Thanks to Heated Rivalry and the Winter Olympics 2026, everyone’s eyeing up the ice. Fortunately, you don’t need a medal in order to grace London’s indoor ice rinks and ski slopes with your novice moves.
For some, the Winter Olympics can lead to renewed — if slightly fanciful — ambitions. One minute you’re watching the ski jumpers soaring through the air and landing effortlessly, and the figure skaters gliding languidly across the ice and nailing triple axels to rapturous applause. The next, you’re scrambling to find your old pair of skates. Add to that the social media frenzy surrounding the Heated Rivalry boys, and being a winter sports expert suddenly feels less like a fantasy and more like a viable new personality trait.
In London there’s a distinct lack of snow-covered mountain slopes. There are, however, a few reliable year-round ice rinks and indoor ski centres scattered across the capital. The podium may be a stretch, but a credible five-second glide is entirely achievable.
London’s best indoor ice rinks
Best for groups – Queens Skate Dine Bowl
Said to be London’s oldest continuously operating ice-skating rink, Queens Skate Dine Bowl in Bayswater has, according to legend, welcomed everyone from Olympic champions to princes William and Harry, and even Princess Diana. Royal rumours aside, it’s certainly a strong starting point. Public skate sessions are available via walk-in or online booking, with the latter usually being the cheaper option. Off the ice, bowling, darts, curling and a retro arcade make it the ideal spot for birthday parties, group gatherings or a fun work social. If you’re feeling serious about your new sporting era, you can also take skate lessons to sharpen your craft in between dazzling friends with your skills.
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Best for ice hockey – Alexandra Palace Ice Rink
Located atop a hill with sweeping views of the London skyline, Ally Pally’s vaulted glass dome has seen it all. Not just a training ground for Olympians, it’s also played host to Dancing on Ice rehearsals — that’s a lot of celebrity bottoms hitting the floor. For those keen to improve, there’s a range of skating courses available that cater to beginners through to advanced levels. But come the weekend, it’s all play and no work. Saturday evenings are reserved for disco nights, while Sunday’s relaxed soundtrack is ideal for casual skaters and families. During winter, it’s also home to the Haringey Huskies ice hockey team, so you can soak up the competitive spirit from the stands after your own session.
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Best for parties or getting serious – Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre
Head to Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre and you’ll find a gym, swimming pool, sports hall and sizeable ice rink. Public skating sessions run throughout the week, and you can book birthday parties or private events if you’re celebrating. For those committed to genuine improvement, the centre also runs fully accredited courses under British Ice Skating (BIS), the sport’s UK governing body.
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Best for a sense of community – Lee Valley Ice Centre
In east London’s newly trendy suburban borough of Leyton, Lee Valley Ice Centre’s community-focused rink offers sessions for all ages and abilities. Alongside public skating and themed disco nights there are learn-to-skate courses that can take you from cautious shuffler to confident glider. You’ll need to create an account to book sessions — or use of any of the other facilities such as the onsite gym — so regular visitors might consider a membership for broader, flexible access. Worth it, perhaps, if you’re planning a long-term relationship with the rink.
Indoor skiing centres in London
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Best for honing your craft – Chel-Ski
Walking down the King’s Road in Chelsea, the last thing you might expect to see is a gaggle of skiers spilling out onto the pavement, flushed from a day on the slopes. But just around the corner, London’s largest indoor ski centre, Chel-Ski, is bringing a slice of alpine life to west London. Small class sizes are organised by skill level, and pupils can experiment with different conditions, speeds and inclines. Afterwards, head to the Alpine Bar for a bit of touch of apres-style relaxation and a restorative bite to eat.
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Best for a fun day trip – The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead
Technically just outside London, the Snow Centre is reachable by train in under 30 minutes from Euston, and services usually run every 20 minutes. It’s one of the few indoor places in the UK where you can actually ski on real snow, produced using snow cannons. Whether you’re learning on the 100-metre lesson slope or graduating to the 160-metre main slope, it’s the nearest you’ll get to a mountain piste this close to the M25.
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Best for ski lessons – Skieasy, Chiswick
You may not be able to control the slopes, but if you’re just starting out, a controlled environment might just be the setting to learn in. Based in Chiswick, Skieasy’s indoor rotating ‘ski treadmill’ — not as scary as it sounds — means you can skip the queues, avoid the lifts and enjoy a session of pure skiing or snowboarding. Lessons are typically one-on-one, with immediate, personalised feedback, mirrored walls for self-correction and carefully controlled speeds. Efficient, focused and blissfully weatherproof.
Feature image: Freepik
