EDINBURGH ice rinks - good?

[AChickenCalledKorma]

We are going to be in Edinburgh for part of the holidays. Grandparents have "promised" the DDs they can go ice skating at St Andrews Square (i.e. round the monument).

They both like skating, but DD1 hasn't been for ages and DD2 is very wobbly. They are 12 and 9 yo. I'm not wild about skating myself - would go on ice if necessary but not capable of holding up a wobbly 9yo!

We had a disasterous trip to Hampton Court rink a couple of Christmasses ago, where the rental skates were ice hockey style (i.e. very sharp and hopeless for beginners) and it was too crowded to enjoy. So I'm wondering whether Edinburgh's rinks are the same style.

On the other hand, maybe it would be lovely!! been and able to comment?

I see from the web site the rink is literally 'O' shaped, so little danger of someone skating the opposite way. If it was me, I would find out what the maximum number of skaters on the ice is. I agree too crowded is horrible.

Don't be put off hockey style skates. The jagged 'pick' you see on figure skates is for doing jumps mainly, not for stopping. Have a look on You Tube for tutorial on snow plough stops.

Check ahead for rain and don't book if it's likely to be wet. I've seen people skate at Westfields, Stratford on several inches of water and get soaked when they fall over.

My DD has skated in Essex, Kent and London. Not made it up to Scotland yet. Would Murrayfields be a better bet for skating fun?

I was in St Andrew's Square last weekend. The skating looks fun, way better than Glasgow I didn't really say that. The larger of the rinks (circle) has two bridges over it :). The skaters on here looked a bit more confident but not professional. The smaller rink had the penguins that I would Like to you hold on to and was mostly children and their parents.

itwillbecold it sounds well organised, I like the sound of 2 the rinks system.

Did you see if its real ice? I wonder how often the ice is cut made smooth.

I didn't notice if it was real ice fortifiedwithtea, I was fortified with gluh wein at the time

The rink is good, it is ice hockey skates but they aren't very sharp. I had a pair last weekend and I couldn't skate in them because my feet just kept sliding away. If they are confident skaters then go for it but if they are not then I wouldn't take them on the ice, the amount of kids I seen gripping to the edge was unreal and they just weren't enjoying themselves.

That sort of fortification is the best

Ah - interesting post booksandchoc. Our experience with ice hockey skates is exactly as you describe ... and I was surprised because I thought sharp would be easier, as others have said. Perhaps "supposed to be sharp but actually blunt because they've been hired out every day for a month" is the worst of all worlds!

I think we are going to do something else - am hoping all the rides etc in Princes Street Gardens will be enough to distract the girls and we can do skating at our local, predictable rink some other time in the holidays.