Skiing is terrifying to start with but exhilarating once you get the hang of it, reports first-timer Eithne Donnellan
WHENEVER FRIENDS suggested that I join them on a skiing holiday, I made it clear to count me out. The thought of careering down a mountain on a pair of planks with nothing to protect me should I lose control scared me out of my wits.
But when the Go editor twisted my arm, I succumbed. The prospect of a week out of the country during the dark days of winter helped.
So I set off to Bad Gastein, 90km from Salzburg, in the Austrian Alps, with a friend, also a novice on the slopes.
It was clear early on that this was going to be very different from previous holidays. Our ski-holiday rep, Jonathan, suggested we set our alarms to wake us very early on the first day, to give us time to hire skis, boots and poles in the village before heading to the slopes for ski school, which was to begin at 10am sharp.
After getting though the long queues in the ski-hire shop the next morning, and mastering the art of putting our feet into those monstrous contraptions called ski boots, we trudged through the snow to school. I was already exhausted by the time I got there with the weight of the boots and the other paraphernalia we had to carry.
A red-suited instructor by the name of Max, with an unforgettably long moustache, smiled sympathetically as I arrived, but the sympathy didn't last long. It was down to work in jig time.
We were taken through the basics first - clipping our boots into the skis - and then the fun started. Trying to stand still on packed snow in a pair of skis is not easy if you've never done it before. At first we were slipping and sliding all over the place, but the good news is that in no time you manage walking on a treacherous surface with more than a metre of fibreglass under each foot.
As Max put us through our paces on that first day, my feet began to throb. I discovered later that my boots were the problem. Experienced skiers stress the importance of having comfortable boots, and their advice should be heeded. I exchanged mine that evening for a different make, and the new ones made those early days at ski school so much more bearable.
Back on the nursery slopes on day two, the hard work was getting under way. Max, in his broken English, urged us to watch him closely, then he took off down a gentle slope, demonstrating how to make a so-called snowplough with his skis, which brought him to a halt when he wanted to stop.
We were expected to follow suit. But emulating his every move wasn't as easy as it looked. On one occasion I took off after him only to find myself unable to stop as I approached the end of the slope. I ended up crashing though a plastic mesh fence. One of my skis became embedded under the front wheel of a car on the other side. Thankfully, the car was parked. What a stupid place to put a car park.
Those early days, when I couldn't get the brakes to work, were very frustrating, especially when toddlers could be seen whizzing all about the place in the snow and in perfect control of their skis.
Eventually, though, I began to make progress, and discovered that the skis didn't just have to be in an upside-down V shape in front of me to allow me to stop. They also had to be spread apart as far as possible at the back, a manoeuvre only possible when you put serious pressure on those thighs. But with skiing it's a case of no pain, no gain, and it's all worth it in the end when you're able to take off like the other skiers on the ski lifts up the side of a mountain.
Remarkably, by the fourth day of ski school our instructor was taking us to the top of a 2,000m peak and letting us ski back down. There were some hair-raising moments on the descent that involved skiing along narrow, unprotected ledges. I was lucky when I landed on my rear end at one point and didn't go over the edge.
I completed that run twice, with some help from Max, but decided I'd gone far enough for a beginner. I was happy to be able to ski and didn't want to risk life and limb on more difficult red slopes with others in the class.
Instead I opted to spend my final days in the Alps skiing on gentler slopes; it was so enjoyable, taking in the crisp air, the beautiful surroundings, the peaceful atmosphere and the lovely bars and restaurants dotted around the slopes.
Beer and a pretzel at noon became a habit after an early start, and the hot chocolate served up in these places was to die for. All you had to do was slip off the skis and park them upright in the snow outside before placing your order.
By 4pm each day hundreds of pairs of skis were standing in the snow outside the bars at the bottom of the slopes, which would be hopping for apres-ski. Here, stories of the day on- and off-piste flowed as freely as the drink, until darkness fell and a dip in one of the naturally-occurring thermal pools in the area beckoned, to ease those aching muscles before settling down to dinner.
There's no doubt skiing is challenging, but once you get the hang of it it's an exhilarating experience. Remarkably, I went within days from dying to get those ski boots off my feet to not wanting to hand them back at the end of the week.
