it’s Christmas shopping time at the markets
Along with Christmas markets the biggest growth in Christmas entertainment over the last ten years or so has been the rise of pop-up ice skating rinks. From courtyards in stately buildings (like Somerset House in London) to racecourses, (Chester) attractions (Eden Project in Cornwall) and shopping malls, there are a huge number from which to choose.
Here are just a few. We’ll start with those around our countries and then the London ones at the end of the list as they are a bit more difficult to alphabetise within London.
Aberdeen, Castlegate, 3-22 December,
Bargoed, St Gwladys’ car park 10-14 Decemberhttp://your.caerphilly.gov.uk/christmas/sites/your.caerphilly.gov.uk.christmas/files/JPEG%20Ice%20Rink%20Leaflet.jpg
Bath, “Bath on Ice” at the Royal Victoria Park, 21 Nov – 4 Jan http://www.bathonice.com/
Beamish – the Living Museum of the North http://www.beamish.org.uk/outdoor-ice-skating/
Birmingham, Centenary Square, 15 Nov – 4 Jan 2015 http://www.iceskatebirmingham.co.uk/index.php
Bournemouth, Bournemouth Gardens, 28 Nov – 4 January 2015 http://www.makeitbournemouth.co.uk/outdoor-ice-rink/
Bournemouth, Bournemouth International Centre, 13 Dec – 22 Feb 2015 http://www.bic.co.uk/whats-on/cool-coast-ice-rink-2014/
Brighton, Royal Pavilion Ice Rink, Royal Pavilion Gardens, 8 Nov – 18 Jan 2015 http://www.royalpavilionicerink.co.uk
Bristol, At-Bristol Ice Rink, Millennium Square, 8 Nov – 6 Jan 2015 http://www.at-bristol.org.uk/icerink.html
Bristol, The Mall, Cribb’s Causeway, 13 Nov – 11 Jan 2015, http://www.mallcribbs.com/wwl14.php
Bristol, Clifton On Ice. 2 – 16 Clifton Down Road, 27 Nov – 4 Jan 2015 http://www.cliftononice.com/
Cambridge, Parker’s Piece, 21 Nov – 5 Jan, http://www.cornex.co.uk/ice-rink-returns-parkers-piece-winter
Cardiff, City Hall Lawn, Civic Centre, 13 Nov – 5 Jan 2015, http://www.cardiffwinterwonderland.com/ice-rink/
Chester, Chester Racecourse, see website for dates, http://www.winterwonderlandchester.co.uk/
Cornwall, The Eden Project, 18 Oct – 22 Feb 2015, http://www.edenproject.com/visit-us/whats-on/kids-and-families/ice-skating
Derby, Market Place, City Centre, 28 Nov – 5 Jan 2015, http://www.derbyicerink.co.uk/
Dorchester, Brewery Square, 22 Nov – 3 Jan 2015, http://skatinginthesquare.co.uk/home.aspx
Edinburgh, St Andrew Square Ice Rink at the Melville Monument, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015 http://www.edinburghschristmas.com/whats-on/ice-rink1
Edinburgh, Princes Street Gardens Ice Rink, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.edinburghschristmas.com/whats-on/ice-rink
Glasgow, George Square, 27 Nov – 31 Dec, http://www.glasgowloveschristmas.com/glasgow-on-ice/skating/Pages/default.aspx
Greenhithe, Kent, Skating at Bluewater Shopping Centre, 27 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://bluewaterwinterwonderland.co.uk/
Hastings, Priory Meadow Shopping Centre, 29 Nov – 5 Jan 2015, http://www.iceskatingtickets.co.uk/hastingsicerink
Lacock, Wiltshire, Christmas Ice Rink at the Whitehall Garden Centre, 6 Nov – 4 Jan 2015 http://www.whitehallgardencentre.co.uk/icerink.php
Lincoln, City Square, 29 Nov – 31 Dec, http://www.visitlincoln.com/whats-on/lincoln-ice-rink-2014
Liverpool, Chavasse Park. Includes the UK’s only real ice slide! 7 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.liverpool-one.com/icefestival
Longleat Safari & Adventure Park, Wiltshire, 14 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.longleat.co.uk/christmas/ice-skating
Manchester, Selfridges, Trafford, 13 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.selfridges.com/content/article/christmas-ice-rink-selfridges-trafford
Manchester, Hardman Square, Spinningfields, 6 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.spinningfieldsonline.com/events/manchestericerink
Milton Keynes, Frosts Garden Centre at Woburn Sands, 29 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.frostsgardencentres.co.uk/Centres/Woburn_Sands/Milton-Keynes-Ice-Skating
Newcastle-under-Lyme, Ryecroft, 16 Nov – 6 Jan 2015, http://www.visitnewcastleunderlyme.co.uk/event/winter-wonderland-ice-rink
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Times Square, 8 Nov – 22 Feb 2015, http://www.life.org.uk/whats-on/skating-at-life#.VGnQrsmGYsc
Newport, Celtic Manor Resort, 27 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.celtic-manor.com/christmas-kingdom-ice-skating
