Aviemore Ice Rink

From the 1960s to the 1980s, Aviemore was the place to be; tourists from all over the UK would arrive for their holidays, with skiing, Santa Claus Land, cinema, and the swimming pool being amongst the most prominent attractions, but what stuck out for me was the large ice rink within to the Sterkis Hotel Resort... mainly because of the large section of games arcades next to it!

History of Aviemore Ice Rink

The original ice rink, "Aviemore Centre Ice Rink", opened in December 1966, had a capacity of 1000 and could seat 250 spectators. The rink was home to the Aviemore Blackhawks, an ice hockey team active between 1976 and 1990 that achieved some success in the British Hockey League.

The ice rink was demolished in 1998, leaving Aviemore without an ice rink for more than 20 years!

Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust

Roll on to February 2021, Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust (AGCT) launched the "Aviemore Community Ice Campaign" to fundraise for the new ice rink and marquee tent. Amazingly, the trust, with the help of the local community and business leaders, raised over £200,000 in nine months!

Mcdonald Aviemore Resort donated the use of some land next to their shopping and hotel complex.

The new Aviemore Ice Rink opened on the 9th of October 2021, welcoming over 22,000 skaters in its first year. The trust should be applauded for its efforts in reestablishing an ice rink in Aviemore in such a short time frame.

The ultimate goal is to reinvest all of the profits into a new sport-sized ice rink.

Our visit to Aviemore Ice Rink

Ellie, our eldest daughter, loves ice skating, but due to her recently diagnosed autism, she dislikes busy environments, so we booked the ice rink on a quiet Tuesday afternoon. Also with us was our youngest daughter, Lauren, an avid skater. I have terrible balance, so I was not skating, but I got to take photos and videos!

It was fairly expensive for us to visit at £38 for an hour, but knowing the funds would go towards developing a new ice rink took the sting out of the price a little.

We arrived at 3.30, and we had the entire place to ourselves! Perfect for Ellie. We were asked about skate hire, but we had our own skates, so we didn't need to hire a set. There were racks of blue-coloured skates, so there were hire options if you didn't have your own. Also available were the usual polar bear skating aids for those not quite so confident on the ice.

The ice rink itself is a great facility despite just being in a large marquee tent. It has an Alpine theme; sponsors are emblazoned everywhere, skate hire, skate changing benches, and portaloos outside. The sound system was also playing music while the ladies skated, and the mood lighting really adds to the vibe.

Visitor information on Aviemore Ice Rink

Skating sessions last 60 minutes.

£14.00 - Adult.
£12.00 - Child.
£5.00 - Child under five years old.
£48.00 - Family ticket (Two adults and two children or one adult and three children).

Walk-in prices are a pound or so more expensive than the prices listed above.

Skating aid hire is £5.

Community passes are available for those local to Aviemore in the PH19 to PH26 postcode range; this gives you around a 50% discount.

Opening times can vary, so it's worth checking the website for the current availability.

Website: www.aviemoreicerink.com

FAQs on Aviemore Ice Rink

Here are a few frequently asked questions about Aviemore Ice Rink:

Where is the ice rink in Aviemore?

The ice rink is contained within a large marquee found directly next to the Macdonald Aviemore resort main car park in central Aviemore. It's a short walk from Spey Valley Shopping and Tesco.

Aviemore Ice Rink on Google Maps.
What3words: ///shepherds.miss.velocity

Can you hire skates at Aviemore Ice Rink?

Yes, hiring skates or bringing your own if you have them is possible. Bob Skates and Polar bear skating aids are also available.

What was the ice quality like?

To be honest, the ice was quite rough, so if you are used to perfectly flat ice for making fancy moves, this might not be the best place. It's fine for doing laps and having fun, though!

Does the ice rink hold events?

Yes, in addition to normal ice skating sessions, there are also:

• Ice discos

• Skating lessons

• Ice hockey/Ice sports

• Kids Parties

• Private bookings

• Curling

Aviemore Ice Rink Videos

Here are a few video clips from our visit to Aviemore Ice Rink.

Conclusion

We had a lovely visit to Aviemore Ice Rink, and with booking a quieter session, it was great to have the place to ourselves. It is a little expensive to visit if you aren't a local, but it wasn't too bad as part of our wee Aviemore holiday.

I really hope the Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust are able to raise the funds needed to build a sport-sized ice rink in the future.