I live in Wales, and there are only two ice rinks in the whole country, Cardiff and Deeside. Deeside is only about half an hour a way from me so I used to go there alot when I was younger. But apparently there are whole areas of the country that are without a rink close by.

For example neither Liverpool or Manchester, both big cities, have ice rinks. I think the next nearest to me after Deeside is Telford and after that, god knows

Wouldn't it be great if there was an ice rink in every big town and city? Then more people would be likely to skate.

Yeah, I agree - I think the nearest ice rink to me is about two hours away - in all directions. I'd probably learn if there was one near, but I can't travel that far as often enough as I'd need to for lessons.

We've got the National Ice Centre in Nottingham with two rinks!

It's only been built a few years. It certainly wasn't like that in Torvill and Dean's day!

The nearest one to Nottingham is Sheffield

I really ought to make use of our Ice Rink in Telford, I only live 20 mins away from it. I can't skate for my life, but it would be fun to learn. Though I think I might have left it too late to be of any use in championships, wrong side of 30 see. *humph*

I went to Telford when I was a kid to watch my brother play Ice Hockey. It was a nice rink, really modern. But then this was the early 90's.

I also went with him to Billingham, Whitley Bay and Trafford(now closed), all three of which were decrepid and run down.

Yeah my boyfriend says to me 'Why didnt you ever learn to skate?' seeing as I run a huge website on the subject and this is why. I would never have had dreams of being fab at it but just being able to bust the odd move on the ice now and then would be nice.

I may check out lessons at the new Cardiff Bay rink, if he promises to come with me (Which he did one night when watching the European CHampionships last week LOL)

Oh, SparkleBabe, would that be Billingham Forum? I spent a weekend in Billingham many,many years ago for a gymnastics training course and every spare minute I spent on that rink. The very first one I'd been to. I remember watching a small group have lessons and trying to copy them. Shame if it's really run down now, it was great back then... at least it was to a 12 year old.

Yeah, I think it was Billingham Forum. It was a Leisure Centre like Deeside.

If I lived anywhere near Deeside, instead of London, I would book up lessons with Marika Humphreys right away on a weekly basis...oh, and some with Vitaliy for good measure!!

I had lessons at Telford when I was 12 about 10 years ago now. I really loved skating but from my home to the rink it was an hour journey. I'd got to spins and spirals (where I largely lost my balance and ended up on the ice) and could just about manage a cherry flip (I think it was called that) but to get better I needed to go more than just once a week and it just wasn't possible so I gave up. I still love skating but it is a much over looked sport. If memory serves me correctly there are only 12 full sized rinks in the country.

I love in N.Ireland the nearest ice rink is and hour and a half away and its the only one in n.ireland!!!!!

It's very famous though, Dundonald, where you have a very promising young Pair called Drake & Alton. Try and pop along to see them one day.

Really god i never knew thatthanks for the tip of!

You're welcome, ofcourse the British Ladies Champion Jenna McCorkell is from N.Ireland, she was 15th at the Europeans in Warsaw last week.

http://www.skateni.net/home.html


This is the young Pair, still Juniors, who are getting people excited. They are not icedancers, but Figure Skaters who do the Jumps, spins and high lifts.

http://www.skateni.net/pairs1.html

Cardiff is cold and soulless in my opinion Can't wait for the "real" one to open.
But Galaxy Gliders lessons there are fairly reasonable in price and content. The only problem for me is the timeing of them.

I don't even know where the nearest one to me is.

Dave

There aren't many round here either!!

UK Rink Directory.

http://www.specialistskatingservices.co.uk/ukRinks.htm

They closed Deeside about five years ago and completley rebuilt the rink. Its supposed to be one of the best in the UK now and they refer to themselves as the Welsh Natioanl Ice Centre, or words to that effect.

Not sure what Cardiff makes of that though?

We are lucky to live about 10 miles from Bracknell Ice Rink which has probably been there for about 25 years but the next nearest is Oxford and Richmond Ice Rink was knocked down for flats years ago.

Can't think of many in London either

Well, rumour has it that the super casino to be built here in Manchester will have an ice rink attached. Probably take about 5 years to build though, if it happens.

La Rhumba, you are so helpful!

Dave

We've got a few, but none of them are Olympic size AFAIK.

The biggest trend has been in those Outdoor Winter Rinks over Christmas popping up all over.

I just hope a few youngsters are inspired to take up the sport, as we need a bigger pool of talent to choose from to represent GB, eg. our National Pairs Champions, although skating a Personal Best and finishing 11th at Europeans, didn't even do a side by side Double Axel, never mind a triple jump, which is the norm now.

I'm lucky there's one only a bus ride away from me, in Oxford

Erm, my UK geography is very poor, wheres the nearest one of those to Worcester?

Dave