There’s something so wonderfully festive about whacking on a pair of skates and gliding ungracefully around an ice rink. The Hampton Court Palace ice rink joins a number of skating sites reopening for the winter, and you can head there from today (November 17)!
This rink is situated in the gardens of Henry VIII’s historic home, so you can glide all your troubles away with spectacular views of the Tudor palace in the background. It also happens to be an open-air venue, meaning you’ll have London’s beautiful sky to gaze at while you skate.
If you work up an appetite on the ice, the trusty Miss Polly’s Café will be nearby to offer you a hearty meal. Thankfully, it’s open every day (excluding Christmas Day) between 10am and 8:45pm to serve hungry skaters. You’ll find anything you could want for a post-skate pick-me-up, be it a pie to warm you up; a loaded hot chocolate to make you feel festive; stacked fries for pure indulgence; or a slice of homemade cake to compliment your afternoon cuppa.
tapas-like platters, homemade soup, camembert with plenty of bread, and the most Christmassy treat of them all, mince pies, on the menu. If you have more of a sweet tooth, their wide selection of cakes, brownies, and muffins will surely impress you. More importantly, no festive skate would ever be complete without mulled wine. So it’s just as well that there’ll be plenty of winter warmers to choose from.
Skating sessions last for up to 45 minutes and you’ll need to book in advance to secure your spot. It may be chilly out but we definitely won’t receive a frosty reception from the Hampton Palace ice rink!