GREAT OUTDOOR ICE SKATING RINKS IN THE UK

Whether your gliding along gracefully or falling over continuously, outdoor ice skating is a fun day out for all the family. So get your skates on and get into the holiday spirit!

The Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park London
Date: 19 November 2010 - 4 January 2011
Boasting far more than just an ice rink, The Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is a Christmas extravaganza with rides and attractions for all ages. A children’s Santa Express ride and Victorian Bandstand Grotto will delight the kids. The outdoor ice rink has no minimum age for children, but ice skates only start at size 9 in children’s sizes. 
Details: 19 November 2010 - 4 January 2011 10am until 10pm (including Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve excluding Christmas Day when the event is CLOSED. On 19th November the event is open from 4pm to 10pm.
Admission: Ice skating admission varies between peak and off peak times, the Winter Wonderland is free to enter, but you must buy tickets to go on the big wheel.

Tower of London Ice Skating 
Date: 20th November 2010 to 9th January 2011
Enjoy ice skating at one of the most famous landmarks in London, located in the dry moat beneath the Tower of London North Wall. The Tower of London ice rink offers a truly unique outdoor ice skating experience, with plenty of fun to be had for skaters of all ages.

Somerset House Ice Rink
Date: 23 November 2010 - 23 January 2011
Go skating in the very heart of London, on an ice rink set against the gracious 18th-century facade of Somerset House. Now entering its 11th year, the Somerset House ice rink provides a full calendar of special events in November and December. DJ nights steps up the atmosphere, giving you an opportunity for floodlit skating with musical accompaniment. The Penguin Club offers skating tuition for children aged up to eight on weekends in January.

Winter ice skating at Canary Wharf
Date: 13 November 2010 – 20 February 2011
Visitors to Canary Wharf can gear up for Christmas and New Year with a spin on the ice, in suitably festive surroundings. The atmosphere promises to be vibrant as kids and adults take to the ice rink during crisp, clear afternoons and bright, wintry evenings. The skating season runs until 20 February 2011 with the rink open between 9.45am and 11pm Monday to Saturday and 9.45am-7.30pm on Sundays.

Broadgate Ice Rink
Date: 30 October 2010 - 23 January 2011
Broadgate Ice Rink is a small but perfectly formed ice rink right in the heart of The City, and proves a popular choice for all ages. The rink will be open once again for the 2010 season so if you're in The City, this is the perfect place for you.

Natural History Museum Ice Rink
Date: 5 November 2010 - 9 January 2011
Take advantage of the impressive 1,000 square meter outdoor ice rink at the Natural History Museum this winter, offering the chance to enjoy open air ice skating in a grand London setting. Natural History Museum ice rink tickets can be part of a whole day out at the Natural History Museum, a special family treat this winter.

The Eden Project, Cornwall
Date: 23 October 2010 – 27 February 2011
Now, if you're anything like us, you may not naturally associate a giant greenhouse with an ice skating rink. But every year, from November onwards, this Cornish attraction goes from the tropical to practically artic with its outdoor Christmas attractions. Fancy trying a real winter sport? As well as skating, this year you can also try curling on the huge rink - infinitely cooler than bowls!

Winchester Cathedral Ice Rink
Date: 25 November 2010 – 3 January 2011
A temporary open-air real ice rink is built in the centre of the Cathedral’s historic Inner Close for our Christmas celebrations. Skating is fun for people of all ages and abilities so it’s a great way to spend time with friends and family. The Cathedral provides a stunning backdrop to the ice rink, which for much of the time is surrounded by our Christmas Market.
Mums & Tots Sessions: Exclusive sessions will be held for children aged 2 years and above and accompanying adults on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 25 November – 9 December at 9.45am. 10 penguins (stabilizers) will be available for hire on each of these sessions for an additional £2.

Ice rink and Santa’s Castle in Bristol
Date: 19 November - 8 January
The Magical Ice Skating Rink opens on Castle Park. It's time to get your skates on in Bristol this Christmas because after their success last year, the temporary ice rinks have returned to both Broadmead and The Mall. Special events over Christmas include a launch party with Wallace & Gromit on November 18th, a Christmas Carol evening on December 24th, New Year's Eve fireworks.

York Ice Factor
Date: 20 November 2010 - 9 January 2011
The Ice Factor opens to the public on Saturday 20th November 2010 and runs until Sunday 9th January 2011. The Ice Factor, York’s open-air ice rink, is one of the country’s most picturesque settings for an outdoor rink, skaters glide around an illuminated oak tree in the centre of the 600sqm rink, overlooked by the spectacular Clifford’s Tower, the Law Courts and the Castle Museum, right in the centre of historic York.

Hampton Court Ice Rink
Date: 27 November 2010 - 9 January 2011
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8, 0208 241 9818
The temporary outdoor ice rink at Hampton Court Palace will be up and running from the 27th November - 9th January 2011. The ice-rinks setting in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace, in front of the palace is quite spectacular. The ice rink is open generally from 10am to 10pm. Pre-booking is advised as it does get very busy, and the session lasts one hour. Ice-skating is subject to varying weather and ground conditions.

Skating@Life 
Date: 13 November 2010 - 27 February 2011
Life Science Centre, Centre for Life, Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4EP Tel: 0191 243 8210
50 metric tonnes of real ice transform Times Square into a winter wonderland attracting almost 80,000 visitors during the 15 week season…

Winter wonderland, Cardiff
Date: 10 November 2010 - 3 January 2011
If you're up for a 'right tidy' festive frolic, head to Cardiff's City Hall, where you'll find the Winter Wonderland. As well as an ice skating rink (with heated spectator stands for the less adventurous) you can enjoy fairground rides and live music. Plus, you can slide into 2010 in style as the rink celebrates Calennig, or New Year's Eve, with a midnight skating session.

The Ice Cube, Leeds
Date: 15 January 2011 – 6 March 2011
Rounding-off the UK ice skating calendar is The Ice Cube in Leeds, Britain's largest temporary ice rink. With over 1200 sq m of real ice, there's plenty of room for you to glide - or fall - into, providing you can let go of the hand rail, of course.

Edinburgh’s Winter Wonderland
Date: 25 November 2010 - 4 January 2011
Britain's biggest open-air ice-rink, Edinburgh's Winter Wonderland is set up annually in Princes Street Gardens. The city's Christmas festivities also include a market and kick off with the lighting of the Christmas lights. Throughout the festival, open-air ice-skating is available in the shadow of Edinburgh Castle. Along with lights and decorations, there are performances by professional skaters, ice hockey matches and curling competitions. A fair featuring children's rides, stalls, food and drink is held next to the Scott Monument.

Glasgow on Ice, Glasgow
Date: 27th November 2010 – 29th December 2010
Set slap-bang in the middle of George Square, under the lights of the huge Christmas tree, this outdoor rink is the centrepiece to Glasgow's annual Winterfest. As well as having a skate, why not grab a bite to eat at one of the many Christmassy nibble stalls, or catch a show on the big stage? There are plenty of outdoor movies to watch while you skate in December, including The Snowman - an absolute Christmas classic.