Norway, Travel, Winter

Ice Climbing in Europe’s Ice Climbing Capital: Rjukan, Norway

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Ellie & I did some ice climbing in Rjukan, Norway, earlier this year, in mid-January. And we thoroughly enjoyed it. We booked the two-day climbing course and accommodation via SkyHook (£340 per person), with whom we had previously done some hiking on Mount Toubkal. FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORT IN NORWAY NOT INCLUDED Several of the other participants came in groups. They were old friends, work buddies, and there was one other married couple. The flights from London and bus transport or rental car from Oslo to Rjukan and back had to be booked privately by all participants, which is fine, of course. Same with any additional accommodation in Rjukan & Oslo. INSURANCE NOT CHEAP We learned only afterwards, that insurance can be bought much cheaper than the £90 per person that we had spent. Mind you, though, it will never be cheap, and you can bet that the regular travel […]

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Fun, Norway, Travel, Winter

Snowshoeing in Rjukan, Norway

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Ellie & I recently did some snowshoeing in Rjukan, Norway. We had arrived one and a half days early for our ice climbing beginners course, with some time to kill. For a long time we had been planning to give snowshoeing a try, but every time an opportunity seemed to arise, it never worked out. During our trip to Spitsbergen there was not enough snow. Another time, in Austria, the gear rental place didn’t have any snowshoes left for hire.     OLD SCHOOL We felt lucky when the Old School (Dale Skole) in Rjukan, the ski school cum hostel where we were staying, had two brand new pairs of snowshoes available. We paid the hiring fee of €25 per person, walked to the snow-covered hilly area behind the building, then put the snowshoes on.   OUR FIRST FEW STEPS A few minutes later we were casually walking around and […]

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Fun, London, Winter

Gliding around at Canary Wharf Ice Rink

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Ellie and I recently visited Canary Wharf Ice Rink for the first time. It’s now closed, but is due to open again from October 2023 to February 2024. This makes it the London ice rink with the by far longest skating season. Some other rinks only open for 4 or 5 weeks. COSY ATMOSPHERE, BEAUTIFUL SKYLINE AT CANARY WHARF ICE RINK We absolutely loved the experience. Canary Wharf Ice Rink is so cosy, under its glass roof. No wind. No rain. And then, of course, there is the beautiful skyline.     NOT TOO CROWDED When we visited, there were hardly any other people on the ice. Presumably this was unusual. However, I can see how perhaps many office workers don’t want to engage in physical exercise while wearing their expensive business attire. It kind of also makes sense that Canary Wharf is not a place that is known to […]

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Fun, London, Winter

Doing a few jumps, spins, and turns at GLIDE Ice Rink Battersea

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Ellie & I recently visited GLIDE Ice Rink at Battersea Power Station. We immediately decided that this was going to be one of our top London ice rinks, maybe behind Somerset House and Hampton Court. THE SAME TEAM THAT RAN THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM ICE RINK IS NOW RUNNING THE GLIDE ICE RINK, BATTERSEA The team that run the ice rink, also used to run another one of our favourite London venues: the Natural History Museum ice rink. Funny, because while that ice rink has now gone to ice rink heaven, I still vividly remember how uncomfortable the ice skating boots there were.    GLIDE’s boots are the same make (possibly the very same boots, I don’t know). That said, as long as you bring two very thick pairs of socks, you’ll be fine.     A WIDE PRICE RANGE FOR TICKETS Depending on the time of the day and […]

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Fun, London, Winter

Doing some Skating at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland Ice Rink

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Officially called “Lidl on Ice”, in reference to its sponsor, the discount supermarket chain, Winter Wonderland Ice Rink is the UK’s biggest outdoor rink. It is located in London’s magnificent Hyde Park and forms part of the Winter Wonderland fun fair. REINDEER ROAST AND PIGS IN BLANKETS AT WINTER WONDERLAND ICE RINK It is the second time Ellie & I enjoyed some winter fun with Lidl. In 2014 Lidl had run a X-mas themed pop-up ‘fine dining’ budget restaurant in Shoreditch serving a remarkable reindeer roast. At Winter Wonderland you can get Lidl’s award-winning pigs in blankets with festive sauce for £3.     LOCATION The venue is at the southeast corner of the fun fair. This means that the closest entrance is Blue Gate (what3words address: ///open.limit.gold). The closest tube station by far is Hyde Park Corner. Green Park and Knightsbridge are each around 15 minutes’ walk. Victoria is […]

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