Five of the best pop-up ice rinks to visit this Christmas season
From the UK’s highest ice rink to its most sustainable, here’s some of this winter’s finest ice rinks for festive awaydays.
Winter Wonderland, Cardiff Castle
The Welsh capital’s Winter Wonderland is split between two venues: Cardiff Castle and City Hall Lawns. For skaters, the star of the show is the ice trail at Cardiff Castle, which glides its way around the medieval keep. Cardiff Castle also features an undercover ice rink (for those who prefer doing their backflips with a roof over their head). Feeling a bit rusty on the ice? Then check out the new ‘novice’ rink. Elsewhere, all the usual Winter Wonderland-style shenanigans such as a giant wheel, funfair, lantern display and alpine-themed bar are present and correct.
Price: Available on website.
Dates: 13 November – 4 January.
Find out more about skating at Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland.
Bath on Ice, Royal Victoria Park, Bath
There’s plenty of space at this 1,000sq metre rink in Bath’s Royal Victoria Park meaning you can carve up the ice to your heart’s content – perhaps even managing a Torvill & Dean-style Boléro or two – without knocking into fellow skaters. Bath on Ice also has some exciting events planned such as a Wicked-theme skate session (23 November), a Taylor Swift vs Sabrina Carpenter “rink showdown” (30 November) and a Frozen Skate Day (7 December). Should you tire of skating (or it’s not your main talent) check out the nearby Christmas tree maze, play glow-in-the-dark golf or simply curl up with a mulled wine at Moguls Alpine Bar.
Price: Available on website.
Dates: 14 November – 4 January
Find out about skating at Bath on Ice.
EdWinterFest, George Street, Edinburgh
Hit the ice while soaking up the ambience at one the world’s best-preserved Georgian townscapes at this ice rink which glides along George Street in Edinburgh’s New Town. There’s plenty of festive (and frosty) cheer available too at the Polar Ice Bar (where the bar, tables, glasses are all frozen and kept at a glacial -8C, plus a snugger Winter Warmers Zone. Throughout December EdWinterFest will also host weekly adults-only ‘Late Skates’ at 8/9pm. For further blade inspiration, check out Henry Raeburn’s celebrated Skating Minister oil painting at the nearby Scottish National Gallery.
Price: From £15.
Dates: 20 November – 4 January.
Find out about skating at EdWinterFest.
ICE at Bussey Rooftop Bar, Peckham, London
The UK’s highest rooftop rink in south London’s hipster nirvana is an altitudinous new addition to the party of pop-up rinks which surface every winter. As you glide around the ice, it’s possible to take in 360-degree views of the London skyline including landmarks such as The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral. Once you’ve finished gliding (hopefully) around, the heated Après Skate Bar offers boozy hot chocolates, festive mocktails and stone-baked pizzas. Visit at the weekend and there’ll be house and disco DJ sets from DJs from 6pm too.
Price: £14 (adults).
Dates: 17 November – 1 January
Find out about skating at London’s ICE Bussey Rooftop Bar in Peckham.
Skate Manchester, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester
Ice rinks aren’t the most sustainable seasonal attraction thanks to the gallons of water and energy-guzzling refrigeration systems needed to power them. Skate Manchester is doing its bit to change that by replacing its usual showpiece Christmas tree with a less photogenic (but more eco-friendly) wind turbine. The 15m-tall ‘Fatboy Spin’ turbine powers around 7% of the rink, comes with a snow globe attached (skaters need something for their ‘grams) and is sponsored by Octopus Energy. Perfect if you want your white Christmas to be a little bit green too.
Price: £17.50 (adults).
Dates: 25 October – 4 January
Find out more about skating at Skate Manchester.
Christian Koch is an award-winning journalist and editor who has written for the Sunday Times, Guardian, Evening Standard, Metro, Director, Cosmopolitan, ShortList and Stylist.