Get Sweet on Outdoor Skating

Get Sweet On Outdoor Skating

By Sarah Webster

When I was little, I lived on a street with a parkette at the end of it. Each winter, neighbours would build and maintain an ice skating rink in the parkette. I loved that skating rink and spent all of my spare time there. After school and on the weekends – either with friends or alone – I would tromp down the street to the park, lace up my skates, and skate in the open air. I twirled. I did figure eights. I whizzed by trees and I flew around other skaters. I had the time of my life.

Freedom in Fresh Air

To this day, there is just something about skating outdoors that can never be matched in an indoor skating arena. We can skate with a little more joy and freedom in the fresh air and under the open sky.

Recently, I visited three outdoor rinks in Northumberland County and, of course, followed up my time on the ice with a warm drink and a treat at some of the many local bakeries and cafés in the area.

Here are some great outdoor rinks to help you get your glide on – and some recommended sweet stops nearby:   

Hastings for Community, Butter Tarts and Candy Cane Hot Chocolate

The first outdoor skating rink that I visited was the Hastings Outdoor Ice Rink on Front St. W. in Hastings. This rink is a community initiative at its very best. Not only is the rink set up and maintained by community volunteers, but they even provide plastic hockey sticks and pucks for little kids to use, a hockey net for those who want to practice their shots, and a couple of skate-assist devices for children who may be a little wobbly on the ice.

The morning I visited, one end of the rinks was being used by families teaching their young children to skate. At the other end of the rink, a couple of young boys practiced their slap shots while a parent looked on from a nearby picnic table. There was a warm, friendly, neighbourly feel to this rink. I enjoyed skating, watching the little kids learning to skate, and chatting with their parents for a few minutes as I took my skates off.

After my skate, I walked about a block south to the Bridgewater Café. Located on Bridge St. at the edge of the Hastings swing bridge over the Trent-Severn Waterway, the Bridgewater makes creative pizzas, full breakfasts, bagels and sandwiches, plus offers delicious baked goods and beverages. The Bridgewater Café is one of the stops on the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour, so of course I bought a pecan butter tart to accompany my candy cane hot chocolate. As I waited for my hot chocolate to be made, I admired the art hanging on the walls, created by local artists and also for sale.

Castleton for Four Rinks, Then a Few Cupcakes in Colborne 

The following weekend, on a cold, crisp, sunny morning, I went to the Castleton Sports Club skating rinks, near the Oak Ridges Trail in Castleton. This is the perfect location if you are looking for an outdoor skating spot that is a little quieter and less crowded. There are four rinks: a main rink that is used frequently for neighbourhood games of shinny, a very large pleasure skating rink that doubles as a soccer field in summer, a smaller pleasure skating rink that was being used by parents teaching their children to skate on the day I was there, and a dedicated Crokincurl rink, complete with bumper pegs frozen into the ice. I don’t actually know how to play Crokincurl (yet), but I will be investigating further because it looks like a lot of fun. All of the rinks are bordered by towering spruce trees, which add a touch of magic and natural beauty to this location. 

After about an hour on the big pleasure skating rink, I hopped in my car and drove 10 minutes south to the village of Colborne. I stopped in at Heath Vintage and Café on King Street to warm up. With a retro vibe, this eclectic shop sells mid-century furniture, lamps, and paintings, newer items including dishware, candles and soaps, plus specialty and gourmet food items. It is also a café serving hot beverages, sandwiches, amazing baked goods and prepared meals. As I warmed up, I checked out the wares, and bought a delicate little cupcake covered in pink frosting, which I devoured later that evening.

Cobourg for the Harbourfront, Baguettes and Cinnamon Buns 

The following day, I went and checked out the Rotary Harbourfront Rink on Albert St. in Cobourg. This lovely pleasure skating rink was being enjoyed by children, teenagers and older people when I visited. They glided around the oval in singles and pairs. Aside from the great view of Lake Ontario, I also appreciated the multiple benches placed right beside this skating rink, so you don’t have to walk far in skates before stepping onto the ice.

Afterwards, I stopped into Millstone Bread, which is located right beside the skating rink. If the aroma of the European-style artisanal bread isn’t enough to draw you in, Millstone also offers baked goods, sandwiches and other meals to go, as well as gourmet food products. Also on the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour, Millstone's tarts and perfectly-layered date squares have earned a loyal following. I was tempted by the impressive display of bread, baked on-site, and ended up leaving with a baguette and a cinnamon bun. The latter was promptly gobbled in the car on the way home.

Where to Find More

With so many great outdoor rinks to skate on here – and so many fabulous independent bakeries and cafés for goodies afterwards – my weekends this winter are looking pretty booked.

Find out more about Northumberland's outdoor skating rinks and/or Warm Winter Baking Trail. Check hours and COVID protocols before you go.