Popped along to Motormech for a service & MOT last Friday and was facing the usual shops v cinema v Starbucks v museums dilemma

After a bit of digging round on the internet I found out that the Snowdome in Tamworth is actually not that far away.

Dropped the Coupe off at 08:35, walked quickly to New Street station with a rucksack full of snowboard gear to get the train direct to Tamworth - a bargain at just over a fiver. 15 mins on the train and then a pleasant 10 min walk from Tamworth station got me to the Snowdome by 09:35!

To top this off the Snowdome offers 3 hours of snowboarding (or skiing if thats your thing ) for just £25 quid on the Friday morning so I got a nice long session in

It was just as easy getting back to Birmingham too as the trains run every 20 mins. Got back to Birmingham at around 2pm and was just settling into a Costa Coffee when Paul phoned to say the car was ready.

All in all a good day out, easy to get there, highly recommended and much better (and less expensive) than the usual trudge round the shops!

ahhhh...memories. A good while ago I used to be there teaching beginners every Wednesday from Warwick Uni when I was on the Ski / Snowboard Executive comittee. It may have changed a bit since then, but was good enough for a laugh and to keep your hand in.

Great post - I am at Motormech on Fri 28th Nov and was planning on going Xmas shopping.....

Only last night I was messing around with my ski boots at home and this morning the gf booked us a week in St Anton in Jan!

Now, I know its a bit small so will they let me practice skiing backwards and are there any jumps?

I think they will let you pretty much do what you want so long as you're not a danger to yourself and others. They had a rail set up there last Friday which I did quite a few times successfully before getting a bit too cocky and then falling arse over tit down the slope infront of a load of beginners.

Its not as new as the Manchester snowdome but there's a bend at Tamworth which is unique for any of the indoor slopes in the UK, and also a rolling jump about half way down the slope on which you can get some decent air if you're going fast enough.

St Anton is ace - the bar to head for when the lifts shut down is the Mooserwurt - its a riot! Just try skiing the rest of the way back down the hill after a few beers there!

anything else there apart from skiing ?

They used to do a jumps evening there....I was personally responsible for them making everyone wear helmets from landing on my head the whole time. I can remember hearing the people on the travelator up to the top wince everytime I landed!

Yep. See here

thanks

I'll be at powerfiat tomorrow for a cambelt change and service, not sure what i'll do with myself for three hours

I hear the little cinema over the road comes highly recommended.

You can get mucky whilst Paul does too

lol. how do you mean. across the road? directly opposite or just locally ?

Directly opposite on the same side as the station

Ask Paul, he'll point you in the right direction.

cool thanks, going up friday for a clutch any idea on time scale for these ?

About 6 hours for the clutch

6 hours in the cinema??

You wont be able to drive home (or in all likelihood, walk!)

lol, think ill jump on the train home and go bk next day

Worth the 2-hour drive from Alfreton to get a service and an all-clear health-check from Paul at Motormech a couple of weeks ago. Grateful for all the recommendations I've read.
No problem killing time tho - what a place Brum centre is!

Theres loads to do in Brum

Bullring,
Mail box,
Imax (Millenium Point),
Showcase,
Omega Sektor,
Market,
Waterfront,
Arcadian,
Brindley place,
Spearmint Rhino extreme
not to mention countless resteraunts, and culteral buildings.

I'm there on moday, and i'm actually looking forward to it (and i live pretty close )

believe it......

well it seems there's a few snowboarder\skiers on the forum.I've had an long association with the snowdome. firstly back in 1994 as an snowboarder amazed that it was built so close to my home town of Stafford.Then over the years of riding freestyle nights I've built much of the equipment(ramps and rails etc)that are put out on the slope.
In 1998 I brought my coupe (a deal clinched by my boards fitting in the ski hatch) and you would find it parked outside the dome nearly every Tuesday and Saterday night for seven years.Nowadays I make the journey in a VW Transpoter but the coupe sits ready for when i get the urge for a blast.

SNAP - I've got access to a VW Transporter too, its my girlfriends who surfs and windsurfs!

A condition of me buying my Coupe too was that it would take a snowboard inside and a mountain bike on the back. It's quite practical really for an Italian car isn't it!

My car is there from today ... actually i dont knwo what im smiling about beecause that means there is something wrong with it!