Looking for some outdoor winter fun in London? Ice skating with friends on an open air rink under fairy lights with mulled wine and Christmas trees is synonymous with London in the wintertime, and the opening of all the capital’s many magical ice skating rinks is a sure fire sign that Christmas is on its way (42 days to be precise, but who’s counting?) Now that the temperatures have dropped in the city, we thought we could help you keep warm with a spin on some of our favourites…
Natural History Museum: One of London’s best known ice rinks is back, centred around a Christmas tree in the courtyard at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington. There’s a mini and a full size rink, and refreshments are available at the Café Bar. Open 30 October – 4 January.
Canary Wharf: The whopper 1100m² ice rink is back at Canada Square Park, in front of the famous One Canada Square building for a third year. The bar offer festive food and drink, plus a terrace from which non-skaters can watch the action. Unique to this rink is a skate path, which allows skaters to skate off the rink and through a path of fairy lit trees before joining the main rink. Open 1 November – end of February.
Somerset House: The Somerset House rink is sponsored by department store Fortnum & Mason – as if we’d expect anything less glamorous at the home of London Fashion Week. Regular skating sessions run during the daytime, but when night falls, adult-only Club Nights take place on the ice, with big names such as Ministry of Sound and Ibiza Rocks providing the tunes and apres-skate cocktails. Glad Tidings Tuesdays offer festive entertainment and late-night shopping at The Christmas Arcade, a pop-up version of the classic Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly store, for both skaters and spectators. Opened yesterday 11 November – 11 January.
Eyeskate at the London Eye: The icy carpet in front of the famous wheel will be unrolled once again, allowing skaters to take to the ice in front of the structure, which is so extremely pretty at night! This opens 15 November – 4 January
Broadgate: The Broadgate Ice Rink pitches up in Exchange Square, right by Liverpool Street station. Food and drink will be provided by The Tasting Room, a pop-up bar and smokehouse alongside the rink. The daily changing menu will include ‘cuts n butts’ smoked on site, gourmet doughnuts, salads and sandwiches, all from the market in St Pancras, as well as craft beers from London breweries, fresh cocktails and winter warmers. There’s an outdoor terrace too, giving diners a view across the ice and into the City. This opens 17 November – 26 February
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland: Arguably, the ornate ice rink set around the fairy light decked bandstand (often accompanied by a live acoustic set) is the prettiest of London’s seasonal skate rinks. The surrounding craziness of Winter Wonderland can be bit of a crowded (other attractions include a fairground, circus and ice kingdom), but if you want Christmas in all its glory, this is the place to go. Opens 21 November – 4 January.
Hampton Court Palace: If you’re looking to swerve the festive hubbub of Central London, Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink may well be for you. It offers the chance to skate next to the Thames and in the shadow of the red brick Tudor building. The Ice Bar & Café will be serving warming snacks and drinks to chilly skaters. Opens 21 November – 4 January
Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens: As well as the usual Ice Skate Vauxhall Rink at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, there are funfair rides, a Christmas tree maze (a square kilometre of brightly lit trees is enough to disorient the most directionally-accurate of people) and a street food market, including the infamous Fish and Chip serving Routemaster Bus as an added bonus! Opens 21 November – 4 January,
So wrap up and get skating at some of London’s most beautiful iconic locations, the views alone are worth the trip!
