Guide

Sledding: a winter sport rediscovered after retirement

When I retired, I was looking for a winter activity that needed neither ski-worthy knees nor expensive gear. Sledding, which I'd always reserved for the grandchildren, came up almost by accident — and it changed my winters.

What sledding brings isn't just a fun ride down: it's the walk back up. Climbing a slope on foot, several times per outing, in the cold, is a full cardiovascular workout that doesn't announce itself as one. Unlike skiing, no lift does the work for you — it's all on your own body, at whatever pace you choose.

The big advantage in retirement is timing. Sledding slopes are packed on weekends and during school holidays, empty on a Tuesday morning. Having free time on weekdays, outside family seasonality, means practicing in ideal conditions: no queue, no crowd, the slope to yourself.

I'm not claiming sledding replaces a real fitness program. But as a gateway into winter outdoor activity, with no expensive gear, no major joint risk, and real cardio effort hidden in the climb back up, it's massively underrated.