Snowtrax Alpine Activity Centre Dorset UK
Our story
Bring the Alps
to Dorset.
Tucked into the woodlands at Hurn, near Christchurch and Bournemouth, Snowtrax is one of the UK's premier alpine activity centres – a proper outdoor slope with a holiday-resort feel, just down the road rather than a flight away.
Our mission is simple: bring the magic of the Alps to the heart of Dorset, and make leisure-leading snow sport and outdoor play accessible to all – whatever your ability, age or background.
And you don't even need to clip into a pair of skis to make a day of it. The slope, the Alpine Adventure Park, the ski shop and the Alpine Pub all share one site – so the whole family can find their kind of fun.
WhereChristchurch, Dorset
How we got here
Three decades of
Alpine Activities.
1989the beginning
It all starts with a slope
In October 1989 the doors opened for the first time as Christchurch Ski Centre, a brand new dry slope just outside Hurn village in Dorset. Set across six acres of woodland, it gave local skiers somewhere to learn, train and enjoy the slopes close to home.
2000New Owners
NEW DIRECTION
In 2000, the centre came under new ownership and became Christchurch Ski & Leisure Centre, reflecting a broader vision for the business and the activities it offered.
2006A new name
Chrstchurch Leisure becomes Snowtrax
As the business grew beyond its original slope, the Christchurch Ski and Leisure Centre name no longer captured everything we were doing. The business became Snowtrax, the name that has stayed with us ever since.
2011enter proslope
A surface that changed everything
We laid our first strip of Proslope matting and became the test bed for the surface. Skiers and riders noticed the difference straight away: better edge grip, softer landings, and none of the old worries about catching a ski or a finger between the matting.
2014the full switch
resurfacing our entire facility
After three years of testing, we resurfaced the entire 110m main slope and beginner teaching areas in Proslope. Confidence went up, more people kept skiing right through the year, and our race squad gained a faster, safer surface to train on
2017Adventure in the woods
The Pirate Ship Sets sail
We built a life sized pirate ship on the island in the middle of the lake, right at the heart of our Alpine Adventure Park. Complete with a slide, a helm to take the wheel, decks to explore below and a smugglers tunnel to sneak through, it quickly became a centrepiece of the adventure park and a firm favourite with younger adventurers.
2018snowtrax x proslope
We buy the surface, and the business
In January 2018 we acquired Proslope, the synthetic ski surface manufacturer we had championed since 2011. Owning the technology meant we could keep improving it, and start helping other slopes around the country upgrade too.
2019thirty years on
30 years of snowtrax
We marked three decades since those first doors opened in 1989. By then we had taught over 450,000 ski and snowboard lessons, helped more than 250,000 children celebrate birthdays, and raised tens of thousands of pounds for local causes along the way.
2022same vibes, new name
The alpine pub opens
Our long running restaurant, the Alpine Bistro, had grown well beyond its original name. We rebranded it as the Alpine Pub, keeping the same family run kitchen, home cooked food and real ales, with a fresh menu to match.
2023ringos level up
Faster, Steeper, next level
We gave our famous Ringo run a major upgrade. A new uplift travellator carries riders back to the top with no tired legs, and a bespoke steep drop-in ramp makes the whole ride quicker than ever. The ski bobs bowed out to make room for the new set-up.
2026snowtrax goes green
powered by the sun
We installed a large solar panel system across the centre, a big step in our drive towards a more sustainable future. By generating our own clean energy, we are cutting our reliance on fossil fuels and shrinking our impact on the environment, so the alpine surroundings we love stay that way for the families who visit us for years to come.
Todayone of a kind
alpine adventure, right here in dorset
Today Snowtrax is a genuine one-off on the south coast: a full alpine activity centre with snowsports at its heart. Our ski and snowboard school teaches every level from first-timers to racers, our children's ski academy brings the next generation up on the slope, and away from the skiing there are Ringos, the Alpine Adventure Park and its pirate ship to explore. Add the thousands of children's birthday parties we host every year and it is easy to see why there is nowhere else quite like Snowtrax in Dorset. What's next for us? You'll have to wait and see.
