For anyone who has tried skiing, and been unsuccessful, have a go at snowboarding instead. You're likely to get the hang of it fairly quickly if you had a misspent youth on a skateboard. I had my first attempt at snowboarding at the Lecht ski field, in the highlands of Scotland. True to form, the weather was cold and blustery, and by the end of the day much of the snow had transformed in to compacted ice, with a top layer of slush. Getting the knack of the board looks easier than it actually is, and any first timer can expect to end the day felling battered and bruised, but perseverance pays off, and before long, you'll find you can remain on the board until you reach the bottom of the slope. Navigating the tow-lifts, was another matter altogether and no matter how hard I tried, I could not balance on my board, for more than half the distance up the slope, and usually ended up with a mouthful of snow. A good tip for beginners is to find a ski field with a chair lift instead of a tow rope!

Learning to snowboard isn't the easiest thing to do. There are a lot of elements of contend with and there is just as much stuff to try and keep in check. While you will fall and smack your head every now and again the rewards you get from snowboarding make learning well worth while. If you find you have mastered the basics, you can progress to steeper slopes, or try out the half-pipes and jumps in the fun parks which are usually accessible to snowboarders.

Where to go and how much to pay:
As long as there is snow, you can snowboard just about anywhere.
A days board hire and lift pass, will cost you from twenty-five pounds in the U.K., compared to $60 (NZ) in New Zealand. Check out snowboarding.com for more details.