Dumfries Ice Bowl — Attraction in Scotland

We are regular customers of the Dumfries Ice Bowl because 3 of my grandchildren are ice hockey players there, another is learning to figure skate and we are all Solway Sharks fans. The complex is very modern, less than 25 years old. The staff are very friendly. The quality of the ice is excellent, hard and flat, like ice should be. The tutors and coaches my grandchildren have worked with have all been very knowledgeable, encouraging and patient. All of the ice hockey coaches are players for the Sharks so the kids get taught by their heroes. Stadium seating is high quality, comfortable and plentiful. The cafe serves good quality food and hot and cold drinks but, the fully licensed bar is only open during match times. :-( Toilets are clean, well maintained, plentiful and regularly cleaned. Disabled access is good and a public lift takes customers up to the cafe and viewing gallery. As well as the ice skating rink there is also a large curling rink which must be top class because they just hosted the championships there. That said, I’m not a curling fan so I don’t have anything useful to...

Everything would be great if not their policy of taking away penguins and snowmans half way through the cycle from children who simply cannot manage without them so they can give them to someone else?!? We came in at about 14:20, hired one penguin for 4 year old, at 14:45 tannoy goes to bring them back, when I said that we only got it 25 minutes ago, lady said that they have to split session in half and that is it! Apparently I could pay another £3 to have them for full session... Only if I would be informed about it when I payed for our skating... You try to explain 4 year old girl that she cannot have that penguin any longer! Just looked at their website and it does not say anywhere that hire is for 45 minutes only, also it does not say that if you turn up at half past then 15 minutes later someone will take this penguin away from you unless you pay another £3!!! Unreal, otherwise...

Booked a try curling session for while we were in the area for a holiday for my wife's birthday. Our instructor was Olympic bronze medalist Claire Hamilton! If they arranged this specially for us, knowing the occasion, what a wonderful thing to do, by both Graham who organises the sessions, and by Claire for being there to teach us. We has a brilliant introduction to the sport. So much harder than it looks. Would have loved to have had time to book a beginners session, but holiday plans didn't allow time. Great place, lovely people. Wish we...