(Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com)

The après-ski is a massive part of any winter holiday, with off-piste activities taken as seriously, if not more so, than the actual skiing. Being an avid skier, I was not shocked to read an article in the Daily Mail discussing the extent of the drinking culture in resorts across Europe.

The Foreign Office is trying to get the message across that alcohol can affect you more at high altitude and limit your awareness of danger and the cold. A recent study shows that every year, a third of British skiers and snowboarders aged under 25 are involved in accidents involving alcohol. 

I’m not sure whether the blame lies with the holidaymaker or the bars selling booze specifically for customers to neck before skiing back to their chalets. Skiing can be dangerous enough when sober, but combining it with destructive sounding cocktails, such as the Jagerbomb or the Grenade, is surely a recipe for disaster.

At a bar in Italy, drunken customers at end of the night are given torches to attach to their heads as they ski down the mountain. A British tour operator referred to in the article said that after taking customers to this bar, he prayed that they returned in one piece. 

And if a hangover isn’t bad enough, heavy alcohol consumption can lead to effects similar to food poisoning, such as diarrhoea – which is never a nice experience, particularly if you are caught on a ski run! It is important to know exactly what you are drinking and your limits, so that you don’t ruin your holiday.

I have been a skier for 25 years and probably did drink too much when I was younger, when the mountains were less crowded and more sedate, but alcohol intake and skiing in today’s crowded resorts is not a good idea. I urge anyone planning a ski holiday to enjoy the après-ski responsibly and make sure the skis are off before attempting to stagger home.

Steve Tate

Source: www.sejour-vacances-ski.com

So, has the recent snow and big freeze tempted you to take a winter holiday, or would you prefer to hibernate until the summer kicks in?

Personally, I am sick of the winter, but if you’re not then here’s a list of suggestions for perfect winter sports and activity breaks:

1-    Build shelters and spot bats by day and snuggle up your log cabin by night in Yorkshire.

2-    The more adventurous of us may fancy searching for snow buntings in the Highlands.

3-    A Narnia-inspired skiing break for the family in Switzerland.

4-    Blast away the cobwebs in the Lake District by hiking with ice picks and crampons.

5-    Adrenaline junkies might like the sound of speeding around in snow scooters in France.

6-    If your kids are missing the snow now it’s melting they fancy this ‘Snowmen in Sweden’ break.

7-    A scenic cross-skiing adventure overlooking pine forests in Scotland.

8-    Learn essential survival skills in Derbyshire, including how to light a fire from a bow drill.

9-    Those who like orienteering might prefer to navigate their way round Bienn Damph in Scotland.

10- Finally, a mountain bike trek with a visit to a Welsh Whisky distillery – an interesting, and potentially dangerous, combination.