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Learn to skate - cross-country track skiing holidayA fun week of instruction for those wanting to master the fast moving, rhythmic skating technique. |
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6 days skating instruction. |
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 To
photo album (external website)
To other cross-country skiing holidays |
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HOLIDAY OVERVIEWAnyone who has tried classic cross-country skiing has experienced skaters 'effortlessly' dance by with a beautifully rhythmic motion. This week long cross-country skiing holiday focuses on turning you into one of these accomplished skaters! The technique is all about using your arms and legs in a timely fashion to give you enough momentum to propel yourself forwards while holding your balance for as long a possible. Sounds simple (!), but it is fair to say that no one finds learning the technique easy. However, with this week of excellent instruction people soon master the basics and start to 'flow' fairly quickly.Every morning of the holiday there will be formal instruction into a particular aspect of the technique tailored to each individual in the group. The afternoons are free to practice what you have learnt or go off and explore the ski area on classic skis although individual instruction is naturally offered. The track skiing holiday has been put together to make the most of the relatively flat skiing around Font Romeu at the start of the week, before returning to the more rolling landscape of Ax-les-thermes. More information on the cross-county ski areas. HOLIDAY ITINERARYThe itinerary remains flexible to accommodate for the snow conditions. We intend to be on the slopes by 10am and aim to finish by 4.30pm. You do not need to be on the go all the time, as all areas have cafes offering fine mountain views. You will be given a key to the van, so at any stage during the day you can have access to spare clothing, different skis, etc. Every morning there will be formal instruction into a particular aspect of the skiing technique with video feedback and a rolling programme of training during the afternoons.
IS THIS HOLIDAY FOR ME?This Learn to Skate holiday is aimed at people with one or more weeks classic cross-country skiing experience who are happy with their balance and basic downhill technique.Skating is mostly about technique, however in order to make the most of the is holiday you will need to be 'relatively fit'. Until you master the basics your technique tends to be very inefficient, so a lot of effort goes into going nowhere; the fitter you are the longer you can persevere! The program is however very flexible to deal with a mixed group, so there is no need to worry about holding the group up, or being held up. There is a maximum of 8 clients on this cross-country skiing holiday to ensure that James can give everyone in the group as much attention as possible. Every afternoon there is the possibility of further instruction or exploring the Cross-country ski areas on classic skiis. Please note that there is no 'off-piste' skiing on this holiday. It is important to us that people book
the correct holiday - Please do not hesitate to
contact
us if you have have any questions. HOLIDAY DATESSunday 9 Jan - Sunday 16 Jan 2011 (Trip Code XFS K03)HOW MUCH DOES THE HOLIDAY COST?The holiday costs £720, starting at Toulouse Airport. Flights are not included but can be picked up very cheaply if booked in advance. Allow about £50 for drinks and the meals not included (outlined below). Accommodation is normally allocated on a twin share basis with shared facilities but a single room can be guaranteed for a supplement of £120 (please let us know at the time of booking). There are no other local payments or hidden costs. Please note that we offer a 5% discount if you book more than 3 months before the departure date. We also offer group and loyalty discounts.This price includes: Airport transfers, 6 days transport to different ski regions, 6 days
guided skiing, formal ski instruction, 5 nights 2** Hotel in Ax-Les-Thermes.
2 nights in 2**
Hotel near Font Romeu. 7 breakfasts and 7 evening meals. Ski pass
that gives access to the prepared ski tracks. WHERE DO WE STAY
Ax-les-thermes:
We stay in a small, comfortable 2 star hotel in the town of Ax-les-Thermes.
Known for its friendly atmosphere and good cuisine, the
Hotel Terminus
source the meats and fish for their traditional French dishes, from
local producers.
The house wine is organic, plus they have an extensive wine list with
choices from both near and far. Traditional French breakfasts are provided. The hotel is a short walk from the town centre, and is situated on the banks of the River Ariege.
All of the peaceful rooms have views over the river.
FOOD AND MEALS
Breakfast: Continental style breakfasts are provided by the
hotel. We supplement these with cereals and 'ready brek'. GETTING AROUNDThroughout the learn to skate holiday you transferred to and from the cross-country ski areas in a private minibus. James has lots of experience of driving in snowy conditions. The buses are naturally fitted with snow tyres and chains are carried. Each day we transfer 15 to 45mins depending on snow conditions on the road.CLIMATE / SNOW CONDITIONSDuring January we can expect the snow conditions to be perfect for skating with the snow staying in perfect condition thought the day. We can expect to be skiing in temperatures in the sun from 10 to 18 Deg C, however it is fairly usual to get fresh snow falling at some stage in the week so temperatures can drop way below freezing. Despite the sunshine the snow remains in good condition due to the very cold night-time temperatures (the ski areas are very high) and the meticulous daily piste preparation.SKI HIRECross Country Ski hire is not included as some people bring their own kit or 'combi' boots with them. We are very lucky to have an excellent dedicated cross-country ski hire shop with an extensive range of good quality skis, boots and poles for hire (it is very important to have good kit). The learn to skate package costs €70 for the week and includes a complete set of 'classic' skis, boots and poles 'for free'. As beginners we start with short skis, but these can be exchanged for longer skiis as your technique improves. The skis will even be waxed half way through the week, to give us maximum glide. The skating and classic ski's are mounted with NNN bindings.In addition there is a very good outdoor clothing and gear shop in Ax-les-Thermes, 200 meters from our hotel - see Telemark Pyrenees (external website). There is a waxing room at the cross-country ski hire shop which is available for all our clients to use even if they are not hiring skis. The room is kitted out with vices and irons. Brushes etc can be borrowed from Marmot Tours - all you need is your wax. MASSAGE SERVICEOn most evenings of this trip Cathy Thompson will be offering Therapeutic Massages at the Hotel. More info>>WHAT TO BRINGSkating is very energetic, so even in the depths of winter you will be wearing surprisingly little while skiing. Don't worry, Lycra is not essential and most people find winter cycling kit or lots of thin layers, ending in a windproof shell suitable. You will need to be able to carry some water with you while you are skiing, but we will always 'ditch the bags' during the instruction as they tend to affect our balance. A suggested kit list will be sent to you on booking.TRAVEL :: HOW DO I GET THERE?We get people coming on our holidays from all over the world, so
it is impossible to include all the information on our website. The
notes below are tailored to travellers from the UK. People from other
countries please
contact us for advice. We would like to emphasise that for this cross-country skiing
holiday the 'ski train' is a fun, cost effective and environmentally
friendly alternative to air travel, please
see our
Green Travel pages. 2011: transfer information is not yet available - waiting on
flight timetables to be released. |
