Adaptive Sessions

Adaptive skiing for has been offered here at Kendal for many years, enabling people with any disability to participate in the exhilarating sport of skiing, for competition or for leisure and fun. See also our gallery page. We are now also able to offer snowboarding in these sessions. See dates of our sessions <here>.

What is adaptive - More reading.

Kendal Snowsports Club donate the use of the slope facilities. A range of specialised equipment is available that enables persons with all types and levels of disability to enjoy skiing. Ski instructors with specialist training and helpers are also provided free by the club. At Kendal Snowsports Club we use a remote control which allows us to stop and start the slope lifts as an aid to slope users.

As well as providing the opportunity for people with cognitive and physical disabilities to ski, Kendal Snowsports Club encourages the members of their families to join in and take part (also free if in attendance with their relative). This promotes and enables them all to join in on ski holidays as a family group, sure in the knowledge that they have developed a good level of independence in their newfound sport.

Training on the Kendal Snowsports Club slope provides the essential techniques to be able to ski or snowboard safely and as independently as possible. Instructors are trained to take beginner skiers to confident skiers. The range of participants can be stand up skiers (with or without aids), those with mobility difficulties or wheelchair users who use a bi-ski to those who ski totally independently in a mono-ski.

Access and facilities

Kendal Snowsports Club is situated a short distance from the centre of Kendal. If coming by car SatNav users should use the LA9 7BY postcode. There are ample parking spaces at the club and disabled parking is available next to the club house and slope.

The club facilities are accessed via a sloping pathway which is suitable for wheelchairs or those with mobility difficulties , there are no steps. The club house has wide entrance doors which makes it accessible for all types of wheelchair. In the club house there are wide circulation spaces, disabled changing facilities and disabled toilets.

At the bottom of the slope there is a covered viewing gallery which is wheelchair accessible (no steps) and there is also an outdoor viewing area that is wheelchair accessible (no steps).

In summary, Kendal Snowsports Club is a disability friendly facility with no accessibility restrictions.

How to get involved

General information is available on the Kendal Snowsports Club website or you can email the Adaptive Sessions Coordinator You do not have to be a member of Kendal Snowsports Club to attend an adaptive skiing session. Attendance at the sessions are free to the disabled person, their carer and family.

If it is your first time attending, please email and an adaptive instructor will reply with further details and will make sure you know what to expect and are able to attend safely.

At popular times we may have 3 separate sessions of 1 hour each. This allows the number of attendees to get the full focus of one of our trained instructors in sit ski and VI techniques.

Dates of sessions 2026

Saturday 26th September - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 10th October - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 24th October - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 14th November - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 28th November - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 12th December - 1pm to 3pm

Dates of sessions 2027

Saturday 9th January - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 23rd January - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 13th February - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 27th February - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 13th March - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 27th March - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 10th April - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 24th April - 1pm to 3pm

Saturday 1st May - 1pm to 3pm

When you attend your first session an adaptive instructor will ask a few questions to determine what you want to get out of the sessions and how best we can help you and your family achieve your aims, these can be simply to have fun through to becoming technically proficient in skiing or prepare for a holiday in the mountains. This is also an opportunity to explain if you have any specific needs, concerns or just ask any questions you have.

The club aims to make attending adaptive ski and snowboard sessions easy, relaxing and fun for the disabled person and their family. Any suggestions for improvement are most welcome.

As you progress, if it is appropriate, you may wish to attend Kendal Snowsports Club classes or open skiing sessions. This will be facilitated if possible and normal club fees will be payable for slope use and equipment hire.

What you need to bring

As with any outdoor activity in the UK, particularly in the Autumn, Winter and Spring months, warm waterproof clothing is advised. All skiers at Kendal Snowsports Club are required to wear clothes that cover their whole body and gloves (no shorts or short sleeves). The slope surface has a special system that sprays a small amount of water intermittently to enable the skis to slide better so waterproof trousers are a good idea.

If you are going to ski seated (have severe mobility difficulties are are a wheelchair user) then it is advised to wear an extra layer of clothing as you can get colder. It is also good to have warm boots and/or extra socks.

Grace guides Oli in a sit-ski

The club requires adaptive participants to wear a protective ski helmet and provides them for use free of charge. It’s a good idea if you have long hair to tie it back.

For stand up skiers, ski boots and skis are provided free of charge and will be fitted to you individually. A full range of specialist equipment for use by disabled persons are provided by the club free of charge. This equipment allows a skier to ski as independently as possible, whatever their type or level of disability. During your sessions the instructor may suggest different equipment to try or adjust the setup of equipment to optimise you comfort, safety or ease of skiing.

Snacks and cold drinks are available on site via a vending machine. Hot drinks can be purchased from reception.