We checked 6 ice rinks near Abingdon, from Oxford's all-year rink to Blenheim and Yattendon, for 2026 dates, prices and age rules. Updated November 2026.

Six ice rinks are within about 32 miles of Abingdon in 2026, and this guide puts them in one place with dates, prices and age rules. Oxford Ice Rink is the nearest and open all year; The Great Skate at Blenheim and Skate the Estate at Yattendon are the closest Christmas rinks. Every entry checked against the rink’s own site on 4 November 2026.

We have not skated at any of these for this guide, and nothing here is a review. Each entry gives the dates, the published prices and the rules that catch families out: who has to skate with children, and whether skate hire is extra. Seasonal rinks price by day and booking date, so the figure at checkout may differ. Distances are rough driving miles from Abingdon town centre, and rinks are listed nearest first in each section.

Open all year

1. Oxford Ice Rink

The closest rink to Abingdon, on Oxpens Road about 7 miles away, run under the More Leisure name. It offers public sessions through the week, a Friday Skate Disco, and Skate Tots for younger children in term time.

A Quieter Hours session runs every Monday from 1.30pm to 2.45pm with the music off and fewer skaters, and the rink says wheelchairs are welcome on the ice. Skate hire is not included and has to be bought with your ticket.

Children under 8 must have an adult over 18 with them. Christmas and New Year session times had not been published when we checked.

Open all year; Christmas times not yet published
Price adult £11.85; junior (16 and under) or student £9.20; skate hire £2.55; skate aid £5.85; spectator £2.75; Friday Skate Disco £12.90 adult, £10.35 junior
Booking online through the rink's website
Call 01865 305010
Address Oxford Ice Rink, Oxpens Road, Oxford, OX1 1RQ
Website moreleisure.com/oxford-ice-rink/ice-skating/ice-skating-sessions
Good for indoor, all year, Friday disco, younger children, quieter session, wheelchairs on the ice

An indoor rink at the Link Centre in West Swindon, run by Better, about 30 miles away. Skate hire is included in the public skating price, in sizes from child 5 to adult 15. Better says weekend and school holiday sessions give you 60 minutes on the ice and term-time sessions 90 minutes, with two hours on Wednesdays.

Children under 8 must have a skating adult with them, and carers of registered disabled skaters go free. Disco Ice sessions are for ages 5 and up.

Skate aids cannot be reserved and are hired on arrival. The centre is cashless.

No Christmas timetable had been published when we checked.

Open all year, public sessions as timetabled
Price adult £15.50; junior (under 16) £12.90; skate hire included; Disco Ice £16 adult, £13.40 junior; SEND session £4.70 including one carer; skate aid £4 for 30 minutes
Booking online up to 14 days ahead or in the Better app
Address Link Centre, Whitehill Way, Westlea, Swindon, SN5 7DL
Website better.org.uk/leisure-centre/swindon/the-link-centre/ice-skating
Good for indoor, all year, skate hire included, ice disco, SEND sessions

Christmas rinks

3. The Great Skate, Blenheim Palace

A covered real-ice rink in the palace’s Great Court at Woodstock, about 15 miles away, with the Christmas Market around it until 20 December. It runs from Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.

Sessions are 30 minutes, and Blenheim asks skaters to reach the skate exchange 30 minutes before. You can skate without a light trail or palace ticket, but parking is charged.

Skaters must be at least 3, and under-13s need an adult aged 16 or over on the ice with them. Rain can leave water on the ice, so the ticket FAQ suggests spare socks.

Prices appear only on Blenheim’s ticket site, which we could not read. Our Blenheim Christmas page has the light trail, dog nights and access details.

Open 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed Christmas Day; sessions 10.40am to 8pm on peak days, to 7.20pm off peak
Price shown only at booking; £1 booking fee per ticket; skate hire included; child skate aid £5 on site (120cm or under); parking £10 a car in advance, £12 on the day
Booking online through Blenheim's ticket site
Address Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, OX20 1UL
Website blenheimpalace.com/whats-on/events/christmas
Good for covered rink, skate hire included, wheelchair skates, one free carer per disabled skater, Christmas market alongside

4. Skate the Estate, Yattendon

A real-ice rink under a stretch tent at the Yattendon Festive Shop in West Berkshire, about 21 miles away, open from Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 and closed on Christmas Day. The shop sells estate-grown Christmas trees, decorations and wreaths, and entry to it is free.

Hot food and drinks come from the estate’s butchers and brewery. Skate hire is included and gloves must be worn on the ice.

Children aged 9 and under need an adult with them, and 10 to 12 year olds an adult watching. Wheelchairs are welcome on the ice.

