It doesn’t snow in London often, but when it does, it’s magical. Here are a few ideas for how to pass a snowy day in the city.
London in the snow is a wonderful sight – the muffled, cotton-wool stillness of snowfall is a respite from the noisy hubbub we’re used to in the city.
But when it properly snows, it’s quite a celebration. The only question is what to do with that hedonistic snow day feeling?
Quick, before it melts – here are the best ways to enjoy London in the snow and a practical FAQ to answer all your burning (or perhaps that should be freezing) questions.
Things To Do When it Snows in London
Go Sledging
What you need is hills. Believe it or not, London has plenty of them. So, which are the hilliest parks?
Primrose Hill, Alexandra Palace, Hampstead Heath, Richmond Park, the hill leading up to Greenwich Observatory in Greenwich Park all have great hills for zigzagging down. They’ll also offer some great views of the city under a blanket of snow.
The countryside of course has an excellent topography for sledging, but do they have a nice cafe nearby where you can grab a hot chocolate at the end of it? Get your waterproofs on and whizz on down.
Build a Snowman in One of London’s Biggest Parks
The ultimate snow day activity is, of course, building a snowman – whatever your age.
With 2,500 acres of green, Richmond Park will have you rolling the largest snowball in the capital – just watch out for the deer.
Bushy Park comes in second at 1000 acres, Regents Park 395 acres and Hyde Park a close fourth at 350.
Regardless of size, any London park with frosted manicured gardens and tree lined paths will make for a heavenly wintery walk, reusable coffee cup in hand.
Don your gloves and woolly hat and let the best snowman competition commence.
See the Views from Westminster Bridge
If public transport allows you into central, take advantage of some pretty good Kodak moments from the river, while you enjoy a bracing winter walk.
In Westminster you’ll see some of London’s iconic landmarks like you’ve never seen them before, and we’re not just talking a dusting of white over parliament and Big Ben.
Gaze up at the Gothic gargoyles of Westminster Abbey and the Victorian lamp posts on Westminster Bridge. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped straight into a Dickens novel.
Warm Yourself at a Food Market
For some (pretty clear) reason snow days are linked in our minds with good eating. There’s nothing like a hearty meal or a cup of steaming mulled wine to warm you on a cold, snowy day.
Maltby Street Market will certainly look magical under a dusting of snow, and the markets at Borough Market might not be so packed if the weather drops below zero.
Depending on the time of year, you might even have a chance to hit a Christmas market, the ultimate snowy day destination.
Catch a Movie
When the weather takes a turn for the freezing, there’s the tendency to want to snuggle up and watch a film. But London’s got a million cinemas showing excellent films all year round, and we can confirm, they’re all nice and toasty.
There’s also nothing quite like the feeling of stepping out of a cinema, having been completely immersed in another world for a few hours, and being brought back into reality with your first steps into a snowy London street.
If you’re a total film buff, you may be excited to know that the UK’s largest screen recently got a revamp. Hunting out your favourite Christmas movie locations might also appeal to movie-lovers looking for a fun-filled snow day.
Go Indoor Skiing
With all that fresh powder falling you might be inspired to fix on your skis and take to the slopes. Unfortunately, the nearest place you can do that is probably France.
How about taking to an indoor slope instead? It’s not quite the same as whizzing through the alps, eyes on the ski lodge and fondue at the bottom, but London does have some pretty rad indoor slopes you can take advantage of.
There’s options for skiing and snowboarding as well as opportunities to take lessons with pros if you’re a newbie or feeling a little rusty.
Warm the Cockles at a Ski Lodge Pop Up
This will really get you in the mood for snow. We may be nowhere near a ski resort, but that doesn’t mean missing out on a warming après ski tipple.
There are several ski lodge themed bars and pop ups around London. We’re liking the look of Montague Ski Lodge at The Montague Hotel. Wearing your best Christmas jumper, sip warming drinks from the Alpine bar under the fairy lights.
For traditional fondue, marshmallow toasting (at the table) and boozy hot chocolate, check out the menus at Jimmy’s Snow Globes on South Bank and the chalet-style Refuge at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland. We also love Skylight’s ski lodge-themed winter rooftop bar (pictured) for ultimate cosy vibes.
Go to a Museum or Gallery
When you’ve simply had enough of throwing snowballs, and quite frankly, it’s just a bit cold, perhaps it’s time to get yourself down to one of London’s best museums and galleries.
For a full day of culture, the vast British Museum or Tate Modern will keep you out of trouble. There’s also the famous trio of museums – The Science Museum, V&A and Natural History Museum, all in South Kensington.
