Everyone loves a bit of fun on the ice. Whether you can spin around like Torvill and Dean, or just stumble around like us, it's always a joy to strap on the skates and venture on to the ice every December.
There are always plenty of great places to ice stake in London at Christmas.
Prices are generally around £12 for adults and £8 for children, although they vary from rink to rink and peak times vs off peak.
The majority of rinks are open from November 2023 to early/mid January next year.
Natural History Museum - Kensington's greatest museum (it's the super-ornate building on the Cromwell Road) hosts skating in the winter.
Somerset House - Central London ice skating, a stone's throw from Covent Garden and absolutely stunning surroundings.
Tower of London - One of the most popular tourist attractions in London hosts ice-skating at Christmas.
Westfield London - Indoor ice skating at Westfield West (Hammersmith) and then outdoors in Westfield East (Stratford City).
Canary Wharf - skate in the heart of London's Docklands, and the home of the central business district and London's tallest skyscrapers. The Docklands Light Railway monorail will quickly take you from Tower Bridge to Canary Wharf.
Hampton Court - one of Britain's most majestic stately homes, just a few miles outside of London, where Henry VIII lived.
Hyde Park (Winter Wonderland) - A corner of Hyde Park becomes a Christmas zone, a funfair, circus and ice skating rink. Right in the heart of London, and great for kids.
Kew Gardens - Kew's Botanical Gardens in West London are one of London's great treasures, and in recent years they have introduced ice-skating at Christmas.
Ice skating is an excellent way to have fun and get fit with friends and family - in fact for everyone, young and old.
While it's a pretty safe activity if you pay attention and take things slowly, at most rinks skaters and spectators are deemed to have knowledge of and assume the inherent risks which include injuries resulting from collision or contact with other skaters, from from falls, or wet flooring.
We recommend that you make sure skates are correctly tightened and that you wear gloves.
Buying A Christmas Present For The Man Who Has Everything
If there's one thing that's hard to do, it's buying a Christmas present for the man who has everything. Every year you ask that pointless question, already knowing the answer.
by Mr B
see all xmas blog posts
European Crusaders brought the mince pie back to England in the 12th Century. It was filled with meat, as well as fruits and spices. Although it has kept the same name, there is no longer any meat in a British mince pie. Well not normally.