As requested, we've got a snowkiting section.

Has anyone tried this yet? I've got myself an old snowboard off a mate who was about to bin it - just need some cheap boots and bindings and I would be well up for trying this out over winter if we get any snow.

Anyone know of some good spots locally?

James

http://www.skiweardale.co.uk/

would be up for it, maybe in chile though rather than weardale

I saw someone trying this at swinhope (weardale) a couple of years ago, didn't look ideal terrain though. Playing fields would probably be best to start off. I've also wondered about either the Town or Nuns moor in Newcastle but both would need a good covering to smooth the bumps out.

I've had a good go at this, but in sunny Norway on the Hardangevidda. This is a splendid area of frozen lakes and hillocks at approx 1000metres above sea level. I would thouroghly recommend it. Theres plenty of action amongst the locals.
I'm Hoping to go back again this year, probably early March - anyone likely to be interested?

You can ski or board with the kite. Ski's being a bit easier and more flexible to start off with.

Locally, I have my eye on the old open cast site just north of Morpeth. It's all been reinstated now, but they have left a rather tasty gentle dome and no trees/fences etc to worry about. Only thing we need is some snow and wind at the same time....
Paul M did some snowkiting up at weardale a coupe of years back.

for those who would like to be tempeted try: http://www.haugastol.no/index_en.html

Yeah i did a bit last year on the jesmond playing field, there was only about half an inch of snow and i was kicking up quite a lot of mud but it was fun all the same...feels really weird having your feet locked in to one position tho...

Here's a picture of Yad Moss taken in Feb 05. It's not the longest piste in the world but there are some unpisted bits off to the side that had some nice powder when I was there and it's worth a visit if there's snow. Mid week is best as it gets jammed at the weekend but it's about an hour or so drive from Newcastle so you can do an afternoon trip.

The big field on the right of the photo might be snowkiteable, it was fairly flat from what I remember but had a few stone walls and sheep troughs scattered about.

There was a pic of somebody with a slingy at Weardale. I've been meaning to go up there for years (snowborder for 10yrs) mya be this winter.

Your right about Hardangervidda in Norway - I stayed in Geilo a couple or years back and went out with an instructor to a frozen reservoir unfortunately v light wind couldn't even power up a 17m love to go back though.