It’s difficult to pose on the piste in Halifax. That’s Halifax, West Yorkshire. Not Nova Scotia.

You can have some serious wipe-outs if you hit an unforeseen cowpat at speed

They don’t suffer poseurs gladly up north. There are no pretentions among the West Riding and Greater Manchester ski set. The difference between the Halifax Alps and the French and Italian Alps is that the Halifax Alps close an hour every day for tea.

And you see more jeans and hoodies at Val d’Ogden than Val D’Isere. And perhaps more Strongbows than Oxbows.

The Southern Pennines is the place to be seen. On skiis.

Five miles from Halifax in West Yorkshire and commanding stunning views over Keighley and the Ovendon Wind Farm, Moss Farm Nurseries specialises in Christmas trees.

But after Christmas, it becomes Another World. An adventure park offering archery and crossbow, pistol and rifle shooting, target slingshot, lawn mower racing, quad-biking , ‘Bumper Balls’ and zorbing, as well as well as downhill skiing and snowboarding.

Weather permitting.

It is also the UK’s first dedicated mountain-boarding centre.

“We have skied in our back garden as a family for years. So we thought: why not share the facilities?” says owner Ralph Smith.

‘Val d’Ogden’ opened in 1986 with 10 pairs of rental skis. It now has over 100 to rent as well as six pistes, two miles of cross-country ski trails, four tow-pulls, floodlights and a Sno-cat tractor.

There is one mogul and a half-pipe for snowboarders. Après-ski is enjoyed in The Goose or The Whole Hog. Accommodation is available down the road in The Golden Plough.

“We are 1,500 feet above sea level and it can be quite crazy up here sometimes,” says Andrew Smith, the resort’s resident ski instructor who passed his qualifying certificate at Aviemore.

Andrew has taught abroad and skied around Europe as well as around most of the Malvern Hills and Brecon Beacons. He learned to ski down the fairways of a local golf course. He came 17th in the British Snowboarding Championship and is Yorkshire’s only ski instructor.

The longest run at Ogden is 650 metres and the record for the most runs in a day is over 300.

“The earliest I’ve skied up here is on my wife’s birthday on October 18 and the latest on mine, on April 28,” says Andrew. “It’s a great spot. There’s no avalanche risk. Although you can have some serious wipe-outs if you hit an unforeseen cowpat at speed. We are hoping for good snow in the coming months. We are looking forward to a good dump this winter.”

So if you’re visiting Manchester, Leeds or perhaps York this winter, consider a day trip to Another World. The Snowboard and Ski Centre Snowline is +44 (0)1422 2451 96, e-mail enquiries@anotherworldadventurecentre.com.

Opening times: weekdays 11am to 5pm and 6.30 to 10pm; weekends 10am to 5pm. Visit www.mountainboarding.co.uk.