Widnes Ice Rink (also known as Planet Ice Widnes) is one of the UK’s newer ice arenas, built-in 2013. The rink lies just south of Widnes town centre on a multipurpose site with shops and other leisure facilities.
Planet Ice Widnes is home to a number of ice hockey teams, including the Widnes Wild of the NIHL 1 North league. It is just one of 41 ice rinks in the UK that are home to competitive ice hockey teams.
Information For Planet Ice Widnes
Widnes Ice Rink Parking
Widnes ice rink parking is very convenient. The rink has its own large car park, which is free of charge. So you are unlikely to have a problem finding a space.
Widnes Wild Ice Hockey Team
Widnes Wild is an ice hockey team playing in the UK’s NIHL 1 North (Moralee) division. The team is based at Planet Ice Widnes.
The amateur NIHL 1 league is the third-highest in the UK, behind the EIHL and NIHL National leagues. Nine teams compete in the northern division (see below), and eight teams compete in the southern division.
NIHL 1 North (Moralee) Teams
| Billingham Stars | Sheffield Scimitars |
| Blackburn Hawks | Solihull Barons |
| Deeside Dragons | Whitley Warriors |
| Hull Jets | Widness Wild |
| Nottingham Lions |
The teams charge for entry for games, generally £5-£10 for a non-concessionary adult and reduced rates for children and OAPs.
NIHL 1 North teams compete for the regular season, playoff and national titles, and the Moralee and Challenge cups. The regular season runs from September to late March, and the season concludes in mid-April with a final between the northern and southern playoff champions.
How Cold Is Widnes Ice Rink?
If you haven’t been to a hockey game before, you need to know that ice rinks are cold places (not a surprise!). And the closer you are to the ice, the colder you will be.
Also, hockey rinks in the UK aren’t heated, so temperatures in the arena drop in line with outside temperatures. We would rank the temperature of the Widness Ice Rink as cold compared to other rinks in the UK.
Widnes Ice Rink Seating
Widnes Ice Rink has spectator seating along one side of the rink. Unfortunately, the plastic seats don’t have full chair backs, so some may find them uncomfortable after a while.
On the positive side, the seating area feels quite spacious, and the seats are raised, giving a good view of the rink.
12 Best Ice Rink Activities To Do At Widness Ice Rink
Watching an ice hockey game is just one of many things to do at Widness Ice Rink. There is a wide range of ice rink activities on offer, including:
- Public ice skating sessions
- Ice skating lessons
- Show and skate lessons
- Ice hockey lessons
- Join a recreational ice hockey team.
- Join a women’s ice hockey team.
- Join a Para ice hockey team.
- Ice dancing or figure skating
- Speed skating
- Ice skating birthday parties
- Try an ice disco with music, a DJ and disco lights.
- Watch an ice show.
