Ice-skating is said to date back to the Vikings, who, more than 1,200 years ago, built skates from animal bones. The bones were shaped and sharpened until they formed a flat gliding surface and were then attached to Viking feet everywhere for easy movement on ice.
This method stayed popular for hundreds of years until, around the 1300s, the Dutch started using wooden platform skates with flat iron bottom runners. Leather straps were used to attach the new skates to shoes, and poles helped push the skater forward. In the 1500s the Dutch added a narrow, metal double-edged blade, enabling skaters to move forward without poles.
The first artificial ice rink was mechanically refrigerated and built by John Gamgee in London in 1876. It was named the Glaciarium and stood near the King's Road.
This winter, eight ice rinks will be set up across the capital, including beautiful venues such as Kew Gardens, Somerset House, the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum.
Which only leaves us to recommend you to get your skates on! Oh, and don't forget to treat yourself to some warming mulled wine and mince pies afterwards.
Go ice-skating at:
- Natural History Museum Ice Rink, South Kensington, open from 16 November to 22 January. Visit www.nhm.ac.uk for more information and tickets.
- Tower of London Ice Rink opens on 19 November for seven weeks to 8 January. Visit
www.toweroflondonicerink.com or call 0870 602 1100 to book.
- Somerset House Ice Rink is open from 24 November to
29 January. See www.somersethouseicerink.org.uk for details and bookings.
- Kew Gardens Ice Rink returns from 26 November to 15 January. Go to www.rbgkew.org.uk for more information or to book tickets.
- Royal Windsor Ice Rink is open from 26 November to 8 January. Go to www.royalwindsoricerink.com or call 0870 169 6892.
- Greenwich Ice Rink, at the Old Royal Naval College, runs from 3 December to 15 January. Go to www.greenwichicerink.com
or call 0870 169 0101.
- Hampstead Heath Ice Rink at Parliament Hill Fields is open from 3 December to 15 January. The website is www.hampsteadheathicerink.com or telephone 0870 060 1762.
- Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink is open from 3 December to 15 January. Go to www.hamptoncourticerink.com or call
0870 060 1778.