What makes us different
Not your average
dry slope.
A few things set Snowtrax apart – and they all come back to the same idea: a better day on the slope, for everyone who walks through the door.
A surface like no other
Our Proslope surface is engineered to feel close to real snow – softer underfoot, faster edge-to-edge, and far kinder when you take a tumble.
Everyone's welcome
From nervous first-timers to club racers, age five and up – our job is to make the slope feel possible and fun, never intimidating.
A full day out
You don't even need to ski. Ringos, the Alpine Adventure Park, the Pirate Ship and the Alpine Pub turn a visit into a proper family day.
Why we do it
The magic of
the mountains.
That first linked turn. The grin at the bottom of a Ringo run. The smell of the pines and a coffee by the fire. We built Snowtrax to bottle a little of that alpine magic – and share it, all year round, right here in Dorset.
The surface
What exactly is
Proslope?
Proslope is widely regarded as the next generation of dry-slope technology. Its unique filament structure is softer than the traditional Dendix matting most slopes use – which means far less “carpet burn” and a much smoother edge-to-edge transition.
Variable-height bristles give a gradual grip and release that feels remarkably like snow, while our Proslope Mist system keeps the surface running fast and true. There are no voids in the matting to catch a ski, pole or finger – one of the reasons accident rates dropped so sharply when we made the switch.
We’re proudly the home and official demonstration facility for Proslope, now installed at slopes around the world. Want the technical detail? Visit proslope.com.
SurfaceAll-weather Proslope
Main slope110 metres
Nursery slopes2 beginner zones
Lifts2 platter tows
Mist systemYes
Freestyle parkKickers, rails & boxes
Facility details for reference – live session times and prices are handled in the booking system.
Accreditations & standards
In safe
hands.
We take the serious stuff seriously – so you can relax and enjoy the day.
Qualified instructors
Our coaching team holds recognised snowsport qualifications, including BASI, across both skiing and snowboarding.
Safety first
Every slope session runs under the close supervision of trained staff, with helmets and equipment provided.
Official Proslope facility
Snowtrax is the home and demonstration site for the Proslope surface, trusted by facilities worldwide.
Group-ready
Risk assessments and tailored arrangements are available for schools, youth groups and corporate visits.
The questions everyone asks
About Snowtrax.
Over thirty years. We’ve been testing artificial snowsports surfaces since 1989, and skiing and riding on Proslope since 2011 – so the slope you visit today is the result of decades of refinement.
No – and that’s rather the point. Our Proslope surface works whatever the weather, all year round, and is engineered to feel close to real snow while being kinder when you fall. A little rain actually makes it run faster and smoother.
A next-generation synthetic ski surface with a soft filament structure, variable-height bristles and a mist system. It’s softer and smoother than traditional dry-slope matting, with far fewer voids to catch on. You can read the technical detail at proslope.com.
Not at all. We welcome complete beginners every single day – most people start with a taster session and take it from there. There’s no such thing as too new here.
Yes. Lessons are led by professional, qualified instructors, many holding BASI qualifications across skiing and snowboarding, and all slope sessions are supervised by trained staff.
Not even close. Ringos, the Alpine Adventure Park, the Pirate Ship and the Alpine Pub make it a full family day out – no skis required. Plenty of visitors come just to play, eat and soak up the atmosphere.
Almost every day of the year – we only close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day. Hours change with the season, so check the Opening Times before you set off.
We’re on Matchams Lane, Hurn, near Christchurch and Bournemouth Airport, in the Dorset woodlands. There’s free parking on site. Full directions are on the Getting Here page.
Of course. Pull up a chair in the Alpine Pub with a coffee or a gourmet burger and soak up the action on the slope. Please note that only assistance dogs are permitted on site.
Still curious? The team’s on the slope 7 days a week. 01202 499155
Come and see
for yourself.
The best way to understand Snowtrax is to stand on the slope. Plan your visit, or give the team a call seven days a week – we'll see you here.