Ice is nice for outdoor fun

(Photograph) - Make it a festive season to remember with a trip to an outdoor ice skating rink. For the first time ever, Kew Gardens in west London has an outdoor ice rink for Christmas, located in front of the Temperate House. It's open from 27 November to 9 January from 10am to 10pm, and pre-booking is essential at 9 for adults, 7 for children or 28 for a family ticket - ring 0870 4000 797. Father Christmas will also be seeing young visitors to Kew in a special winter wooded dell (weekends from 4 December, weekdays from 16 December, noon to 3.30pm), followed by storytelling sessions for children there once the big day is past. Seasonal guided walks in the gardens are on offer before and after Christmas. And after it's all over, if you bring a used Christmas tree for recycling to the Brentford gate it will get you free entry to the gardens. If you're raring to get your skates on, look out for other Christmas season ice rinks along the Thames at Somerset House in central London, the Old Royal Naval College at Greenwich, and Hampton Court Palace; and also rinks at Warwick Castle and in Plymouth, Cardiff, Leeds and Edinburgh.