Nottingham, Old Market Square, 20 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.nottinghamwinterwonderland.co.uk/ice-skating/skating.html
Northampton, Beckworth Emporium, 15 Nov – 6 Jan 2015, http://www.beckworthemporium.com/
Plymouth, The Piazza, 18 Oct – 1 March 2015, http://www.iceangelevents.co.uk/winter-wonderland/
Plymouth, Boringdon Hall Hotel, 7 Nov – 11 Jan 2015, http://www.boringdonhall.co.uk/house-of-christmas/ice-rink-plymouth
Preston, Winter Wonderland at the Flag Market, 13 Dec – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.preston.gov.uk/events/details/3189/
Reading, Forbury Gardens, 9 Dec – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.reading.gov.uk/pressreleases/2014/oct/ice-rink-brings-super-cool-christmas-reading/?acc.contrast=1&acc.size=0
Reigate, Surrey, Priory Park, 4 Dec – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.reigateonice.co.uk/index.php
Salford, The Piazza. Media City UK, 27 Oct – 24 December, http://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/theicerink
Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, Yorkshire, see website for dates, http://www.thechristmasadventure.com/ice-skating-rink.asp
Stoke-on Trent, Trentham Shopping Village, 28 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.trentham.co.uk/shopping-and-eating/ice-skating-info
Swansea, Museum Park, 14 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.swanseachristmas.com/waterfront-winterland/
Tunbridge Wells, Calverley Grounds, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.visitkent.co.uk/events/170590/
Winchester, Ice rink in the Cathedral Close, 20 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/christmas/ice-rink/
Windsor, Windsor on Ice, Alexandra Gardens, 29 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.windsoronice.com/
Worthing, Steyne Gardens, 28 Nov – 1 March 2015, http://www.worthingicerink.com/
York, Skating at the York Designer Outlet, St Nicholas Ave, Fulford, 22 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, http://www.yorkshireswinterwonderland.com/skate/
In and around London
Natural History Museum 30 Oct 2014 – 4 Jan 2015 London SW7 5BD, http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/ice-rink/index.html
Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf, 1 Nov 2014 – 28 Feb 2015, London E14 5AH, http://icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk/
Somerset House, 11 Nov 2014 – 11 Jan 2015, London WC2R 1LA, http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/ice-rink
Victoria Park, 2 Dec – 31 Dec, London E9 7DD, http://winterville.co.uk/attractions/ice-rink/
London Eye, 15 Non – 4 Jan 2015, London SE1 7PB, http://www.londoneye.com/
Hampton Court Palace, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, Surrey KT8 9AU, http://www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace/WhatsOn/hamptoncourtpalaceicerink
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, London W2 2UH, http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/
Twickenham, Ice skating at Strawberry Hill House, 6 Dec – 25 Jan 2015, http://www.richmondrink.com/index.html
Wembley Park at the London Designer Outlet, 14 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, London HA9 0PA http://iceskatingatwembleypark.co.uk/
Westfield London, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, London W12 7GF, http://uk.westfield.com/london/news-and-events/ice-rink/ticket-prices-skating-times
Broadgate Ice Rink, Exchange Square, London, 17 Nov – 26 Feb 2015, London EC2A 2BQ, http://www.broadgate.co.uk/ice
Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, 21 Nov – 4 Jan 2015, London SE11 5HL, http://www.iceskatevauxhall.co.uk/
JW3 on Ice, Jewish Community Centre, 341 – 351 Finchley Road, London NW3 6ET, 7 Dec – 11 Jan 2015 https://www.jw3.org.uk/jw3-ice-2014
Thanks to all those who sent details of local ice-skating rinks over the Christmas period after our appeal in the weekly e-letter. If there are are more, we’ll add them to this list.
By the way you will notice that a major city is missing – Leeds. This is because their ice-skating doesn’t start until after Christmas. It will be in Millennium Square Leeds and runs from January 24th until February 23rd. And the Belfast Winter Wonderland is not running this year.
