Though London is blessed with an abundance of spectacular ice rinks, it’s been a little while since we’ve seen the charming one at the heart of London’s financial hub. The Canary Wharf ice rink last made an appearance back in 2018, and whilst that seemed an inordinately long time to wait to glide beneath the gleaming towers of Canary Wharf once more, the rink made a long-overdue comeback in late 2021. Even better, it’s open until the end of February!
The thrill of pirouetting across a London ice rink is pretty incomparable, but there’s always been one thing that sets the Canary Wharf ice rink apart from the rest: its longevity. Whereas many a rink turns to water come early January, this one will keep the ice skating fun going all the way through until February 26. That’s a proper staggering nineteen weeks of shenanigans on the ice, the longest season ever seen in these parts.
Rain, wind, and snow (you never know, it could happen) won’t stop the skating here, as the Canary Wharf ice rink is housed beneath a roof lit with 1000 sparkling fairy lights that provide the perfect backdrop to those artfully posed selfies of you and the squad. As with all good Christmas entertainment in London, there’s a conveniently located watering hole close by; The Offpiste Bar offers winter warmers and festive favourites, whilst commanding beautiful views of the rink. Alternatively, the impressive full arsenal of Canary Wharf’s bars and restaurants surround the rink, so you’re never far from a bite to eat or a cocktail to sip.
You’ll find the ice rink in the heart of Canary Wharf’s Canada Square Park, beneath the glittering steel and glass of One Canada Square. It’s available for private hire, with children’s parties and team building days all suggested options to sprinkle a little winter magic over your gatherings. Teachers from local schools can also get in touch to arrange a learn-to-skate session for school kids, free of charge, which is a really lovely initiative.
Even more magical is the fact that you can now hire ‘light skates’ for your session — that’s right, skates decorated with multicoloured LEDs that leave an enchanting, illuminated trail as you glide along the ice. They’re available until the end of January, so you better hurry!
Pop down until February 26 to enjoy this magical ice skating experience. You can find out more from the Canary Wharf website, but tickets are expected to disappear pretty quickly, so get your skates on!
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Also published on Medium.