Get Your Ice Skates On

In the years since ‘Dancing on Ice’ has been on television, people have been even more enthusiastic about ice skating in the winter months than they used to be. There are several rinks opening around London, each decorated festively and attracting people of all ages. If you want to see me glide confidently across the ice as gracefully as a swan, you’re in for a long wait. But if you want to see me (and many others like me) stumble onto the rink, wobble on Bambi legs and fall flat on my face, you might want to head down to The Natural History Museum. Today, 4th November, its beautiful ice rink opens to the general public.

The main rink is 1000 square metres, and surrounded by trees full of fairy lights to create a magical, Christmas-sy feel. The best views are in the evening when it’s dark; since the clocks went back weekend, it’s pitch black by 5pm! The rink is open until 10pm so you have plenty of time to do some night skating. For the kiddlies, there is a smaller rink which they’ll find a bit less daunting than the main one, as well as a cute fairground carousel they can ride.

If you love all this festive malarkey but don’t trust your ankles enough to try ice skating, you can still enjoy the atmosphere from the balcony cafe that overlooks the rink. Mulled wine and hot chocolate are served here to warm your cockles, though it’s still forecast to be pretty darn warm this weekend; you’d never guess it was November (aside from all the ice and fairy lights)! Get there in a jiffy by taking a South Kensington minicab to the Natural History Museum, any time between now and 8th January 2012. Prices vary, but an adult costs £13.00 at peak-time. It’s the perfect way to wave goodbye to the summer and welcome in the snowy (or not so snowy) season.