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Ice Skating in Oxford

Ice skating in Oxford, including somewhere you can (sometimes) skate safely outdoors! This is a fantastic activity for teens and tweens.

Click to read also: 10 Things to Do in Bath, England

Outside winter ice skating

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Ice skating was a highlight of our time in Oxford! We spent a lot of time at the Oxford Ice Rink. The kids took lessons on the weekend, and since they were in lessons, they were able to book general admission slots without any extra fees. That was amazing! The rink in Oxford is so much better than anything we have in California. We were homeschooling, so we could go in the morning when it was very quiet. They all made a lot of progress in their skating while we were there.

But ice skating outdoors was the pinnacle of our Oxford ice skating experience.

Skating Outdoors in Oxford

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ice skating in Port Meadow, Oxford

Most of the time, it is too warm to skate outdoors in Oxford. But we had a cold snap, and our landlord sent me an email telling us about this flood plain that makes for skating heaven when it is cold enough.

Port Meadow is, while a meadow, also a flood plain. It often floods in the winter, and when it does, the shallow waters make a pretty safe ice rink! Luckily we had brought our own ice skates, since I don’t think the rink let’s you take their rented skates here.

When we skated, the water was maybe 8 inches deep. It had been well below freezing for days, so there was no danger of falling through. But even if we had, it would only ruin skates. Which would, of course, be sad, but not dangerous.

The shallow water does mean you have to watch for plants poking through the ice. It was fun to see the grass under the frozen water.

Oxford England ice skating

The water was covered in a thick layer of frost, and the children really enjoyed making different shapes with their skates.

Skating outdoors in Oxford

There were a lot of other people out there enjoying the ice, including several ice hockey games. The meadow offered more than enough space for everyone.

This cold of weather is unusual for Oxford, and we were soon back at the ice rink. But there is a real magic to skating outdoors, and I love that my children got to experience this!

Where to skate outside in Oxford

Safety and Skating Outdoors

The biggest danger of skating out doors, is, of course, the risk of falling through the ice. Here we had several days of well below freezing temperatures and a very shallow body of water, making for ideal skating conditions. Always talk to local experts about safety before skating outside!

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MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

4 thoughts on “Ice Skating in Oxford”

  1. I’m so jealous! That would be amazing to skate outdoors.
    I’ve never managed to find a good place to take my kids ice skating, much to my dismay.

    1. It was a magical experience. And the Oxford Ice Rink was incredible – high quality instructors and very affordable, plus gorgeous ice to skate on. Such a great opportunity for my children!

  2. That reminded me my childhood in Minsk where the temperatures in winter allowed outdoor skating. I do have an unpleasant memory of falling through ice – scared my cousin half to death and there was some explaining to do to our parents later :) What a fun experience for your California-grown kiddos!

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