Try cross-country skiing

Cross country skiing for beginners is a long, quiet glide through the trees. It’s slower than downhill, you don’t need a lift ticket, and the trails are groomed, so you’re not racing anyone. Plan a half-day and expect to be a little wobbly for the first hour and a lot happier by the end of it.

When and where

You need enough snow and a groomed trail, so look for a ski center or park that maintains its tracks and rents gear. Most centers rent skis, boots and poles and sell a trail pass, which is where the cost comes from. Many offer a beginner lesson. Check the trail report and opening hours before you go.

Choose a flat or gently rolling beginner trail, and go in the morning so you finish in daylight. Avoid very cold or windy days at first. Check the trail map, keep to the marked route and let someone know where you’ll be.

What to wear and bring

Beyond the list above, think thin, not bulky.

• A base layer, a light fleece or similar, and a windproof, breathable outer layer. You’ll generate heat fast.
• Thin gloves, plus a hat or headband. Heavy winter gloves are usually too hot.
• Wool or synthetic socks. No cotton.
• Sunglasses or goggles for bright snow.
• A small backpack with water and a snack.
• A lip balm and sunscreen, since snow reflects the sun.

How to do it

1. Get fitted. The rental staff will match boots, skis and poles to you. Poles should reach about your armpits.
2. Start on flat ground. Click your boots into the bindings. Walk a few steps with the skis on, sliding your feet rather than lifting them.
3. Find the glide. Push off with one ski and let the other glide forward. Swing the opposite arm, as you do in walking.
4. Use the tracks. On a classic trail, keep your skis in the two parallel grooves in the snow. They guide you straight.
5. Climb. On a slight hill, take short steps with your skis angled out in a V, like a duck, and press the edges into the snow.
6. Slow down and stop. Point the tips of your skis together in a wedge, like a slice of pizza, and press the heels out. That’s the snowplough.
7. Get up. If you fall, bring your skis across the slope, below you, and then push up. Don’t try to stand with your skis pointing downhill.

Classic or skate

On most beginner trails you’ll see two kinds of skiing. Classic is the one to start with: you stay in the tracks and glide forward in a long walking stride. Skate skiing is a different, faster technique on the wide, flat part of the trail, with a sideways push like a skater, and it needs more balance, so leave it for later. Rental places usually hand beginners classic gear unless you ask for something else.

It also helps to remember that the first hour is the hardest. Most people spend it trying to stay upright, then it clicks, and you suddenly feel your weight sliding forward on its own. Go slowly, and stop for a snack before you’re tired.

What goes wrong

• Skis stick. The wrong wax or wet snow can grip too much. Ask the rental desk, as rental skis are often made to need no waxing.
• Sweating and then freezing. Open your jacket as you warm up, and add a layer when you stop.
• Skis cross. Keep your skis parallel and shuffle slowly until you feel steadier.
• Falling over. It happens. Fall to the side, not backward.
• Slopes feel steep. On a downhill section, step out of the tracks, snowplough and take it slowly. You can always take your skis off and walk.

After skiing

Dry off, change your top and socks, and have something hot and sweet. Ski centers often have a cafe or a warming hut.

Make it a winter day

Pick a clear morning, take a thermos and a snack, and finish at the lodge with a hot chocolate. If you enjoy it, the same trails open the door to a ski lesson on a bigger slope.