Harrogate's new Valley Gardens rink opens 17 December, adults £14.60, 15% off if booked by 31 October. Stockeld Park's covered rink opens 21 November from £12.
Harrogate has a new Christmas ice rink this year: the Harrogate Ice Pavilion, a covered rink of real ice on the upper tennis courts in Valley Gardens, open from Thursday 17 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, closed on Christmas Day. Tickets are on sale now. The nearest rink before that is at Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, which opens on Saturday 21 November.
The quick answer
- Valley Gardens: Harrogate Ice Pavilion, 17 December to 3 January, not Christmas Day. Sessions last 45 minutes and skate hire is included.
- Prices: the booking page lists adults at £14.60 and juniors aged 5 to 17 at £13.60, with toddlers on family sessions at £8.10.
- Book by 31 October for 15% off, applied automatically at checkout (it excludes school sessions and private hire).
- Minimum age 5 on public and disco sessions. Under-5s skate on Parent, Family and Toddler sessions.
- Earlier: Stockeld Park’s covered rink opens on 21 November. Skate-only tickets start at £12, with unlimited time on the ice.
| Rink | Where | Dates | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrogate Ice Pavilion | Valley Gardens, HG2 0JH | 17 December to 3 January (not 25 December) | £14.60 adult, £13.60 junior |
| Stockeld Park | Near Wetherby, LS22 4AN | 21 November to 21 February | £12 skate only |
Harrogate Ice Pavilion, Valley Gardens
The rink is new for 2026. It is put up by ICE Caledonia, with support from North Yorkshire Council and Visit North Yorkshire, and is part of the town’s Christmas programme (Harrogate Ice Pavilion). It sits on the upper tennis courts in Valley Gardens, off Valley Drive, HG2 0JH. The ice is real, cooled by a glycol pipe system, and the rink is inside an event marquee. The organisers say some of the sides will be opened for views of the park, while the roof keeps skaters dry.
Every session is 45 minutes. Arrive at least 20 minutes early to be fitted for skates; if you arrive late, you lose that part of your session. Skate hire is included, in sizes from child 7 (EU 25) to adult 13 (EU 46). Your own figure or hockey skates are allowed, but you pay the same price.
Session types
- Public sessions, for ages 5 and up. Children aged 5 to 8 should have an adult with them on the ice.
- Parent, Family and Toddler sessions, for children aged 2 to 4 with their family. Bob skates, which strap on to shoes, are offered only on these sessions, from child size 6, while stocks last.
- Disco sessions, for ages 5 and up, with lights and music.
- Relaxed sessions, capped at 50 skaters, with softer music and lighting. Carers skate free with proof (DLA or a Registered Carer ID). Wheelchairs are allowed on the ice only on relaxed sessions, and powered chairs must be switched off.
- School and home education sessions, on weekday afternoons in term time.
- Private hire of the whole rink, for up to 100 skaters.
There are no birthday party packages with a room or catering. Groups can book a public session together or hire the rink privately. British Ice Skating coaches will run private lessons and Skate UK group classes; details are “to be posted shortly”.
Prices and the early discount
Tickets are sold through LIVE IT on the booking page, which lists these prices:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult 18+, public, disco, relaxed or family session | £14.60 |
| Junior 5 to 17, public, disco, relaxed or family session | £13.60 |
| Toddler 2 to 5, family session | £8.10 |
| Carer, relaxed session | Free |
| School and home education, per child or adult | £9.10 |
| Spectators | Free |
Book by midnight on 31 October 2026 and 15% comes off automatically (the checkout shows the code HIP-15). The offer does not cover school sessions or private hire. One banner on the rink’s home page still advertises 20% off for bookings by 30 September; that offer has ended, and the booking page and the rest of the site both give 15% to 31 October.
Skate aids (penguins and polar bears) can be reserved when you book, for children under 1.1m tall in skates. The rink’s site gives the price as £7.50; the booking page lists £8.10. Expect the booking page price. The rink advises aids for children about 1m tall or more who can push the aid themselves. The aids are not for adults to push a child round the ice.
Rules worth knowing
- Every junior (5 to 17) must be with a skating adult aged 18 or over. The rink recommends one adult for every two juniors.
- No lockers. Shoes are kept behind the skate hire counter. Leave valuables at home, or with a spectator.
- Skating is not recommended for children aged 2 and under.
Stockeld Park ice rink, near Wetherby
Stockeld Park, on the A661 between Wetherby and Spofforth (LS22 4AN), opens its 630 square metre covered outdoor rink on Saturday 21 November and keeps it open to Sunday 21 February 2027. Skating is unlimited from your entry time, not a fixed session.
- Skate only: daily from 21 November to 3 January, from £12 a person, which also covers the café and shops (Christmas ticket options).
- Illuminations and skate: daily from 21 November to 3 January, from £20, entry from 4pm, with the Enchanted Forest lights and the maze.
- Skate upgrade: add skating to a Gold, Silver or illuminations ticket for £6 a person.
- Skating membership: £60 for unlimited skating from 21 November to 21 February.
During the Christmas Adventure the rink closes at 8.30pm, last entry 8pm. On winter weekends after Christmas and in February half term it closes at 4.30pm, last entry 4pm. Skates go from child 7 to adult 14. Penguin and snowman skate aids cost £2.50 for 20 minutes, and are free on weekdays from 10am to 1pm up to 17 December. Stockeld recommends a minimum age of 4. Under-8s need an adult on the ice with them, and 8 to 15s need an adult in the rink area. Wheelchairs are allowed if pushed by a competent skater.
Santa, the illuminations and the rest of Stockeld’s Christmas are on our Stockeld Park Christmas page.
Getting to Valley Gardens
The rink’s own advice is that free disc parking on Valley Drive and Cornwall Road has time limits of 1 to 3 hours, which is shorter than a session plus skate fitting on a busy day. It says unrestricted free parking is further up Cornwall Road or on the Duchy Estate, an 8 to 12 minute walk. It also suggests the West Park multi-storey on Tower Street, which our parking in Harrogate page lists at £3.80 for up to four hours. That car park charges £60 to release a car left in it overnight. For road closures and works around the town centre, see Harrogate roadworks and travel.
What else is on at Christmas
The ice rink is one part of the Christmas programme in Harrogate town centre. There is a Santa’s Grotto at Victoria Shopping Centre from 5 December, free curling and a snow globe, and an ice sculpture trail on 12 December. See our Santa’s grotto page and Christmas market page.
Still to be confirmed
- Session times for each day, which appear on the booking page once you pick a date.
- Dates and prices for the Skate UK group lessons and private lessons at the Ice Pavilion.
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