Seems like an odd idea to ride a gondola in London – dressed for skiing. But Digby Rawlins, one of the ski holiday experts at Ski Solutions, decided to organise a group of skiers to ride the new Emirates Air Line in London last weekend.

With over five months to go to the winter season, and despite a serious lack of snow, Digby decided that the opening of London’s latest landmark at Royal Victoria Dock was the perfect opportunity to get back into the skiing spirit. His proposal was simple, grab your friends and your ski gear and teach Londoners how to ride a gondola in true skier style.

At 3pm on Saturday July 7, 2012, Digby and his crew stepped on board the Emirates Air Line from the Emirates Greenwich Peninsula and started their journey across the Thames. Wearing an assortment of ski jackets and pants, goggles, hats and boots, the city skiers took in the sights of London.

Digby commented: “There is only one way to ride a gondola. I have spent many hours staring out of gondola windows at mountain peaks in my ski gear and don’t see why London should be any different? Except the view.”

Further information

The Emirates Air Line is London’s first urban gondola or ‘cable-car’. Emirates flies to over 120 destinations in six continents; and this summer they’ve added two new destinations to their itinerary: the North and South sides of the Thames. We skiers will know that the so-called ‘cable-car’ is actually a gondola.