UK’s Longest Indoor Ski Slope Could Be Built in Wales

A planned development in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, could result in the construction of the United Kingdom's longest indoor ski slope.

The £300 million development, called Rhydycar West, would house the ski slope as well as an activity center and a water park.

"It will be an outstanding and internationally recognized, sports, leisure and tourism destination able to offer a unique experience to the people of South Wales, the UK as a whole as well as international visitors," a quote from the project's website reads.

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According to the website, Rhydycar West would also be the national training headquarters for the Welsh and the United Kingdom national, Olympic, and Paralympic teams, as well as meeting FIS (International Ski Federation) specifications.

That would allow the snow center to accommodate regional, national, and international competitions, the website said.

Initially, the proposed facility faced opposition from Merthyr Tydfil council officers, who worried about its location and the possible impact on local ecology, the BBC reports. The council officers recommended that the project be refused.

However, on Wednesday, March 12, local councilors voted against the recommendation, making a decision in favor of Rhydycar West. According to the BBC, councilor Clive Jones said during the meeting that the project's economic benefit would be "unbelievable."

If constructed, Rhydycar West would be home to a slope between 400 meters and 424 meters long, vastly outpacing the United Kingdom's current indoor real snow ski slope record holder, Chill Factore in Manchester, which has a slope that's 180 meters long, Sky News reports.

Throughout the world, similarly large facilities exist, allowing skiers to hit the slopes year-round.

In 2024, the Guinness Book of World Records verified Shanghai L+SNOW Indoor Skiing Theme Resort in China as the world's largest indoor ski area. The sprawling ski area covers 98,828.7 square meters and has a maximum capacity of 1,124.