I’ve lived in London for almost two decades, and I don’t think a festive season has gone by without me gracing one of the open air ice rinks. Always keen to find new rinks, I was delighted when I was invited to the press launch of the new ice rink at Queen’s House, Greenwich.
If you are not familiar with the Queen’s House, it is a Unesco heritage site, part of the Royal Museums of Greenwich. With free entry, this architectural beauty is home to an internationally renowned art collection, and this winter, a stunning ice rink.
And indeed, it’s location is what makes this ice rink so special: With the backdrop of the gorgeous house on one side of the rink, and the view out towards the grand Naval College and the sky scrapers of Canary Wharf twinkle on the other. It feels quintessentially London, with the old and newer parts of London surrounding you as you whizz around the ice.
The ice rink itself is a decent size; you are not going to zoom around in a few seconds flat unless you are an Olympic speed skater. Plenty of room to glide away and admire the beautiful views.
When you step off the ice, there are food and drink outlets, so a chance to warm up with a mulled wine or hot chocolate!
The cobbled streets of Greenwich are beautiful this time of year – festooned with Christmas decorations, a skate and a wander around the alleyways makes a wonderful festive trip. Of course, you could also pop to the other Royal Greenwich Museum sites such as The Cutty Sark or The Observatory too.
The Detail:
- The ice rink at Queen’s House is open now until January 10th 2020, closed on Christmas Day
- Tickets can be booked online
- All under 12s must be accompanied by an adult, skating is available from the age of three upwards
- Prices are £13.50 per adult and £6.50 per child for off peak times, and peak times are priced at £16 per adult and £8 per child, There are concessions for students, under 25s and members
- The ticket prices includes skate hire, children requiring penguin skate aids are charged at £5, on a first-come-first-served basis
- Please arrive 30 minutes before your session
- Skating time is 45 minutes
- The rink is open from 10am – 8pm
- Visit Royal Museums Greenwich website for more
How to get there:
- The address is Queen’s House, Romney Road, Greenwich SE10 9NF
- There is a pay and display carpark which is £3 an hour on Park Row and Burney Street.
- The nearest DLR is The Cutty Sark
- The nearest bus is 129, 177, 180, 188, 286, 386 and N1.
- The nearest main line is Greenwich or Maze Hill
My opinion:
This is a beautiful new rink and a wonderful addition to the festive ice skating scene in London. Greenwich is such a stunning part of London with so much to do in the area, it makes for a fabulous day out this Christmas.
I attended the Press Launch for the opening of the ice rink at Queen’s House and I have been asked to write a blog post of my honest opinions. I have been compensated for my time and work
