Ice skating in London

Updated on 11 March, 2008

London's gifted with a number of great ice rinks during the winter. I really enjoy skating, and here's where you can join me on a pair of blades.

Somerset House ice rink

Probably the most well known, this skating rink takes over the central part of Somerset House from late November to late January every winter. The rink is open from 10am to 10pm, and certain nights, like New Year's Eve, there are special sessions with champagne and fireworks and the occasional marriage proposal!

Address, booking, and phone

Somerset House
The Strand
Covent Garden
London
WC2R 1LA

Telephone: +44 (0)870 166 0423
Tickets and information: Somerset House website

Tower of London ice rink

Set in the dry moat of the fantastic Tower of London, just outside the walls. This rink is surrounded by history and quite easy to reach from anywhere in Central London. The Tower's skating rink is open from about mid-November through the second week of January each winter.

Address, booking, and phone

Tower of London
The City
London
EC3N 4AB

Telephone: 0870 602 1100
Tickets and information: Tower of London ice rink website
 

Broadgate ice rink

22 metre wide circular outdoor ice rink in the heart of the City, surrounded by bars and cafes. Perfect for a lunch-time skating sessions for City workers and any tourist and Londoner that happens to be in the City of London. Open from mid-November, this ice skating rink doesn't close up shop until the first weekend of April. The rink is one of the cheaper, with GBP 6 entry prices, but skate hire isn't included, and that's another GBP 2 unless you bring your own. There are no lockers either, so don't bring any valuables that won't fit in your jacket pockets!

Address, booking, and phone

Broadgate Circle
The City
London
EC2M 2QS

Telephone: 020 7505 4068
Tickets and information: Broadgate ICE website

Queens ice skating and bowling

If you're looking at learning how to ice skate, try Queens' classes for adults or kids. Queens is open year round from 10am to 11pm, and in addition to ice skating and classes, has a number of ten pin bowling lanes at some of the best prices in London - £6.50 per game including shoe hire. The venue also has a bar and a restaurant if you're hungry after spending time on skates.

Queens ice skating rink is open 10am - 6:45pm every day and 8pm to 10:45pm and a session costs £10, plus £1 for skate hire. During the weekends, there's more of a party atmosphere with a DJ playing songs for the people skating.

Address, booking, and phone

Queens
17 Queensway
London
W2 4QP

Telephone: 020 7229 0172
Tickets and information: Queens Ice and Bowl website

Greenwich ice rink

Greenwich's magnificent Old Royal Naval College is the setting for an outdoor ice rink from early December to mid-January. The rink is set in the beautiful grounds of the college, in summer this is one of the most pleasant places you can find in London, right next to Greenwich Park, the oldest park in London. A skating session here is perfect to combine with a visit to the Greenwich Market as well, one of the oldest and most charming markets in London. Greenwich itself is designated a World Heritage Site, so take a walk around and take in English history at some of its best.

Address, booking, and phone

Old Royal Naval College
Romney Road Greenwich
London
SE10 9LW

Tickets and information: Greenwich ice rink website

Hampstead Heath ice rink

Hampstead Heath ice rink returns from early December to mid-January. A beautiful location to skate in, with a handy café in which to enjoy a hot drink afterwards. This rink is fairly small, and also a very popular spot for local families with small-ish children - take heed and care! For a day out, you can also explore Hampstead, a wealthy part of London with some fantastic shopping, pubs, restaurants, and cafés where you can sit and watch the world go by.

Address, booking, and phone

Parliament Hill Fields
Hampstead
London
NW5 1QR

Tickets and information: Hampstead Heath ice rink website

Canary Wharf ice rink

You can skate in the shadow of the Docklands landmark or have a warming drink in the new rinkside Celsius Bar. Skating lessons are also available. The Canary Wharf ice rink is open Mondays through Saturdays 9.45am-11pm, Sundays 9.45am-7.30pm (last admission is one hour before closing).

Prices are £10 for adults, £12 on evenings and weekends. Kids under 12 skate for £7.50. The season begins mid-November and closes mid-February. Skate hire is included in the session prices.

Address, booking, and phone

Canary Wharf ice rink
Canada Square Park
Canary Wharf
E14 5AX

Tickets and information: Canary Wharf ice rink website

Kew Gardens ice rink

Open from the end of November until early January, this rink in beautiful Kew Gardens is a great outing for anyone living in Southwest London. There are always more things going on at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, such as art exhibitions or classes in horticulture. And Kew Village offers some quaint shopping and a couple of great cafés.

Address, booking, and phone

Kew Green
Richmond
London
TW9 3AB

Tickets and information: Kew Gardens ice rink website

Natural History Museum ice rink

The first of this year's outdoor ice rinks opens in the Natural History Museum's gardens, running from the first weekend of November to just after the middle of January. Alongside the 1000 square metre rink is a smaller "junior" rink and nearby there are several food stands, offering good organice and free-range food. Observers can enjoy a glass of mulled wine in the two-tier viewing area, café and bar. The fantastic museum will give you hours of educational entertainment once you're done with skating too.

Address, booking, and phone

Natural History Museum
Cromwell Road
South Kensington
London
SW7 5BD

Tickets and information: Natural History Museum ice rink website

Streatham Ice Arena

Streatham Ice Arena is one of London's landmark sporting venues. The rink has been in business for over 75 years and continues to be a vibrant place for family and friends; to have fun and enjoy excercise while ice skating. Located in South London, it's a year round venue which offers a popular training facility for both figure skating and hockey teams. The rink is open all year and has public skating sessions available 7 days a week. There's a café, locker rooms, and you can hire the ice arena for private parties.

Address, booking, and phone

386 Streatham High Road
Streatham
London
SW16 6HT

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8769 7771
Tickets and information: Streatham Ice Arena website

Hampton Court ice rink

Located in the most extravagant palace grounds of any London skating ice rink, Hampton Court's rink is a little out of the way but a fantastic place to be during the season. Open from late November to early January, and you buy tickets through Ticketmaster or at the site. The rink has a cloakroom and skate rental.

If you're not skating, or just want to spend more time at Hampton Court, and you should, the Frost Fayre café will let you warm up and get some coffee and cake before or after your skating session.

Address, booking, and phone

Hampton Court Palace
East Molesey
Surrey
KT8 9AU
England

Tickets and information: Hampton Court ice rink website

Royal Windsor ice rink

Getting out of London a little, but just an half an hour on the train, you can both visit the royal village of Windsor and get some skating time in. Take the train from either Paddington or Waterloo train stations to reach either of Windsor's stations. This rink is open from early December to early January, so you'll need to make a fast decision about what date you want to skate here.

The ice rink café sells warming hot chocolates, mulled wine and festive snacks. It's also set in the grounds of Windsor Castle, which you can visit on a guided tour if you want to spend some more time. Windsor also has plenty of good shopping, so this is a good daytrip from London.

Address, booking, and phone

Alexandra Park
Barry Avenue
Windsor
Berkshire
SL4 3HY

Tickets and information: Royal Windsor ice rink website