Go for a Walk in the Woods
There are plenty of green spaces in London which transform into winter wonderlands with even a light dusting of snow. But did you know that there are actual forests in and around London too?
When all the snow in the parks has been thoroughly stomped on, you might get a rare glimpse of untouched snow amongst the trees.
Some of our favourites include Sydenham Wood on Sydenham Hill, Oxleas Wood at the top of Shooter’s Hill near Greenwich, Selsdon Wood in Croydon, Queen’s Wood between Highgate and Crouch End and Hampstead Heath.
However, we think the best of all is the enormous sprawling area of Epping Forest.
Visit Iconic London Landmarks
It’s no accident that in the sequel to Raymond Briggs’ ‘The Snowman’, they fly over London, complete with snowy views of the London Eye and the Oxo Tower to name a few.
With so much impressive architecture in London, iconic buildings, monuments and attractions are all the more majestic after a snow shower.
From the icicles hanging off the lion statues in Trafalgar Square or a dusting of snow atop the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the more ornate the better. When it snows in London, it’s a great time to see the sights.
Take a Walking Tour
If you’re brave enough to be traipsing around the city in sub-zero temperatures, we salute you, and would like to add that you could make your walks all the more atmospheric with a guide to accompany you.
London has more tours than you could shake a walking stick at and on a massive range of topics, some self-guided, others you can take with professionals who’ll get in character and recite lines from Dickens and Shakespeare.
Our suggestion: this self-guided Harry Potter tour. London in the snow will never look so magical.
Stay Local
Perhaps you’re reading this and thinking, well why not just stay in and watch the snow from my window? Well, it is quite plausible that after a heavy snow shower, public transport is just not happening and you won’t be able to venture that far.
As mentioned in our piece on the best things about London in Winter, nothing beats a cosy pub after being out in the cold, rosy cheeks and all, so seek out a mulled wine or an indulgent hot chocolate at your local pub or cafe.
Ironically, Londoners tend to warm up when it snows, so it’s the perfect time to get chatting to the locals.
Let’s face it… us Brits just love talking about the weather so you won’t be short of conversation!
Get High
London has no shortage of towering views. So why not hit one of the classic view points and see London as if it were a model in a snow globe.
Battersea Power Station’s new Lift 109 is a pretty spectacular place to soak it all in, but if you’re like us you’ll probably want a nice alcoholic beverage to sip on with your view.
If that’s the case you could try out the bar at Sky Garden, or at the top of the Shard – two of the finest places to see snow fall in London.
Head to the Pub
We love London pubs (in case you hadn’t noticed), and in our opinion, there’s no better way to enjoy a snow day than sitting in the warm, enjoying a pint or glass of wine.
And with London absolutely bursting with awesome boozers, you’ll not be far from a decent place to sit down, grab a drink, and probably a hearty, warming meal while gazing at the gathering snow out of the window.
Go Ice Skating
If it’s snowing then it’s winter. And London has a plethora of top ice rinks where you can head to slip, slide, and skate your way around in weather that totally matches the scene.
You’ll already be decked out in your winter woollies, so there’s no excuse not to done the ice skates and magnify your winter experience.
Whether you’re prepared to try out your triple salko with pike, or bravely scooch around grabbing onto rail, ice skating it one of the most fitting ways to enjoy a snow day in London, outdoors or indoors.
We love the ones at Battersea Park and Somerset House in particular.
Head to a Botanical Garden
Where better to enjoy the snow than in a natural paradise such as a botanical garden. Imagine the scene, snow covered trees, winter blooms dripping with snow, and beautifully snow covered greenhouses.
Of course, Kew Gardens is one of the best-known gardens to visit in the city, but we also love the Barbican Conservatory in what was once voted London’s ugliest building.
Other options, if you’re dotted around London and don’t want to venture too far from home, include Chelsea Physic Garden, Crossrail Museum in Canary Wharf, Garden Museum in Lambeth and Golders Hill Park Pinetum in Hampstead.
Does it Snow in London?
Less and less. A full on snow shower is not unheard of in London, but Zone 3, it usually turns to slush pretty quickly inside Zone 3.
The average number of days with snow lying is around 5 days per year in most inland areas of the UK, including London. Between 1961-1990 this was 8 days per year.
When Will it Snow?
Snow rarely falls if the temperature is higher than 4 °C. For snow to lie for any length of time, the temperature normally has to be lower than this. Over most of the UK it’s rare to see snow outside of December to March.