Where to stay, eat and go in Bad Gastein
Where to stay
Hotel Elisabethpark. Kaiser-Franz-Josef Strasse 5, 00-43-6434-2551, www.elisabethpark.at. This four-star hotel is warm and cosy, with its own thermal pool, treatment rooms and free internet access. The food, with everything from champagne breakfasts to four-course evening meals, was so good we often ate here in the evenings.
Villa Solitude. Kaiser-Franz-Josef Strasse 16, 00-43-6434-5101, www.villasolitude.com. Once the home of an Austrian countess, this hotel is adorned with lots of oil paintings and antiques but doesn't have a star rating, though it would probably be equivalent to three- or four-star accommodation.
Hotel Salzburger Hof. Grillparzerstrasse 1, 00-43-6434-20370, www.salzburgerhof.com. This four-star hotel is very old but was recently refurbished, and it has a plush feel thanks to the roaring fire in its inviting lobby. The hotel also has its own spa.
Hotel Weismayr. Kaiser-Franz-Josef Strasse 6, 00-43-6434-2594, www.weismayr.com. This traditional three-star hotel is simply furnished and has its own swimming pool.
Where to eat or drink
The Silver Bullet. Grillparzerstrasse 1, 00-43-6434-225360, www.silverbulletbar.com. This is the main pub for apres-ski. It also serves bar food and has live music every afternoon and again every night. It stays open until about 2am, and if you're anxious to go clubbing after that, the neighbouring Gatz (00-43-643-4225340) is the place to go.
The Jolly Joker bar is at the casino on Kaiser-Franz-Josef Strasse (00-43-6434-2465), where you can enjoy cocktails or the quieter Eden's pub (Karl-Heinz-Waggerl Strasse, 00-43-6434-2076).
For food, many of the hotels have good restaurants. The Hotel Elisabethpark often hosts buffet evenings where you can taste Austrian cuisine or opt for something more traditional. Lutter Wegner, at the Villa Solitude Hotel, is a smart restaurant in the mid-price range with an extensive wine list.
At Bellini bar and restaurant, at Hotel Salzburger Hof, you can enjoy Italian/American food.
For something special, try Klapotetz (Stubnerkogelstr 28, 00-43-6434-2639). This is a charming little restaurant with a lovely atmosphere and delicious food. Booking for this one is advisable.
Gear and classes
Top-Rent Sport Fleiss. Bahnhofsplatz 6, 00-43-6434-465532, www.top-rent.at. Here you can hire skis, poles and boots. It also has a depot at the foot of the slopes, so you can abandon your gear there in the evening instead of carrying it home.
Schneesport Schule Gastein. 00-43-6434-2260, www.schneesportgastein.com. This ski school arranges classes for all age groups. Many skiers pay for the hire of ski equipment, lift passes and ski school in advance, when booking their holiday, then present vouchers they have been given to the ski-hire shop. This is what we did, and it's a good idea, although you still have to queue for your gear to ensure it's the right fit.
Where to ski
There are a number of ski resorts in the Gastein Valley, with slopes to suit all abilities, from the wide and gentle beginner slopes of Angertal to the more challenging runs at Sportgastein. The areas are linked by buses, which are free to those carrying ski-lift passes. Snowboarding is also common in the area.
Where else to go
The Gastein Valley is renowned for its spas, and there's nothing better after a day's skiing than to relax those aching muscles in one of the thermal pools. There's a
huge thermal pool complex called Felsentherme (00-43-6434-22230, www.felsentherme.com) next to the railway station at Bahnhofplatz 5, which, at €18 for adults for three hours, is excellent value. It has a range of outdoor and indoor pools at different temperatures, as well as sauna and steam rooms and a children's slide.
Another option if you want to take a break from skiing is husky sleighing. This isn't available every day and should be booked in advance. Contact Silvia (00-43-6641-718041) or Christian (00-43-6764- 535276).
For more general information, Bad Gastein Spa and Tourist Association is at 00-43-6432-33930 or www.gastein.com.
Prices
A week's accommodation for two at Hotel Elisabethpark, with half-board, cost €1,300.
For a week, lift passes cost €182 each, ski school costs €150 and hiring ski boots, skis and poles costs €135 each.
Go there
Eithne Donnellan was a guest of of Directski (www.directski.com or 01-4336260). It offers all-in packages, including flights, accommodation, ski school, ski hire and insurance. There are direct flights to Salzburg from Dublin and Belfast.