with clues that will take the kids to next stop. Fill the “treasure box” with goodies such as glow in the dark sticks and stickers and a few candy bars. You may also include a photo of your next winter adventure to get them all excited!

Create Ice Art

Freeze ice in jello containers, ice cube trays and other containers. On a chilly day bring those ice blocks in the porch and have the kids make some ice sculptures. Dribbling water will make the blocks of ice stick together to form fun shapes.

When There’s a Mountain, There’s Skiing and Snowboarding

If there is a mountain nearby, bring the kids out there for some skiing and snowboarding. You can rent out some gear and have the kids try a few skiing and snowboarding lesson. You might need one yourself, too. The kids will surely enjoy this activity and may just be requesting to be back soon.

Play Powder-Puff Football

Invite some of your kids’ friends over and form two teams at least three in each team. Fill spray a bottle with a mixture of water and food coloring to make a large rectangle mark with a centerline on the ground.

The teams start off at the opposite ends of the field. A player kicks off the ball and once a teammate catches it, he will try to bring the ball across to their goal by passing it to his other teammates. The players from the opposite team will try to tag the player with the ball to give them ball possession. The game ends when the players start getting cold.

You could also try bubble football.

Go Ice Skating in a Lake

Ice skating is always fun for little and big kids. Indoor ice skating can be a lot of fun but ice skating in the lake, river, canal or pond can be even more fun! Rent or buy some skates for the kids and yourself. Look for a frozen body of water and glide around in fun.  Or try one of these city ice skating rinks.

Play with Bubbles

Find some of bubble mix in the kids’ playroom. Bring the kids outdoors and have them blow bubbles in the winter air. If it is cold enough they might just be blowing ice crystals. The bubbles will freeze before popping and will form into ice crystal. The kids will surely find these extremely amazing.

Get into a Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt will be a lot of fun for the kids. Hide some objects in the snow. Ask the kids to go out and fins frozen puddles, icicles, animal tracks and the objects you hid in the snow. Prepare some goodies for the lucky scavengers.

Roast those S’mores

Prepare a fire ring if you do not have access to one, check put camp sites or parks near your home. Chocolates, graham crackers, roasted marshmallow and the sound of a roaring fire will get all the kids excited. S’mores are perfect for cold winters days.

Create a Gargoyle

Bring along a small amount of clay in plastic bags as you and the kids head out for the woods or well anything similar to the woods. During the walk have the kids pick up leaves, twigs, cones and other natural features. Let them study the tress searching for natural features that could be part of a gargoyle’ face. With the use of the clay, let them stick on the trunk of the tree the items they collected along the way. They can also use the clay for the other features such as eyebrows, mouth, eyes etc…. Take a photo of the kids with their gargoyle!

There are a lot of things to do in the outdoors in winter. It can be such a waste of fun time to stay indoors.
Which activity on the list did you find to be the most exciting for you, the kids and the entire family? When my kids were little, most of our winter days were full doing most of those activities.

Whichever of the activities listed above you choose to do, it would be nice if you could do it as a family. If you want more ideas for fun outdoor activities for kids and families in winter, look at my winter activities section.  Or you could always try these winter activities for teens.

The post Outdoor Activities for Kids and Families In Winter appeared first on Active Outdoors.

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.

What is Snow Tubing or Doughnutting?

Most dry ski slopes and ski resorts now have snow tubing lanes so you can race your friends downhill.  You can also buy snow tubes Amazon to use at home when it snows.

Snow Tubing on snow is a wintertime activity that is similar to sledding. Snow Tubing involves sitting in a large inflated inner tube and launching yourself down a snowy hill. This is almost always performed on a hill or slope, using gravity to get you to the bottom. The low friction between most snow tubes and snow allows you to reach considerable speeds while riding, especially on steep slopes.

When you have snow tubed to the bottom of the hill, you either have to walk back up with the snow tube, or get pulled by a drag lift if you go snow tubing at a ski slope or snow tubing activity centre.

You can buy a snow tube, or use something similar. Tractor or truck inner tubes provide the same thrilling experience, but you may want to cover the hole in the middle with a sheet of polythene to keep yourself dry.

An inflatable dinghy will also give you a great downhill ride. The added bonus is that the bed of the boat will be inflated and cushion you from the bumps.

