BETTER GET YOUR SKATES ON
Ice is nice around the country – so glide on over to your nearest rink, says MARJORIE YUE
1 YORK Until January 6, from £10.95 adults, £9.95 children
CROWNED Britain’s Most Festive City in a 2017 online poll, York will be pulling out all the stops.
Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland will once more be hosting the North of England’s largest ice rink, The Ice Factor, at the York Designer Outlet.
Surrounded by an illuminated forest and log cabins, the centrepiece will be a giant Christmas tree.
For Frozen fans there’s a treat on February 2 when the York Ice Trail returns with over 50 ice-sculptures. See visityork.org for details.
■ yorkshireswinterwonderland. com
2 CANARY WHARF, LONDON Until February 16, from £9.95 per person
THE glittering lights of soaring skyscrapers combine with the twinkling illuminations around the 1,200sq m ice rink in Canada Square Park to create an enchanting festive landscape in the heart of the capital’s financial district.
Keep an eye on the new addition to the rink, a massive LED screen, where skaters can upload photos to a rolling Instagram feed.
■ canarywharf.com
3 EDEN PROJECT CORNWALL Until February 24, from £7 adults, £6 children
THE famous biomes will welcome skaters to the stunning ice rink beneath the Stage canopy.
The county’s only indoor ice rink offers a range of sessions to cater for all levels, including parent and toddler ice-play (£5 per child), chilly juniors games (£6 per child) and the new Family Fun sessions with skating aids (£6pp).
Admission to Eden from £25 adults, £12.60 children, under-fives free.
■ edenproject.com
4 WINTER WONDERLAND, HYDE PARK Until January 6, from £9.50 adults, £7.50 children
LONDON’S iconic royal park will play host to the UK’S biggest outdoor ice rink – 1,765 sq m – so there’s more space to try out Dancing on Ice moves to live music from the Victorian band-stand.
New attractions include ice – sculpting workshops and the Secret Forest in the Magical Ice Kingdom. ■ hydeparkwinterwonderland. com
5 CARDIFF Until January 6, from £8.50 adults, £7 children
BRINGING an après ski vibe to Cardiff’s Admiral Ice Rink on the City Hall lawn will be the new Sur la Piste bar. Decked out as a French Alps ski lodge, it’s the place to catch your breath after a turn on the rink beneath the clear roof, looking out over the city’s Winter Wonderland. ■ cardiffswinterwonderland.com
6 EDINBURGH Until January 5, from £5 per person
GET your Christmas groove on as the beautiful elliptical ice rink returns to St Andrew Square for the festive season. After taking a twirl or two around the towering Melville Monument reward yourself with some rinkside refreshment at the Rekorderlig Cider Lodge.
■ edinburghschristmas.com
7 BRIGHTON Until January 13, from £10 adults, £7 children
THE stunning Royal Pavilion, the former seaside pleasure palace of King George IV, is guaranteed to get you into a regal spin.
Younger skaters can build up their confidence using penguin skate aids in the safe environs of the separate beginners’ rink.
It’s set right in the heart of Brighton’s cool North Laine district, meaning you can indulge in some retail therapy, shopping for Christmas gifts.
Take the weight off your feet and soak up the festive atmosphere in cosy rinkside Bar & Kitchen or watch the ice action from its 40m terrace.
■ royalpavilion icerink.co.uk
8 LIVERPOOL Until January 6, from £12 adults, £10 children
HEAD to the city’s iconic Pier Head and skate under a clear canopy with the stunning Three Graces as a backdrop. There’s also the UK’S largest ice slide and an Ice Jet ride as well as a Christmas market at the Liverpool Christmas Ice Festival.
■ icefestivalliverpool.co.uk
9 SOMERSET HOUSE, THE STRAND, LONDON Until January 13, from £11 adults, £8.50 children
SOMERSET House is the capital’s coolest rink. Absolute beginners can learn the art of blade balancing at Skate School.
Shop for posh prezzies at Fortnum
& Mason’s Christmas Arcade or indulge in a glass of bubbly at Fortnum’s Lodge in the West Wing. At the popular Skate Lates evenings there’s a chance to dance as top DJS spin the decks. somersethouse.org.uk/skate 10 MANCHESTER Until January 5, from £11 adults, £9 children GLIDE over to the city’s Cathedral Gardens, transformed into Ice Village, home to an ice rink, ice bar and cool games. Taking centre stage is the Ice Cavern, with 100 stunning ice sculptures from top artists. ■ icevillage.co.uk