TOP 9 ice rinks

Ice is nice around the country – so get your skates on and glide to your nearest rink

1 YORK Until January 6, from £10.95 adults, £9.95 children Crowned Britain’s Most Festive City in a 2017 online poll, the medieval city 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 (visityork.org). yorkshireswinterwonderland.com

2 CANARY WHARF, LONDON Until February 16, from £9.95pp The glittering lights of soaring skyscrapers combine with the twinkling illuminations around the 1,200sq metre 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 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

5 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. And at the popular Skate Lates evenings there’s a chance to dance as top DJs spin the decks. somersethouse.org.uk/skate

6 WINTER WONDERLAND, HYDE PARK Until January 6, from £9.50 adults, £7.50 kids 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 bandstand. New attractions include ice sculpting workshops and the Secret Forest in the Magical Ice Kingdom. hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

7 EDINBURGH Until January 5, from £5pp 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. The pop-up bar modelled in the style of a classic Scandinavian house will be serving Swedish cuisine along with hot and cold cider cocktails. edinburghschristmas.com

8 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, means 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. royalpavilionicerink.co.uk

9 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. On the Journey to Santa’s Workshop you can to meet elves, polar bears and huskies, and a vast steam train (entrance to Ice Village is free, tickets required for certain attractions). icevillage.co.uk