If you want to have control over where you go, perhaps you want to have a go at airboarding.

Lastly, wherever you go sledging or tubing, check where you will end up, and look out for obstacles. You are going to have some serious fun and go home with a massive grin.

Snow Tubing Parties

If you want to have a go or hold a snow tubing party (especially for stag and hen nights!), have a look at what is on offer at the snow tubing venues below.  The locations at ski resorts have specially carved lanes to keep you going in the right direction while you are snow tubing.

One of the best things about doughnutting is racing your friends. You get to bump them and have a real laugh. Guaranteed to end up at the bottom with a big grin.

You can have a snow tubing parties at ski slopes in the UK and US. Places include:

• London (Hemel Hempstead)
• Aldershot
• Chatham
• Trowse, Norwich
• Craigavon
• Chillfactore at Trafford nr Manchester
• Swadlincote Derbyshire
• Plymouth
• Glasgow
• Colorado

Where to buy your own Doughnutting and Snow Tubes

You can buy a great range of snow tubes from Amazonco.uk or Amazon.com
If you are looking for something faster, you have to get an airboard.

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This is great news for the French alpine resort, Les Arcs, meaning that once again the ski resort can be reached directly from London by train.

The new Travelski Express service will arrive into Bourg Saint Maurice each Saturday morning during the ski season, after departing London on Friday night. Upon arrival in Bourg, it is a simple 7 minute journey by funicular to Arc 1600, meaning skiers can be on the slopes the very same morning!

The Compagnie des Alpes Group has announced the conclusion of an agreement with Eurostar to relaunch the direct rail service from London-Saint Pancras to the Tarentaise Valley, which they will finance, for the 2021-2022 ski season.

Marketed under the name “Travelski Express“, this door-to-door transport service will be offered by Travelski, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Compagnie des Alpes. They will offer the service in the form of a dynamic package, including transport, transfers, accommodation and ski passes.

Travelski is the exclusive distributor of this service in the context of packages intended for the British market and for the benefit of the sites operated by the Compagnie des Alpes. Marketing in the UK will begin in September 2021.

The Travelski Express will run on weekends during the 2021-2022 ski season, departing on Friday evenings from London St Pancras and serving the stations of Moûtiers and Bourg Saint Maurice non-stop. Returns will be offered on Saturdays from Bourg Saint Maurice and Moûtiers, without stopping, to London-Saint Pancras.

With the introduction of this new offer, Compagnie des Alpes is continuing to strengthen its international distribution through its Travelski brand and is organising a seamless journey for customers who choose to stay in the French Alps.

In this way, it is acting in line with its role as a long-term partner of the areas it operates in, behalf of its licensors and, more broadly, servicing the entire territorial ecosystem.

Yariv Abehsera, BU Mountain Director/ Distribution and Hospitality: “Travelski Express is first and foremost the Group’s unique initiative to open a direct high-speed train service from Great Britain to the Compagnie des Alpes mountain resorts and to the French Alps. Travelski Express also symbolises the interest we take in our foreign customers. Distributed exclusively on the Travelski website, this unique offer reinforces its international dynamic and contributes to the conquest of new customers for the French destination “.

For David Ponson, BU Mountain Director / Ski Areas and Outdoor Activities: “Faced with an unprecedented health crisis that led to a complete closure of its activities the last winter season, Compagnie des Alpes is working hard with its partners to promote a rapid and vigorous recovery of the mountain economy. It is doing so now through concrete actions that involve the continuity of its investment commitments and innovative, low-carbon projects. Investing in the mountains, and beyond that, investing for the mountains, are the key words for a lasting relationship of trust with our delegating partners. “

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If you are lucky enough to get snow, then take the opportunity to have fun outdoors. Some countries have significant amounts of snow throughout the year, and there isn’t the urgency to make a snowman before it all melts. It also depends upon your view on being outdoors in the snow. Some view it as too cold and wet. I view it as great fun!

There are many activities that can be done outdoors in winter. We’ll start with the easiest and most obvious and then move onto fun winter activities for teens that need a bit more organisation.

Snowball fights

Snowball Launchers

If you want to increase your throwing range, get yourself a Wildsling water bomb launcher. This is a large length of elastic with a holder in the middle. two friends hold each end while you pull back the holder with a snowball in it and let rip. You can also get the Wildsling Solo from Amazon which you can use by yourself.

