City Skating in London
Leicester Square’s first ice-rink is situated in London’s West End. The rink surrounds the Shakespeare statue, which has stood there since 1874. There are no tickets required for walk-ups, which is unusual for a London Pop-Up Rink. Sessions start every 15 mins from 10am until 10pm. A bar offers hot chocolate, cider and mulled wine, while Christmas market stalls are located around the rink. Underbelly, known for its shows on the Edinburgh Festival fringe, is behind the attraction and it is raising money to support the Angel Child Fund at The Brain Tumour Charity (optional £2 donation).
Adults, teens and children from £14.50, under 13S You can also find out more about us on our website. £9.50, Famiilies from £40, until 4 January, skateleicestersquare.co.uk
Rochdale’s skating and dining
The square in front the town hall of Rochdale has been transformed into an ice skating rink. You can also find out more about the A-Team here.t the bargain price of £4 for a child, it is ideal for school trips, with no charge for teachers and staff. The town hall itself has a choral concert on 7 December, an artisan market on the 14 Dec and boozy bingo on the 19 Dec. Its restaurant, the Martlet Kitchen, has a Christmas menu throughout December, serving dishes such as parsnip and pea soup, turkey escalope and mince pies with eggnog sauce (£26 for two courses, £30 for three). It also serves seasonal cocktails such as the cherry bakewell float (cognac-preserved cherries, amaretto and whipped cream) and the rum-based fire and ice (two for £18).
ADults Teenagers £13.50, students £11, under-13s £9.50, until 4 January, santasvillage.co.uk
Cheshire is a great place for skateboarding and shopping
This year, the ice rink at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet allows visitors to combine their Christmas shopping with skating. There’s a covered rink as well as an outdoor ice pathway around the eponymous Oak tree. The skating is a new addition to the Winter Village, which also features the UK’s tallest Christmas tree at 27 metres. Children can ride the ferris wheels, meet Santa and the elves or watch a Christmas film at the alpine Lodge. Adults can eat bratwurst, drink mulled wine or book one of the six cosy Christmas huts – two with karaoke.
Adults from £12.50, under-16s from £11, families from £36You can still order until 4th January mcarthurglen.com
Ski chalets for rent in Preston
Preston’s ice rink, built in 1875 under an elegant Victorian market canopy, is situated beneath the canopy. Live music is played every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1-3pm (and 5-7pm up to 14 December), as well as a ski lodge-style bar where bratwursts are served and steins filled with beer. In addition to skating, visitors are welcome to visit the Harris Museum, which reopened in September after a £19m refurbishment and has a cafe, a shop and a free Wallace & Gromit exhibition (to 4 January). Or, they can visit Animate, a nearby entertainment complex which opened in February. It has bowling, a movie theater, a food market, and six restaurants.
Adults and teens from £12, under-13s from £10, families from £40You can still order until 4th January prestononice.co.uk
Waterfront skating in Pembrokeshire
Milford Waterfront in Pembrokeshire will be hosting ice skating on a weekend-only basis. The pop-up skating rink is located in the Sybil House atrium, near the water. There are many other festive events at the marina, such as a Santa Trail (until the 31st December), the big lights switch on (12-3pm, Friday 6th December), the Christmas countdown (Saturdays until 20th December), the grotto (on 7, 13, 14, 19, 21 December), and the pantomime Rapunzel at the Torch Theatre (6-28th December). You can also find a wide range of independent shops to purchase Christmas gifts, as well as cafes, restaurants and restaurants offering special Christmas menus.
Adults £7.50, under-16s £7, under-9s £6, 12-8pm 12-14 December, milfordwaterfront.co.uk
Glasgow riverside rink
In the West End, Glasgow there will be a Christmas village this winter on the banks the Clyde. Clydeside has an ice rink covered by a roof, a funfair, and Scotland’s tallest Christmas tree. The heated Alpine bar is a family-friendly hangout during the day and an adult-oriented place at night. There are also stalls that sell street food, sweets, and treats like churros and yorkshire pudding. The weekends of 6, 7, 14, and 20-23 Dec., the children can visit Santa Claus from 1pm-4pm. Parking and entry are both free. It is located near the Partick train station.
Adults and teenagers £11.25, under-12s £9.05, until 4 January, clydesidechristmasvillage.com
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Norfolk Farms
White House FarmThe ice skating rink was installed this year at, a diverse family farm near Norwich. The Great Barn, which is decorated with twinkling trees and festive food stalls and market stalls and houses the covered rink, also has a covered ice rink. Ollie & Charlotte have been transforming the farm for a decade. In the smaller barns, and in former pigsheds, there is now a farm shop and cafe. Local businesses offer everything from homewares to cider. There are also pottery-painting studios, dance and photography rooms, and beauty treatment areas.
Adults and teenagers £15, under 13s £12Families 10% Discount valid until 4 January icenorwich.com
Seafront skating in Devon
Torquay, a seaside resort town, has an ice skating rink in Abbey Park. The Bay of Lights, a series of light installations that span Torquay Paignton Brixham, is now complete. Torquay boasts a 1.5 mile illumination trail, which features 18 large light installations. These include an LED light fountain and 1,000 colour-changing flower. There is a light projection show at Torre Abbey (until 2 January); an illuminated steam train The illuminations will be at Kents Cavern near Torquay and Babbacombe Model Village. Lantern parades and candlelight carols are also twinkling events in the bay.
Adults £12.58, under-16s £9.43, families £37.736 December to the 2nd of January englishriviera.co.uk
Cornwall’s seaside rink
Watergate Bay, a hotel located three miles north of Newquay has Cornwall’s first beachside skating rink. The covered rink has glass walls, so that skaters can enjoy the views of the 2-mile Atlantic surf beach. The rink offers hot chocolate, wood-fired pizzerias, and mulled wine. Three hotel restaurants are also available for an apres-skate meal. Visitors can make a day of it with a Swim Club pass (£120), which includes access to the indoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and Finnish sauna, a 60-minute treatment and a two-course lunch. Other options include skate and stay, as well as Christmas and New Years breaks that include sea swimming (optional).
Adults £17, under-18s from £12, until 11 January, watergatebay.co.uk
Sky-high Skating in London
Bussey Rooftop Bar is located in Peckham (south London) and usually shows festive films during December. However, this year, the bar has “London’s tallest ice rink”. On Friday and Saturday, skaters can take in 360-degree views and listen to DJs playing Christmas songs and classic disco. The heated, covered area has been transformed into a winter’s lodge. It serves boozy hot cocoa, mulled wines, winter spritzes as well as “mistletoast pizzas” (prosciutto with caramelised onions and mozzarella). On 9 December, there is a workshop for bauble painting and on New Year’s Day (5-10pm), there will be a Before Midnight Party.
Adults, teens and children from £14, under-13s from £9, families from £40From now until the 1st of January busseyrooftopbar.com
