We checked 8 ice rinks near Watford, from Big Skate at Pondside to Planet Ice in Hemel, for 2026 dates, prices and rules. Updated November 2026.
Watford has one Christmas ice rink and 7 more are within reach in 2026, and this guide puts their dates, prices and rules in one place. Most people land on Big Skate at Pondside, from 5 December, Planet Ice in Hemel Hempstead, open all year, or Brent Cross On Ice, open now.
Distances are road miles from Pondside, and we found no rink announced for Rickmansworth, Bushey, Croxley Green or Abbots Langley.
| Rink | By road | Season | Adult ticket | Skate hire in the price? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Skate, Watford | In town | 5 Dec to 3 Jan | £14; £12 before 23 Nov | Yes |
| Planet Ice, Hemel Hempstead | 9 miles | All year | £10.50 to £14.10 | Not stated |
| Brent Cross On Ice | 14 miles | Open now, to 3 Jan | £15 plus £1.50 fee | Not stated |
| Alexandra Palace | 18 miles | All year | £11.75 to £12.75 | Not stated |
| Queens, Bayswater | 19 miles | All year | From £8 | Not stated |
| Hyde Park Winter Wonderland | 19 miles | 19 Nov to 3 Jan | £12.65 to £19.25 in advance | Yes |
| Skate Leicester Square | 20 miles | Open now, to 3 Jan | From £7.60 plus £3 fee | Not stated |
| Skate at Somerset House | 21 miles | 11 Nov to 10 Jan | £13 to £28.50 plus £1.50 fee | Yes |
In Watford
1. Big Skate at Pondside
The town’s own Christmas rink, covered, real ice and about 12m by 20m, with a tree in the middle of the ice. Ice Park Ltd runs it for Watford Borough Council with sponsorship from the Mace Foundation, and the council says all proceeds from ticket sales go to four charities and good causes.
A ticket buys an hour, 45 minutes of it on the ice. The minimum age is 4, and under-12s must have someone aged 16 or over with them on the ice.
There is a Quiet Skate session every day, marked on the calendar. The early-bird prices end on 22 November.
Session-by-session times are on our Watford ice rink page.
Open 5 December 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed Christmas Day; opening day from 1pm; 7 to 18 December from 3pm on weekdays; other weekends and from 21 December from noon
Price adult (13+) £14; child (4 to 12) £10; family of four £45; before 23 November £12, £8 and £38; skate aid £3; carers and spectators free
Booking online recommended; walk-ins only if a session has not sold out; no refunds, changes up to 48 hours before
Address Pondside, The Parade, Watford, WD17 1NA
Parking Avenue car park closest, with Gade; Sutton and Church a few minutes further
Website tickettailor.com/events/bigskatebywatfordboroughcouncilmacefoundation/2458275
Good for skate hire included, early-bird prices, quiet sessions, fully accessible
The two closest rinks outside town
2. Planet Ice, Hemel Hempstead
A permanent rink at Jarman Square, about 9 miles away, and the only rink here we found listing a Christmas Day session. Prices move with the day, and in December some sessions run as Skate and Spot Santa at the usual £14.10.
Under-8s must have an adult on the ice, and under-12s must wear gloves. The booking system does not print a skate hire price, so check when you book.
London Northwestern trains run from Watford Junction to Hemel Hempstead station, which is not beside the rink, so a car is the simple way.
Open all year; Saturday 7 November 11.45am to 1.45pm, 2.15pm to 4.30pm and 5pm to 7.15pm; Wednesday 11 November 3.45pm to 5.45pm and 7pm to 9pm; Christmas Day 10am to 12pm; New Year's Eve 10.30am to 6pm
Price adult or child £10.50 to £14.10 by day; family of 3 to 5 £9.45 to £13.10 each; student £10; under 4 £3.20; Christmas Day £10 a skater; carers free with an access card
Booking online, by date and session
Address Jarman Square, Jarmans Park, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4JS
Website planet-ice.co.uk/ice-skating
Good for indoor, all year, Christmas Day skating, family tickets
3. Brent Cross On Ice
A seasonal rink run by ONICE just outside Brent Cross Shopping Centre, about 14 miles away and already open. Sessions start on the hour and last 45 minutes, and ONICE asks you to arrive 20 minutes early.
The minimum age is 3, skate aids are for under-10s shorter than 110cm, and helmets are for hire. The 142 bus runs direct from Watford Junction and Watford High Street to the shopping centre, and parking there is free.
