Ice Skating Options in London

Come winter and London is all agog with people putting on their ice skates and heading to one of the many ice skating rinks in the city to indulge in their favourite winter pastime. The city has several permanent indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks with many more popping up all over the place during the winter. The iconic locations include the historic Hampton Court Palace, the beautiful surroundings of Somerset House and even in shopping destinations such as Westfield London. Even if you cannot dance on ice or even scramble around in your skates, you will find that the outdoor ice rinks are utterly attractive places in winter in the backdrop of Christmas lights and trees and even some of the premier institutions and it will be worth your while to have a look at them.

Alexandra Palace Ice Rink: This iconic landmark is one of the best in London as it provides a stunning location where your family can have a great time indulging in ice skating, for getting professional ice skating lessons or even for having fun with skates. You can skate all year round at this rink and even book ice skating sessions online. The options provided are skating with friends, family or with a loved one. The various offerings of the rink include daily public ice skating sessions; Ice Nation – disco on ice; figure skating classes for groups or for private persons; training in Ice hockey; fast track courses for 5-15 years old during 5-day school holidays; discounts for charity and school groups; organising birthday parties and for private hire options.

The ice skating rink at Alexandra Palace also offers free skate hire facility as a full range of figure skates from a child size 6 to adult size 14 is available. Hockey skates are not available for hire. Personal skates can be brought to the rink but the rink rules should be followed. It is important to wear warm clothes, especially thick socks and gloves. Loose clothing should be avoided as they can get entangled and lead to an accident. On all public sessions a spectator fee of £1.50 is applicable except Friday and Saturday Ice Nation when the fee is £9.90.

Visitors to London who wish to enjoy ice skating in the winter should opt for staying at London Premier Notting Hill Bayswater since it is located close to most of these places and also to most tourist attractions of the city.

Broadgate Ice Rink: The other important ice skating rink is the Broadgate rink that is located in Exchange Square just a few steps away from Liverpool Street Station and also close to Spitalfields Market. It is ideal for skaters for all levels and ages of skaters and its opening timings are from 10am to 10pm. It is surrounded by restaurants, cafes and shops. The rink offers Penguin skate aids and ride on seals for children who are just learning how to skate. Available at £5 per hour, these aids are available on first come first served basis. NISA qualified coaches are available so that you can learn how to skate like a pro, or if you wish to master a biellmann spin, impress your mates or just learn to stand up. Individual and group ice skating lessons for all levels are available. The rink will celebrate Valentine’s Weekend, decorated with hearts and followers and giant LOVE letters when you can skate with family, loved ones and friends. After doing some skating, you can share a bottle of prosecco and chocolate-dipped strawberries or a bottle of prosecco and deli sharing platter at the Tasting Room.

The other venues for winter ice skating include The Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park which is an ideal way to get into the festive spirit without any entry fee. It provides lots of Christmas-themed fun and activities that include big top shows, an observation wheel and a huge Christmas market. There are plenty of activities for both adults and kids. The skating rink circles the Victorian bandstand. The other attraction is the Magical Ice Kingdom with its ice forest full of frozen sculptures and a shining ice castle. You can also enjoy acrobatic shows at Zippos Circus and Cirque Beserk. For kids there are gentle activities such as carousels, helter skelters and funhouses. The roller-coasters will surely push up the adrenaline of older children and adults. The observation wheel rises 60 metres above ground level offering amazing views of the city’s skyline.

Queens London Ice Skating and Bowling is another venue for winter ice skating located next to the tube station at Queensway. It is a great activity centre with 12 lanes of ten pin bowling, a games machine, room, ice rink and 2 large karaoke rooms. It has a bar large enough for big groups and fitted with TV screens and a café serving snack food and Italian Ice Cream.

At Streatham Ice Rink you can skate all year round and there are public sessions for the entire family. Skating lessons are also provided and you can take part in ice dance, figure skating and also hold birthday parties and play or watch the local ice hockey teams.

Lee Valley Ice Centre offers public skating, figure skating, ice dance, pairs, synchronised skating, ice-hockey and courses for learning how to skate. The activities include daily public sessions, family sessions at the weekends and during school holidays for all ages. Every weekend, disco evening sessions take place. Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington offers facilities that include ice skating, climbing walls and a children’s soft play area.