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Not gonna make it to Pyeongchang to catch the Winter Olympic Games? No sweat. You can grab a slice of the icy action right here in London and even try your hand at some of the Olympic events, albeit with more beer and food involved (though that sounds like a win to us). Here’s our round-up of the places in London where you can get stuck into everything from ice hockey to ‘human curling’.
Winterland London
After filling us up with mulled wine and fondue at Christmas, London’s first Thamesside forest is back for round two. Hit up one of its four curling lanes to test out your Olympic prowess. Once you’re all curled out, settle down with a plate of hot raclette in a toasty riverside igloo.
Winterland London. Imperial Wharf rail. Open Thu-Sat until Mar 3. From £5.
The Winter Games
Grab your best squad and get competitive in the Winter Games at Queens: Skate-Dine-Bowl. Psych yourself up in the ‘Team Dressing Room’ before competing in an Olympic ‘try-athalon’, where you'll be tested at curling, ice hockey and ‘human curling’ (aka flinging yourself across some ice in a rubber ring). Get a bottle of prosecco if your team’s crowned Star of the Games and enjoy a Formula 1-style victory.
Queens: Skate-Dine-Bowl. Queensway/Bayswater tube. Feb 23, Mar 2 and Mar 9 from 5pm. £35.
Social Fun & Games Club
This rooftop joint is turning its Winter Olympics celebrations up to 11. Curl for gold as your favourite country on its neon curling lanes and see if you can bag a place on the winner’s podium. For the rest of the month, you’ll be able to follow up the action by necking a Korean boilermaker – a traditional beer washed down with a shot of soju – and eating Korean-inspired food.
Roof East. Stratford tube. Until Feb 25. Free entry.
Alexandra Palace Ice Rink
You many not be quite as nifty on the ice as those figure skating folks over in South Korea, but you can hone up your skills at Ally Pally’s lofty indoor skating arena, which is open year-round for general skating sessions, figure-skating classes and ice hockey training. Don’t miss the rink’s Disco Nights on Friday and Saturday evenings with chilled-out tunes for languid loops around the ice.
Alexandra Palace. Alexandra Palace rail. See here for opening times. From £8.
Chel-ski
Unleash your inner Eddie the Eagle and get sliding on the slopes without leaving zone 3 at London’s largest indoor ski centre. This place lets you get to grips with skiing and snowboarding. It even has adjustable slopes so you can take things up a notch when you start to get the hang of it. Put your feet up in the Alpine Bar after.
Chel-ski. Imperial Wharf rail. See their website to book a session. Adult sessions from £39.95.
More into flea-ing than skiing? Here's our round-up of the best flea markets in London.
Find more amazing things to do this month, here.