How to get into snowboarding

Snowboarding can give you the best feeling in the world, but it is not for everyone. Progressing through the first few days involves a lot of falling over, so if you don’t fall well – hard as it is for me to admit – skiing might be a better option for you.

But if you’re happy with a little rough and tumble you’ll soon be grinning like a kid at Christmas as you link your first turns. The good news is that once you’re through the falling phase progression is rapid – it takes less time to become a good snowboarder than a good skier.

> Taster session or lessons before you go away

Go Ski Go Board has been set up to get more people into snowboarding through free or cheap taster sessions and lessons at most dry ski slopes and snowdomes in England. So Go Board now!

> Booking your first snowboarding holiday

You don’t need hundreds of miles of piste as you won’t use it and will pay more for the lift pass. A resort like Morzine has wide blue runs that are easy to access via gondola and magic carpets – definitely no drag lifts! Go in spring as it’s warmer, better visibility, quieter and easier to learn because melting snow is softer and slower.

> How long does it take to learn to snowboard?

A red run (mid-level steepness; greens and blues are what you’ll begin on, blacks are for experts) should be achievable at the end of the first week and hit a kicker (jump) maybe on your last day. However it doesn’t come naturally to everyone.

On average it takes three days before you start linking turns down blue runs. You’ll still fall over, but now you’re snowboarding you’ll understand why it’s worth occasionally eating snow. Welcome to a lifelong love of travelling sideways.