Snow days in the North Pennines

by Simon Wilson

It is funny how every winter the prospect of snow on the slopes of the North Pennines seem to capture the imagination. With a sense of wonder newspapers talk of a secret and wonderful place to enjoy winter sports in England of all places. Those who know the winter wonders of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty are pinned to weather forecast sites that are enthusiastically shared on social media, fuelling daydreams of the first descent snow to ride/glide/ski.

Though not easy for farmers, commuters or wildlife, the freezing temperatures of winter can make the North Pennines truly breath-taking…in more ways than one. With just a few days’ snowfall, the country’s second largest AONB can be transformed into a winter wonderland.

When the white stuff arrives, the North Pennines can provide some of the best winter sports opportunities in the UK. With snow laying on high ground for sustained periods it is a genuine and lower cost snow sport alternative to those further afield in Europe.

The area has three ski centres and each one can provide something different for every snow sport enthusiast – whether you’re a beginner or expert.

Weardale Ski Club (skiweardale.com) has a moorland ski area which includes two permanent Doppelmayr button tows and a club hut. The two tow lifts service a large basin with up to six pisted runs, countless unpisted runs and gullies and masses of off-piste options. The site holds the snow longer than surrounding areas due to being north facing and its height, 2150 feet (650m).

High in the fells, between Teesdale and Alston, is the Yad Moss Snow Slope (yadmoss.co.uk). The ski area here is served by a fast 600m Poma button tow with a vertical rise of 120m. Depending on snow cover there are runs up to half a mile in length.

Based on the edge of a pretty Northumberland village, Ski Allenheads (ski-allenheads.co.uk) offers skiing and boarding whenever there is snow on a wide gentle slope. There are two rope tows that run parallel in a field behind the village of Allenheads.

All three locations are worthy of a visit but do check the individual websites for details of opening and access.

Having sold my snowboard some years ago and recently acquired a Nordic ski set, I’m now just as interested in the fact that the North Pennines also has some of the country’s largest areas of open access land and routes suitable for dedicated cross-country skiers.

So when the conditions are right, a snow blanketed North Pennines is hard to beat for an inexpensive day on the hills. There are great opportunities to enjoy skiing and boarding at friendly ski areas or wonder at the vast horizons on cross-country skis or snow shoes.

Right, what’s the weather forecast look like?

Visit our winter sports page for more information. 

Header image photo credit: (c) www.jamiecummingsphotography.com