Get your skates on in Edinburgh

Written by Helen Fowler

One of the most famous images of Edinburgh features a gentleman skating on the frozen surface of Duddingston Loch. For many people the Raeburn painting sums up how they imagine Edinburgh. However, in reality, the weather in Edinburgh does not often get cold enough to go skating on nearby ponds. So if you are interested in skating, you might consider heading over to the Murrayfield Ice Rink. Skating there is available all year round.

The ice rink is a 3,500 seater. It is located next door to the famous Murrayfield Sports Stadium, home to international rugby matches. You can find it just off the city's Corstorphine Road. It was built in 1939 but the army requisitioned the building during the war. It only opened to the public after the war ended. It's an Edinburgh institution, on a par with the Royal Commonwealth Pool or the National Museum of Scotland.

Generations of Edinburgh youngsters (including me) have tottered round the Murrayfield rink. Many of them (not me, I have to confess) formed teenage romances as they went. Even all these years later I can remember the exhilaration of plucking up confidence to let go of the rink's edge. There were some proud moments. Though, sadly, I usually ended up on my bottom minutes later.

However, as my experience shows, you don't have to be Torvill or Dean to enjoy skating. Saturday evenings at Murrayfield are host to the Ice Disco, from 7.30pm to 10pm. Strobe lighting and chart music give Murrayfield a party atmosphere for these events. Disco evenings are especially popular with teenagers and students. There are separate sessions aimed at families and others for beginners. Most skaters are aged between seven and twenty one, but some regulars are in their eighties.

The rink offers skating lessons to all customers. Check the website to find out more about holiday courses, lasting over several weeks, for children. Learn to Skate classes for beginners are held on Sundays from 12 noon to 1.45pm. The rink also hires out skates, ranging in size from a childs size four to an adults fourteen. There's free parking. A cafeteria offers drinks and snacks, but check the website for its opening times.

If you're in Edinburgh over Christmas or the New Year, skating could be just the thing to help you keep you in tune with the festive season.

Murrayfield Ice Rink, Riversdale Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 5YN, 0131 337 6933