Book early: prices rise after 19 November and again on the day. The rink’s FAQ page still shows last year’s dates and an older £7 skate aid price, so go by the booking page used here.

Open 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed Christmas Day. Booking page hours: to 11 December, Mon to Thu 2pm to 7pm, Fri and Sat 10am to 8pm, Sun 10am to 7pm; from 12 December, Sun to Thu 10am to 7pm, Fri and Sat 10am to 8pm; Christmas Eve 11am to 6pm. The contact page gives different times, so check your date when booking
Price adult £18 earlybird (to 19 November), £20 advance, £21 on the day; child (15 and under) £16, £18, £19; family of 4 £58, £66, £70; family of 5 £72, £82, £87; booking fee £1.17 on an £18 ticket; skate aid £8.50; skate hire included; spectators free
Booking online recommended; tickets can be exchanged up to 24 hours before, no refunds
Address Forestry Yard, Yattendon Estate, Thatcham, RG18 0XB
Website skatetheestate.co.uk
Good for fully enclosed rink, free parking, dogs welcome on the estate, Christmas trees, wheelchairs on the ice

5. Reading Winter Wonderland

A real-ice rink under cover on Hills Meadow, Caversham, about 24 miles away, as part of a free-to-enter Christmas fair with rides and food stalls. It runs from Saturday 7 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.

The organiser’s home page prices a four-hour unlimited ride wristband at £24, with ice skating £5 extra. The price of a skating-only session appears only at checkout, which we could not read.

The booking calendar, read on 20 October, showed 45-minute sessions on the hour, from 3pm on weekdays to 11 December and from 11am at weekends and every day after that, with the last at 9pm. It also showed six sessions on Christmas Day from 12pm to 5pm.

Open 7 November 2026 to 3 January 2027; last session 9pm; Christmas Day 12pm to 5pm (booking calendar, 20 October)
Price £24 ride wristband plus £5 to add skating; skating-only price shown at checkout
Booking online through the organiser's booking page
Address Hills Meadow, George Street, Caversham, Reading, RG4 8DH
Website readingwinterwonderland.co.uk/ice-rink
Good for covered rink, open Christmas Day, fairground on site

6. Chiltern View Ice Rink, Stoke Mandeville

A real-ice rink at Chiltern View Garden Centre on the Wendover Road near Aylesbury, about 32 miles away. Regular sessions run from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027, with a separately ticketed opening night on 20 November.

There is no skating on Christmas Day or on 1 and 2 January. Sessions are 40 minutes, starting hourly, and the rink asks you to arrive 30 minutes early for boot fitting.

Under-13s must have an adult skater with them. Tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged.

Spectators go free, except at ticketed events and on the opening night.

Open 21 November 2026 to 5 January 2027; first sessions 9am to 12 noon and last sessions 3pm to 7pm depending on the date; Christmas Eve first session 9am, last 5pm; closed 25 December, 1 and 2 January
Price skating from £10 for 40 minutes; skate aid £5, booked separately
Booking online by date and session
Address Chiltern View Garden Centre, Wendover Road, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, HP22 5GX
Website chilternviewicerink.co.uk/skating-times
Good for free car park, spectators free, Santa experience, winter bar

No rink in Abingdon this year

We found no pop-up rink announced for Abingdon, Didcot or Wantage for Christmas 2026. If you know of one, tell us and we will add it.

How we chose

These are the real-ice rinks within about 32 miles of Abingdon that have published 2026 dates or year-round prices. Dates, prices, age rules and booking details come from each rink’s own website, price list, ticketing FAQ or booking page, read on 4 November 2026; the Reading session times were read from its booking calendar on 20 October. We left out rinks that had not confirmed a 2026 season. Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@abingdononline.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@abingdononline.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.

More for the Christmas holidays

Frequently asked questions

Is there an ice rink in Abingdon?

No. We found no rink in Abingdon, Didcot or Wantage announced for Christmas 2026. The nearest is Oxford Ice Rink on Oxpens Road, about 7 miles away and open all year, at £11.85 an adult plus £2.55 skate hire.

What is the nearest Christmas ice rink to Abingdon?

The Great Skate at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, about 15 miles away, runs from 13 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. Skate the Estate at Yattendon, about 21 miles away, runs from 20 November to 3 January and has free parking.

Which ice rink near Abingdon is open on Christmas Day?

Reading Winter Wonderland is the only rink in this guide known to be skating on Christmas Day: its booking calendar listed six sessions from 12pm to 5pm when read on 20 October. Blenheim, Yattendon and Chiltern View are closed on 25 December. Oxford and Swindon had not published Christmas times on 4 November.