When I became ill I stupidly thought my life was over. I have become more and more disabled over time to the point of not being able to use the right side of my body and chronic pain has taken over. It made me think that I was never going to have adventures again. Fortunately I have family and friends that wouldn’t let me quit and are teaching me different ways of having them.
My friend Abi is an Occupational Therapy Technician and told me about Ski4All Wales. I was intrigued but dubious. “I wouldn’t be able to do anything like that! I can’t stand for very long. It will be too difficult.” I whined. “Just look it up and contact them”, she firmly encouraged.
So I did. I looked them up online, called the number and spoke to a really friendly guy named Stefan who is one of the managers at the Pembrey Ski Centre. He took my details and passed my details onto Ski4All and told me they would be in touch.
I received an email from from Dave and Mia from the charity, arranged my lesson and awaited eagerly, all the while going around telling anyone who would listen that I was soon going “wheelchair skiing!”.
So Pembrey Ski Slope is located in Pembrey National Park. What a beautiful place! As it was on a whim that I booked to try adaptive skiing, I didn’t really check out it’s surroundings. But it is well worth a visit. Especially on a sunny day which is how it ended up when I went! The park is about an hour away from where we live and we had never been there before. I put the details in my Sat Nav and my Mum (Genevieve) and I set off in search of adventure!
Here is where we came across a couple of obstacles. The first being that once we were near the park, the sat nav kept taking us on random old roads that led nowhere to avoid a toll. The second being that there is an entrance fee or toll to enter the park of £2. Not a big deal but the little research I had done, did not mention this anywhere and the machine doesn’t take card. Fortunately on this occasion, someone was kind enough to let us in as we thought we were going to have to go home after many wrong turns and travelling quite a long way. We will not forget next time I can tell you!
When we arrived at the ski centre, both myself and Mum were struck by how welcoming the staff were. I was feeling nervous and it helped me to relax a bit. The centre is fully accessible. The corridor is a little narrow leading to the lift to the main level, but the staff are on hand to help if there are any issues.
Then I saw the slope…I don’t know what I was imagining but it wasn’t that! It was massive! But the rain stopped and the sun came out so things were looking good!
At this point I am not ashamed to say that I got emotional. Skiing was one of those things myself and Dan had said we would do one day but wasn’t a priority. “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”, as the song says, because it’s funny but once I thought I’d never be able to do it, I was very upset. Mum was emotional too, as she has been on this journey with me since the beginning as many parents have when their child gets sick no matter how old. It’s easy to forget how much they are affected too.
After a hug from Mum I realised that I was so excited I was crying happy tears! I was introduced to Mia who I had been corresponding with to book the session and she asked some questions to gauge my situation and abilities. At if on cue, Mum was starting to look worried as she kept eyeing the slope.
There are seats inside and benches outside which is helpful if like me you can’t stand longer than 20 seconds but would like to watch the awesomeness while you wait for your turn. There is also a little cafe so that you can have a cup of tea or coffee to calm your nerves if you need to.
When my turn came around, I was guided to the lift down to the slope and comfortably strapped into a chair with skis on. The instructor does all the steering in this one, so it’s more like sledding. They stand on the back and guide you down the slope. I was surprised to see that the slope itself was like a carpet with holes in it. There are sprinklers underneath that keep the slope wet, as it makes it an easier surface to ski on. I was curious and kept asking questions.
The scariest part I think is the ski lift! You have to grab a seat type thing as it goes round the system kind of like cable cars which I hate! When you do the chair skiing, the instructors are in charge of that too thank goodness! They have to hold on to it and pull you up! I admire their strength!
I had been asked if I had wanted to start further down the slope but that was a firm “No!” So at the top I got a chance to enjoy the scenery. All the way there, the weather had been bad, but it suddenly cleared up to show an amazing view that went for miles. The instructor Dave, (who’s wife Bethan started the charity) explained the landscape a bit more and we were able to see people kite surfing on the beach in the distance and see out to sea (pun intended). After taking all of that in, I was ready. I had already told everyone there that I was an adrenaline junky, but I don’t think they were prepared for how much!
In no time we were on our way! What an experience! I was hurtling down the slope at what seemed like 100mph, feeling the wind in my face and the spray fogging up my glasses (I gave up on them pretty quickly!), it was such a rush! (Trying to resist the puns still). I whooped and cheered all the way down as you can tell by the video below. It was over too quickly! Dave wanted to know if I was screaming because I wanted him to slow down, but it was to go faster! Mum said she could hear me from the top. It was exhilarating and emotional and thrilling and all good feelings. Each time I kept asking to go faster and wasn’t disappointed. I really am an adrenaline junky! The video at the end this post gives you an idea of how much I enjoyed it!
It really was an experience I would recommend. The staff are amazing in the centre and those in Ski4All are skilled, friendly and knowledgeable, it’s what you want when you are hurtling down a slope at crazy miles per hour! They are genuinely interested in you as an individual, making sure you have the best experience possible.
The centre is open to everyone to be able to ski or snowboard, but the Ski4All charity is an amazing thing for those unable to do it in the conventional way. Without it, people with a range of disabilities wouldn’t be able to try out something really incredible. I loved it so much I have decided to go again next week!
For me it was emotional, wild, exhilarating and refreshing. It spurred me on to to look for more adventures. They are out there for everyone, we just may have to find a different way of having them. But there is nothing wrong with different!
Tips
- Do not turn off the road heading to Pembrey National Park even if the Sat Nav says to
- Bring £2 for entry in to the park
- Have a look around and explore. There are so many activities
Mobility Pros
- Ramp access to the building
- Lift to club floor
- Areas to sit while you wait
- Lift to slope
- Staff to assist
Mobility Cons
- Corridor on bottom floor a little narrow
Scootie Rating: 
Out of 5. A Great place for people with limited mobility.
Links
You can hear me whooping and hollering below:
Access to All Areas 