Buy Snowball launchers

Snow Angels

This involves finding a nice patch of snow outdoors that no one has walked in yet. Lie down on your back and wave your arms up and down in the snow. When you stand up, you leave an impression in the snow that looks like an angel. It is one of those pointless activities that is just fun to do because you can.

Build a Snowman

There is a technique for making a huge snowball that not everyone knows about. I used to think everyone did, but I have come across several people who just haven’t spent enough time outdoors in the snow making snowmen.

The trick is to make a big snowball with you hands, and then just start rolling it about in the snow. As you roll the snowball about, it picks up the snow and gets bigger. Make sure that you roll the snowball about in different directions, otherwise you will end up with a big disc shape like a wheel.

Building snowmen can release that creative streak in you. How cool can you make your snowman look? Dress it up. Make yours the biggest snowman ever and astound your friends.

Sledging and toboggans

Now we’re onto the exciting action outdoor winter activities. The thrill of speeding down a hill with the wind in your face is great. You need a slope of at least 30 degrees to be able to go sledding properly. I spent a significant amount of my youth whizzing down a 45 degree slope on a wooden sledge without a hope of stopping until the hill ran out. What a buzz! Alas, there hasn’t been much snow in the UK over the last decade, but I still hold out hope for a decent winter snow fall.

If you don’t have a sledge to enjoy the snow this winter, then a tin tray will do the trick. You can also use a sheet of plastic. Survival bags from any outdoor shop will also work, but they are more comfortable with a cushion in them. I have discovered that wooden skim boards used for surfing at the edge of the sea work really well on snow if you sit on them. Body boards are a bit crap though.

If you don’t have a slope near you, you can make one. Build your own Cresta Run and slide down it on a tin tray or one of those plastic bumbles (round plastic tray with a hoop handle).

The trick to going fast on a sledge is to find a decent slope, then on the first few runs take care to compact the snow. you will then find that you can gain some high speeds. Use your feet to steer.

You are going to have some serious fun and go home with a massive grin.

For much more about sledges, how to make them and where to buy them, read Sledges and Toboggans.

Doughnutting and Snow Tubing

Places to go Snow Tubing and Where to buy

An inflatable dinghy will also give you a great downhill ride. The added bonus is that the bed of the boat will be inflated and cushion you from the bumps.

IMPORTANT! Lastly, wherever you go sledging or tubing, check where you will end up, and look out for obstacles such as trees, fences and posts. Make sure you can stop well in advance by using your feet. If all else fails, bail out early by rolling off the back of the sledge or snow tube.

Ice skating

In the UK, you are unlikely to be able to go ice skating outdoors in the winter. We don’t get cold enough temperatures any more to freeze ponds over with ice thick enough to be safe. Now, if you live in Canada, then you are bound to know somewhere where you can skate outdoors. Around Christmas time, several places set up outdoor skating rinks. These are great. Otherwise you may seek out the variety of indoor ice skating rinks at all times of the year, not just in the winter.

The best outdoor ice skating rinks in the world

Dog Sledding

Did you know that you can go dog sledding in the UK? There are places all over the world where you can speed along in the great outdoors behind a team of dogs. Perhaps you could train your own dog to pull you on your toboggan. For further info, read Dog Sledding

Skiing

The winter months send a lot of people of on skiing holidays. You have a large choice of winter destinations all over the world. Skiing holidays in Colorado, France, Canada , Austria or Italy will give you an experience you won’t forget. There are ski chalets, family ski holidays, group ski holidays & luxury chalets.

Before you go skiing on snow, you can learn or practice outdoors on a dry ski slope. A dry ski slope is made of nylon brush matting. It is kept slightly wet to make it more slippery. Once you can do linked plough turns, you will be allowed onto the slope on your own without a skiing instructor.

For more info on skiing and skiing holidays read Skiing and Skiing Holidays guide

Snowboarding

Snowboarding has a much more stylish air about it. The snow based version of skateboarding, snowboarding is now a recognised Olympic sport. For all you need to know about snowboarding, read our Snowboarding Guide. Go try it. Be cool outdoors.

More Outdoor Winter Fun

If you want yet more ideas for outdoor fun this winter, browse the Winter activity ideas list.

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