Open to 3 January 2027, closed Christmas Day; Mon to Fri 3pm to 9pm; Sat and Sun 10am to 9pm; from 10am in school holidays; Christmas Eve 10am to 6pm; 26 December and 1 January 12pm to 7pm; New Year's Eve 10am to 7pm
Price adult £15; child (12 and under) £13; student £13 at the box office; family of four £50; booking fee £1.50 a ticket, £6 on a family ticket (Brent Cross Shopping Centre)
Booking online recommended; tickets non-refundable, moves allowed with 7 days' notice
Call 020 8163 9097
Address Prince Charles Drive, Hendon, London, NW4 3FP
Parking free at the shopping centre
Website onice.co.uk/locations/brent-cross
Good for open now, direct bus from Watford, free parking, helmets for hire
North London, open all year
4. Alexandra Palace Ice Rink
An indoor rink inside the palace, about 18 miles away, which says it was “voted the UK’s number 1 ice rink in 2023” and has regular skaters aged from 3 to 90. Term-time weekday sessions last two hours, except the last of the day, and weekend and holiday sessions an hour and a half. It is closed for public skating from Friday 6 to Monday 9 November for the Fireworks and Drone Festival.
The Festive Skate runs from 9 December to 4 January, and the page lists no separate prices for it. Skate aids are sold at the rink, first come, first served.
TfL’s planner takes about 75 minutes from Pondside, through Euston and Wood Green and then on the W3 bus.
Open Mon 11am to 4.30pm; Tue and Fri 1.15pm to 5pm; Wed and Thu 11am to 5pm; Sat and Sun 11am to 4.30pm; closed to the public 6 to 9 November; Festive Skate 9 December 2026 to 4 January 2027
Price off peak / peak: standard £11.75 / £12.75; under 12 and over 65 £10.50 / £11.50; under 5 £7.75 / £8.75; spectator £2.50 / £3; skate aid £7.50
Booking online advised; sales in person are card only
Call 020 8365 4343
Address Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY
Parking free for 30 minutes, then £2.20 an hour; Blue Badge holders free
Website alexandrapalace.com/the-ice-rink/book-a-skate
Good for indoor, all year, Festive Skate, lessons
Central London, by train from Watford Junction
The fast trains reach Euston in about 16 minutes, and the routes below start from there; our trains to London page has the fares. There is no Lioness line between Watford Junction and Euston on 21 and 22 November, though London Northwestern trains keep running, and no National Rail trains on Christmas Day. The Christmas travel page has the rest of what is known.
5. Queens Ice and Bowl, Bayswater
An indoor rink on Queensway which describes itself as the oldest surviving ice rink in London, open since 1930, with bowling and curling in the same building. It says you can usually walk in to a public session, but that booking online is always cheaper.
Skates, penguin aids and warm clothing are for hire, though the page does not say what hire costs. We could not find a Christmas timetable, so check dates over the holidays before you travel.
From Euston, take the Victoria line to Oxford Circus and the Central line to Queensway.
Open all year; Late Skate every night 9pm to close
Price from £8 Monday and Tuesday; Late Skate from £10; off peak from £11.75; peak from £13.75
Booking online, cheaper than on the door
Call 020 7229 0172
Address 17 Queensway, London, W2 4QP
Website queens.london/skating
Good for indoor, all year, late sessions, lessons from age 5
6. Ice skating at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
The rink inside Winter Wonderland, built around the park’s bandstand, which Winter Wonderland calls the UK’s largest open-air rink. Sessions last 45 minutes, and you should arrive 20 minutes early.
Skaters must be 3 or over, and children aged 3 to 12 need a skating adult aged 18 or over with them. Skates are included, wheelchairs are allowed on the ice, and bags go in the cloakroom at £2 an item.
Phones and cameras are not allowed on the ice. From Euston, take the Victoria line to Green Park and the Piccadilly line to Hyde Park Corner.
Open 19 November 2026 to 3 January 2027; sessions 10am to 9pm
Price advance adult £12.65 off peak, £17.05 standard, £19.25 peak; child (3 to 12) £9.35, £11.55, £13.75; family £37.40, £46.20, £55; £1 to £4 more on the day
Booking choose a time slot online
Address Hyde Park, London
Website hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/attraction/ice-skating
Good for skates included, family tickets, off-peak prices, wheelchair access
7. Skate Leicester Square
An open-air circular rink from Underbelly in the middle of Leicester Square, with a seasonal bar and Christmas market stalls alongside. It is already open.
