This time last year we were getting our first taste of seasonal hot sausages, minced pies and mulled wine at the many Christmas markets across the land. This year, Covid-19 has kept the crowds away.
But then I heard the sound of hammers and electric screwdrivers, which cheered me up immensely. As I passed the gates of Hampton Court Palace, I spied many a merry workman assembling the annual ice rink in front of Henry VIII’s majestic Tudor residence. I can hardly think of a better backdrop, lit up in winter, for a session spent pirouetting on the ice.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Bigger and better
The opening of this annual event has been delayed, but happily, not cancelled. It is now due to open tomorrow, but be sure to book ahead. It costs from £17.20 for adults, including a booking fee, and £12.70 for children for 45 minutes on the ice. The prices include skate hire. Family tickets and season passes are also available (see hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk for details).
The rink is even bigger this year, the organisers boast, “allowing for extra space for you to skate safely”. And there will also be the Ice Rink Cafe & Bar serving refreshments (tables can be booked in advance online).
While the palace itself was due to reopen after the latest lockdown, which ended on 2 December, the ornate gardens have remained open throughout (tickets are £8 for adults).
It’s well worth taking a turn to marvel at Britain’s oldest surviving hedge maze, the Great Vine, the fountains, coiffured yew trees and trimmed conical shrubs. And of course, William III and Mary II’s baroque back of the palace only adds to the splendour.
From the gardens, the Long Water, a pretty waterway ordered by Charles II and completed in 1662, runs under the railings into Hampton Court Park (also known as Home Park). Here fallow deer descended from Henry VIII’s herd roam the 750 acres of scattered grassland dotted with old oak trees, eyeing the winter walkers warily. Starting from the gate close to Kingston Bridge, the park makes for a good long walk, right up to the back of the palace. You can then exit the park and walk around the palace and the boutique 18th-century Kings Arms Hotel (a great place to stop for a pint) to reach the Thames footpath. From there, you can wend your merry way along the river, back to Kingston Bridge.
-
Top 10 areas with the biggest inheritance tax bills – is your town on the list?People in some of the wealthiest parts of London pay the most inheritance tax – but there are a few areas outside the capital where big bills are paid when a loved one dies
-
Inheritance tax reform ‘largely protects family farms’ – what are the alternatives?Independent analysis of the government’s inheritance tax reforms has found eight out of 10 farming estates will be able to pay their IHT bill without having to sell off parts of the farm
-
8 of the best properties for sale with shooting estatesThe best properties for sale with shooting estates – from an estate in a designated Dark Sky area in Ayrshire, Scotland, to a hunting estate in Tuscany with a wild boar, mouflon, deer and hare shoot
-
How to invest in the travel industry's boom as tourists get back on the roadThe travel industry is in rude health despite uncertainty about the global economy, Trump’s policies and geopolitical concerns. Investors should buy in now
-
Review: an adventure through the Swiss Alps to Lake Como on the Bernina ExpressTravel Louise Okafor stays at the Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland and the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Italy
-
Review: Palé Hall, Bala – a wonderful weekend in WalesTravel Palé Hall in northwest Wales is a charming country house hotel from which to explore Snowdonia National Park and Lake Bala
-
8 of the best houses for sale with dining terracesThe best houses for sale with dining terraces – from an Arts & Crafts property in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, to a duplex apartment in a garden square in Kensington with a decked roof terrace
-
Review: NEW Hotel, Athens – putting the old city in the frameTravel The NEW Hotel’s vibrant decor makes for an artistic stay in the old of Athens
-
Why you should gatecrash your child's gap year in MexicoTravel Merryn Somerset Webb embraces the carefree lifestyle in Playa del Carmen, on the Riviera Maya
-
Review: Eden Roc Cap Cana – fun, sun and golf in the CaribbeanTravel Eden Roc Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic offers everything from relaxing by the pool to a world-class golf course
