Ice skating in London takes on a different character when the rink sits beneath a famous landmark. In December 2018, I visited Somerset House, the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum to film three particularly striking settings for an evening on the ice.
This Roberts London episode premiered on 20 December 2018. The photographs below are stills from the original film, recording the rinks as they looked that winter. Rain followed part of the visit, but the skating and festive lights continued.
Somerset House: skating in the illuminated courtyard
I began on the Strand with a confession about my own skating ability. A rink did not have to be enormous when I was likely to spend much of my time holding the safety rail. For this outing, I was interested in the setting as much as the skating.
At Somerset House, the courtyard provided a grand backdrop. A large Christmas tree stood beside the rink, while coloured lighting washed across the ice and the surrounding buildings. Skaters moved through the scene beneath the illuminated SKATE sign.
I also pointed out another way to enjoy it: watching from the rinkside bar. You could take in the movement and the lights without stepping onto the ice. The film spends time looking across the rink before I head off to see the next location.
The Tower of London ice rink in the rain
The next stop placed the rink in the moat beside the Tower of London. From above, I could look across the ice towards the walls and towers, with the rink’s lights standing out against the night.
By then, it was raining hard. I joked that the rink looked more like a swimming pool, but the weather had not emptied it. People were still skating, and the wet surface caught the lights in long reflections.
The contrast made this one of the most memorable views of the evening: bright ice beneath the dark outline of the Tower. I filmed from the edge and above the rink, including the adjoining bar and the people sheltering nearby. The landmark remained the centre of attention, even in the rain.
The Natural History Museum rink and café-bar
At the Natural History Museum, the rain had finally stopped. The ice still looked wet, while the museum and illuminated trees created another distinctive London backdrop.
I took a look at the rink, then went into the café-bar. Inside, strings of lights ran overhead and people sat at tables beside the windows. After the wet weather outside, it was an appealing place to pause.
This time, I decided to stick to drinks and leave the skating to other people. The film shows me with a cup before returning to the view across the ice. Below, skaters continued around the illuminated tree in the middle of the rink.
Towards the end, I reflected that the rain had not dampened the festive spirit. That is what links the three visits: people carrying on with their evening, surrounded by some of London’s most recognisable buildings.
Watch the 2018 ice-skating tour
The full film runs for six minutes and 41 seconds. Watch below for Somerset House, the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum, including the changing weather and the views from beside the ice.
Continue the season with my rainy evening Christmas markets tour or the full December in London episode.