Under-12s must be with a responsible adult, and under-3s are not allowed on the ice. Its booking page showed tickets from £7.60 plus a £3 transaction fee on 5 November, the lowest starting price here, and prices change by session.
The Northern line runs direct from Euston to Leicester Square in about five minutes.
Open 31 October 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed Christmas Day; to 26 November Mon to Fri 12pm to 10pm, Sat and Sun 10am to 10pm; from 27 November daily 10am to 10pm; Christmas Eve 10am to 6pm; 26 December and 1 January 12pm to 10pm
Price from £7.60, plus a £3 transaction fee (booking page, 5 November 2026)
Booking online
Address Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LU
Website skateleicestersquare.co.uk
Good for open now, lowest starting price, evening sessions
8. Skate at Somerset House
The rink in the 18th-century courtyard of Somerset House, under a 40ft Christmas tree. All sessions last 45 minutes, apart from three 90-minute ones at noon on 11, 17 and 23 November.
Under-12s must have an adult on the ice, one for every five children, and boots are included. Skate Lates with DJs start on 12 November with sessions from 8pm, Skate School and a Kids Skate Club start on 14 November, and there are relaxed sessions with fewer skaters.
TfL’s planner sends you from Euston on the 68 bus, about 16 minutes.
Open 11 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, closed Christmas Day; sessions usually 11am to 9.45pm, from 9am and to 10.45pm on selected dates; Christmas Eve from 9am, last session 5pm; 26 December from 12pm
Price adults £13 to £28.50; children £11 to £15; plus £1.50 fee a ticket; 10% off family tickets
Booking online, or 0343 208 1497
Address Strand, London, WC2R 1LA
Website somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/skate-somerset-house
Good for boots included, longest season here, lessons, relaxed sessions, wheelchair users welcome
Not in this guide
- Chiltern View, Lee Valley Ice Centre and Skate Letchworth: real rinks, but all about 20 miles or more by road and harder to reach from Watford than those above.
- Willows Activity Farm, London Colney: older roundups mention skating at its Santa event, but its 2026 Santa Spectacular page does not.
- Van Hage, Great Amwell: older listings describe a rink, and we could not confirm one for 2026.
How we chose
These are the rinks people around Watford can reasonably reach, within about 20 miles by road or a simple train journey, with 2026 details and prices published by the operator. Dates, prices and rules come from each rink’s own website or booking page, read on 5 November 2026. Booking fees at Brent Cross come from the shopping centre’s Christmas page. Road distances come from a routing service and journey times from TfL’s planner, for a Saturday morning in December.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@watfordtoday.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@watfordtoday.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
More for the season: the Christmas lights switch-on at Pondside, the Watford pantomime, Christmas dinner in Watford and what’s on in Watford this month. If you are driving, see parking in Watford and the roadworks and travel page. For the rest of the year, there are things to do in Watford and our local directory.
Sources
- Big Skate, box office and FAQs, read 5 November 2026; rink size and operator from the report to Watford Borough Council’s Cabinet, 5 October 2026
- Planet Ice booking system and rink address for Hemel Hempstead, read 5 November 2026
- ONICE Brent Cross and Brent Cross Shopping Centre’s Christmas page, read 5 November 2026
- Alexandra Palace, Book a Skate and car parking, read 5 November 2026
- Queens, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Skate Leicester Square and Somerset House’s times, tickets and FAQs, read 5 November 2026
- TfL route data, planned closures and Journey Planner, read 5 November 2026
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice rink in Watford?
Not a permanent one. Big Skate, a covered Christmas rink run for Watford Borough Council, is at Pondside from Saturday 5 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, closed on Christmas Day. Adults pay £14 and children £10, or £12 and £8 if booked before 23 November.
What is the nearest ice rink to Watford open all year?
Planet Ice in Hemel Hempstead, about 9 miles from Watford town centre by road. Prices move with the day: the booking system showed £10.50 for Wednesday 11 November and £14.10 for Saturday 7 November.
Can you go ice skating near Watford on Christmas Day?
Planet Ice in Hemel Hempstead lists one session on Christmas Day, from 10am to 12pm, at £10 a skater and £3.20 for under-4s. Big Skate, Brent Cross, Somerset House and Leicester Square are all closed that day, and no National Rail trains run, so you would need to drive.
Have your say