We checked 5 ice rinks near Northumberland, from free skating in Bedlington to Newcastle's Life rink, for prices and dates. Updated November 2026.
For ice skating near Northumberland in 2026 there are 5 rinks within reach, only one of them inside the county, and this guide puts their prices, dates and booking rules in one place. Most people land on Whitley Bay Ice Rink, open all year, or Life’s outdoor rink in Newcastle, from 7 November. Bedlington has a free rink for one afternoon.
Distances are straight-line miles, so the road will be longer. North Northumberland is closer to the Scottish rinks than to Tyneside, so they are listed too.
In the county
1. Bedlington Christmas lights switch-on
West Bedlington Town Council lists an ice rink among the attractions at its lights event in Market Place, alongside live entertainment, free rides for young children, face painting, market stalls and a visit from Santa. The lights go on at 5pm.
The council describes its Christmas programme as free of charge and says there is no need to book the rink, just turn up. It does not say whether the surface is real ice or how long each turn lasts.
Last year’s event was cancelled because of wet, windy weather, so check the council’s Facebook events page if the forecast is poor. Its office is not open on Saturdays.
Open Saturday 28 November 2026, 2pm to 6pm
Price free
Booking not needed
Call 01670 457070
Address Market Place, Bedlington
Website westbedlingtontowncouncil.gov.uk/residents-newsletter.php
Good for free skating, one day only, market stalls, visit from Santa
Just over the county line
2. Whitley Bay Ice Rink
A permanent rink on Hillheads Road, about 6 miles from Cramlington, 13 from Morpeth and 28 from Alnwick. It calls itself the only public ice rink in the North East open to everyone all year round, and it is also home to ice hockey and figure skating.
Public skating needs no booking, and the rink says Monday to Friday before 6pm is the quietest time. Wheelchair users are welcome on the 10am to 12pm weekday sessions, which must be booked.
Ice frames can be hired for ages 6 and under. It has not published separate Christmas or New Year times, so ring before you travel over the holidays.
Cards have a £10 minimum spend.
Open all year; daily 10am to 12pm and 7pm to 9pm; afternoons from 2pm, with some days running to 6pm; Friday evening is a disco session
Price adult £10; child £9.50; student £9.50, not in school holidays, at weekends or at discos; family of 2 adults and 2 children £34 plus £14 skate hire; skate hire £3.50; adult spectator £2
Booking not needed
Call 0191 291 1000
Address Hillheads Road, Whitley Bay, NE25 8HP
Parking free on site
Website whitleybayicerink.co.uk/ice-skating
Good for indoor, all year, free parking, wheelchair sessions, Friday disco
3. Life Science Centre outdoor rink, Newcastle
An open-air, real-ice rink in Times Square, just outside the science centre, about 8 miles from Cramlington, 14 from Morpeth and 19 from Hexham. Sessions last about an hour, with around 45 minutes on the ice, and skate hire is included.
Under-10s must have an adult on the ice, and ages 10 to 12 must be supervised from the ice or the viewing platform. Skating aids for children under 1.2 metres cost £6.
Life had not published session times on 4 November, saying slots would be available soon, so check before setting off. Christmas Eve has separate prices.
Themed nights in November include country, ABBA and Geordie music, plus a dearer Pyjama Skate on 22 and 29 November.
Open 7 November 2026 to 3 January 2027; session times on the booking page
Price adult £15.75; concession £15; child (17 and under) £14.50; family of 4 £49.50; carer free; 7 and 8 November £10 a head; Pyjama Skate adult £18, child £16.50, family £57.50
Booking online recommended
Call 0191 243 8210
Address Times Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4EP
Website life.org.uk/whats-on/event/ice-skating
Good for outdoor, real ice, skate hire included, themed nights, carers free
For north Northumberland
4. Border Ice Rink, Kelso
A rink run by a Scottish charity, the Border Ice Rink Trust, which says it has been the go-to spot for ice sports in the Scottish Borders since 1964. It is about 17 miles from Wooler and 20 from Berwick, far closer to the north of the county than anything on Tyneside.
Curling takes most of the week, so public skating is one session on Sundays, from October to March. Skate sizes run from child 8 to adult 13, and you can reserve your size when buying online.
The Rink Bistro is open to the public, and children aged 12 and under must have a responsible adult in the building.
Open October to March; public skating Sundays 2.45pm to 5.15pm
Price admission £8; admission and skate hire £12
Booking online
Call 01573 224774
Address Abbotseat, Kelso, TD5 7SL
Website bordericerink.co.uk/skating
Good for Sunday afternoons, bistro on site, skating club for ages up to 16
5. Murrayfield Ice Arena, Edinburgh
A rink in the west of Edinburgh, about 50 miles from Berwick, with a schedule published week by week and general skating sessions every day. The fastest direct trains from Berwick to Edinburgh take about 41 minutes, according to LNER and Trainline.
If you are planning a Christmas trip to the city, Edinburgh’s George Street rink has been cancelled for 2026, the Edinburgh News reports, so this is the place to skate there that we could confirm. Ice discos and an inclusive skate appear on the schedule, and hire skates go from toddler sizes up to size 15.
The Iceberg Cafe is open Wednesday to Sunday.
Open general skating daily; times on the weekly schedule
Price age 5 and over £12; under 5 free; skate hire £4
Booking book in advance or pay on the day
Call 0131 337 6933
Address 13 Riversdale Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 5XN
Website murrayfieldicearena.com/public-skating
Good for indoor, daily sessions, ice discos, inclusive skate, under-5s free
How we chose
These are the rinks people across Northumberland can reasonably reach with a 2026 season or a year-round timetable published by the operator. Prices, dates and rules come from each rink’s own website or, for Bedlington, the town council’s autumn and winter 2026 newsletter, all read on 4 November 2026. We found no 2026 rink in Morpeth, Alnwick, Hexham, Berwick or Ashington, and the last seasonal rink we can find at Manor Walks in Cramlington was in the 2021 season. We left out Ocean Beach in South Shields and the Winter Wonderland at Sunderland Live Arena because neither had 2026 skating dates on the pages we could read. We will add them if they publish.
Run a place that should be here, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@northumberlandpost.co.uk. Taken a good photograph of any of these places? Email it to newsdesk@northumberlandpost.co.uk and we will add it with your name as the credit.
For more on Christmas locally, see the Christmas markets in Northumberland, the Christmas lights switch-ons, Christmas dinner in Northumberland, the county’s pantomimes, Christmas train times and what’s on in Northumberland this month. If you are driving, check our roadworks and travel page first. For the rest of the year, see things to do in Northumberland and our local directory.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice rink in Northumberland?
We found no permanent rink in the county and only one seasonal one for 2026: a free rink at Bedlington’s Christmas lights event on Saturday 28 November, 2pm to 6pm. The nearest rinks open all season are Whitley Bay Ice Rink and Life’s outdoor rink in Newcastle.
What is the cheapest ice skating near Northumberland?
The Bedlington rink on 28 November is free, and the council says there is no need to book. After that, Whitley Bay is £13.50 for an adult with skate hire and £13 for a child. Border Ice Rink in Kelso is £12 with hire, and Life in Newcastle is £10 a head on 7 and 8 November.
Do you need to book?
Not at Whitley Bay or Bedlington, where you can just turn up. Murrayfield lets you book ahead or pay on the day. Life recommends booking online to guarantee a space, and Border Ice Rink sells its Sunday session tickets online.
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