Olympique's Top Three Ice Skating Rinks for Winter 2022

Posted on - 10th October 2022

Experts now say that you need to spend an incredible 10,000 hours doing something if you want to become an expert at it. For ice skaters, skating rinks provide an excellent opportunity to do just that, regardless of whether you’re practising your routines or just want to spend some time on the ice.

But not every skating rink is created equal. For every okay skating rink out there, there’s a skating rink that’s truly on another level, the kind of skating rink where just visiting is an experience. And you may not know it, but we have some of those ice skating rinks right here in the UK – and you don’t even have to wear your gymnastics wear to skate there! 

In this article from Olympique, we’ll be going through our three favourite skating rinks in the UK. Read on to discover which ones we picked! 

Cardiff Winter Wonderland

Many cities and towns throughout the UK have a Winter Wonderland. Cardiff’s, though, really is something special. To start with, the entire rink is open-air – meaning that you can skate under the stars. Next – and this is a big one – Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland actually has two(!) locations. 

The first of these locations is the beautiful grounds of Cardiff’s stunning city hall, where for just over a month, they freeze the pond outside, creating a truly incredible spectacle of light and music. The second location is actually based on the grounds of Cardiff Castle. Based under a pavilion, skating at the castle location is like making your way through one of London’s world-famous frost fairs of the Victorian era. And if that wasn’t enough, as well as a traditional ice rink, the castle grounds feature the world-famous ice walk – giving you even more time to skate. 

Both of these locations are fantastic places to skate, whether you’re an experienced competitor or an amateur looking for some more experience. Open from late November to early January, don’t let this amazing opportunity get away from you. 

Somerset House, London

Somerset House has a long and rich history that stretches back all the way to the 16th century. It’s been the home of more than one monarch. Today, it’s commonly used as an event space, and skating at Somerset House is one of the premier events of the season. Featuring a truly beautiful space as well as open-air skating, Somerset House is one of the best skating rinks in the country, and we thoroughly recommend that you visit the space at least once in your skating career. 

Royal Pavillion Ice Rink, Brighton

The Royal Pavillion Ice Rink is arguably the most famous ice rink in the United Kingdom – and for good reason! At night and dusk, the Pavillion is beautifully lit in a range of colours, truly making you feel as though you’ve tumbled into a winter wonderland. Like the Somerset House and Cardiff City Hall skating rinks, the Royal Pavillion is largely based outdoors, allowing you the opportunity to skate under the stars. 

What’s more, just like the Cardiff Winter Wonderland, the Royal Pavillion Ice Rink features two rinks. The main rink offers a lot of space for experienced skaters to have fun in. For younger and less experienced skaters, though, there’s always the beginner’s rink – which features penguin skate aids. These clever little things have been designed to help younger skaters maintain a centre of gravity on the ice. 

It’s because of the penguin skating aids that we recommend Brighton as the rink to visit if you’re bringing toddlers with you. Not only will they love the experience, but they’ll find the penguin skating aids amazing – we know we do! 

Ice Skating Clothes at Olympique 

At Olympique, we’ve been manufacturing high-quality gymnastics wear for over ten years, ensuring that our customers have the best gymnastics clothes possible. Whether you’re looking for long sleeve gymnastics leotards, ice skating dresses, or figure skating dresses, you can find the gymnastics apparel you’re looking for at Olympique. 

Browse our catalogue of skating dresses today to view our product range.