West Cork skier swaps the Alps for an unexpected day on the slopes back at home

Alex Nowotynski from Drinagh was delighted to discover there was enough snow locally for a rare bout of West Cork skiing  

Alex Nowotynski

Far from the skiing trials in the Alps, one avid Cork skier tested the West Cork slopes, following a night of heavy snowfall on Monday.

27-year-old Alex Nowotynski, from Drinagh in West Cork, spotted his opportunity on Tuesday morning, taking to the slopes to complete one of his most unique ski trails yet.

“Skiing is something I’ve always wanted to do at home because of the sheer novelty of it,” he said. “I had kind of seen the snow forecast over the few days and there wasn’t much of a base of snow, but I knew there was some on the hill over in the Mealagh Valley”.

The snowfall became increasingly heavy, with over 10cm falling near his home.

Setting off first thing on Tuesday morning, alongside two of his friends, Alex headed for the valley, to tick the accomplishment off his bucket list.

“It was definitely worth it, glad to have done it and to have that experience,” Alex said. 

He first learned to ski in Scotland, before moving to France where he completed three ski seasons while working as a chef, enabling him to develop his love for the sport.

“I lived right on the piste and was able to ski every single day,” he said.

How did the slopes in West Cork compare to those of the Alps? “Skiing in West Cork doesn’t really compare to anywhere else,” he said. “It’s a bit like Scotland — if you’re going to ski you have to be out early before the temperature rises and the snow changes. It was still light and fluffy when I got there but by the time, we were down the bottom of the hill it had warmed up and become quite a lot heavier, which isn’t as good for skiing.”

Alex Nowotynski skiing in West Cork.

Alex describes his experience in Cork as a great novelty, one he was delighted to ‘be able to take advantage of’. 

He was lucky to have his equipment with him, usually leaving it in France after the season, but had taken them home ‘in the hope that we’d get snowfall’.

He admits his skis have taken quite a few scratches from the lack of snow in places, but regrets nothing after the experience.

“It was absolutely top class. The snow was pretty deep, once we got to the base of the mountain, we knew it was going to be possible to ski on.” Although he had a memorable experience, Alex warns others contemplating the idea to proceed with caution, remarking that Irish slopes are more ‘hardy’ than those in the Alps.

He recommends practicing before venturing out on the Irish slopes, saying: “I wouldn’t recommend it to beginners, it can be rocky in places.”

After catching the skiing bug, Alex reveals he has booked a ticket back to the French Alps, departing tomorrow, where the conditions will allow him to ski to his heart’s content.

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