Adventure Archives - Page 5 of 6 - The Best Viewpoints

Aerial view of the highest peak of Belarus - Dzyarzhynskaya Hara

June 11, 2023 • 0 Comment

How to plan a trip to the highest peak of Belarus – Dzyarzhynskaya Hara

Belarus’ highest mountain Dzyarzhynskaya Hara belongs to the less interesting high points of countries around the world. It’s only 345 meters high and its location isn’t very pleasing. There are ruins of an old factory next to it. Despite that my trip to Belarus was still very interesting. Do you wonder why? Follow my tips for your visit of Belarus’ highest point including my personal tips.

Important information for visiting the highest point of Belarus – Dzyarzhynskaya Hara

Short description of the ascent: Short easy walk
Essential equipment: Nothing special, it's a short walk
Best time to visit: All year round
Fees or restrictions: No
Camping allowed: Yes but not recommended (the surrounding isn't very pleasing)
Nearest accommodation/food supply: I don't know. Google Maps work badly there but it's close to Minsk where you can get both food and accommodation
Height of the peak: 345 m
Hiking distance: 130 m 
Time to ascend : 2 min 
Water availability on the mountain: I don't know. Google Maps work badly there but it's close to Minsk where you can get both food and accommodation
Difficulty level: * (6 stars maximum)
Personal rating of the mountain: * (6 stars maximum) 
Beer on the peak: Lidskoe Pshenichnoe *** (6 stars maximum)

Map of the short walk to Dzyarzhynskaya Hara

My story of reaching Dzyarzhynskaya Hara with personal tips

I visited the highest point of Belarus as a part of the European Peaks project during which I climbed the highest point of every European country. After returning from Iceland, I rested in Stockholm and gathered strength for the next big trip to visit the rest of the former Soviet Union countries (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova). I planned the start of this trip for the end of April to welcome the arrival of spring. My journey began in Belarus where I met my high school friends Mates and Jeňa. What will we experience in Belarus?

Visa difficulties

Belarus was open for a short time for tourists. It was finally possible to spend 30 days in the country without a visa. The only condition is that you had to arrive and leave the country to / from Minsk airport.

I didn’t know much about Belarus before arriving so we decided to educate ourselves on a free guided tour in Minsk. The capital turned out to be virtually without monuments, as most of them were destroyed during World War II. Unlike other countries, the Soviet leadership decided not to restore the original Belarusian architecture and built instead a lot of concrete monsters. As a demonstration I provide a picture of our accommodation where we booked an airbnb flat.

Minsk and its brutalist architecture — *Minsk and brutalist architecture*

I was mostly surprised that there are many cozy cafes and pubs in Minsk. According to the guide they were created just a few years ago in response to the growing number of people working in the IT business. They created a demand for better services. Unfortunately, these places are not affordable for the common residents with an average salary of €300 per month.

Radish vodka

Unfortunately, my friends and I didn’t have any better idea after the tour than visiting some of these local businesses, where, of course, the tasting of the local vodka couldn’t be missed. We were served like bosses. We got free fireworks when we got our main dish and we were getting free radish vodka in between the courses. What a welcome to Belarus.

The evening turned into a party with local music and dances. I would like to say that we will never forget the party but unfortunately I didn’t remember much the following day. But I remembered the most important thing. We were taking a taxi with a very friendly driver called Sasha who could even speak English. He promised us that he will take us to the highest Belarusian point.

Climbing Dzyarzhynskaya Hara by taxi

The next day I found his number in my phone and dialed it. For approximately 40 EUR we ordered his taxi services for half a day. He showed up in an hour and our journey began.

Dzyarzhynskaya Hara is located about 50 kilometers from Minsk so I was curious what the Belarusian countryside will look like. The journey outside the capital was very interesting. Views of the concrete complexes were soon replaced by large fields and occasional villages. The roads remained half-broken all the way. Sasha was a good driver. I would almost say that the trip was comfortable but then the head restraints and seat belts in the car wouldn’t be missing. I didn’t notice these details last night.

Dzyarzhynskaya Hara from my drone's eyes — *Dzyarzhynskaya Hara from my drone’s eyes*

Sasha managed to find the very highest point of Belarus although it was six kilometers away from what Google Maps said. At that moment, I was really glad we went on a journey with him.

Selfie from the top of Dzyarzhynskaya Hara — *On top of Dzyarzhynskaya Hara*

I am quite interested in what Sasha thought about our trip to Dzyarzhynskaya Hara. He was just laughing to himself the whole time, especially when I showed my complete photo equipment and photographed one of the ugliest places of my expedition for about an hour. Our visit of Belarus and Dzyarzhynskaya Hara was for sure special.

*Random factory of whatever across the road of Dzyarzhynskaya Hara*

My tips for climbing the mountain Dzyarzhynskaya Hara:

Be careful when looking for the highest point in Belarus. Google Maps show the wrong spot. Use mapy.cz instead.
If you rent a car, keep in mind that there are many holes in the road.
Taste radish vodka in Minsk. The name sounds scary, but the taste is very interesting.

May 28, 2023 • 0 Comment

All you need to know about the highest point of Malta – Ta’ Dmejrek

The highest point of Malta Ta’ Dmejrek is the furthest away from any other high points of other countries as it lies far in the Mediterranean Sea. The peak itself isn’t very high but it’s very interesting as you can find it on a top of a cliff. Don’t expect any exciting climbs on the way to the highest peak of Malta since it’s only 253 m high but I liked it anyway! It was a very interesting cultural visit. The cities of Valletta and Mdina on the way to Ta’ Dmejrek at the Dingli cliffs have an interesting history and offer wonderful architecture. Follow this article to find out all you need before your visit of the highest peak of Malta including my personal experience.

Important information for visiting the highest point of Malta – Ta’ Dmejrek

Short description of the ascent: Short easy walk
Essential equipment: Nothing special, it's a short walk
Best time to visit: All year round
Fees or restrictions: No
Camping allowed: No
Nearest accommodation/food supply: Food and drinks at chapel Santa Marija Maddalena, accommodation at Dingli
Height of the peak: 253 m 
Walk between both of the highest points: 1.6 km 
Time of the walk between both of the highest points: 30 min
Water availability on the mountain: Shop at chapel Santa Marija Maddalena 
Difficulty level: * (6 stars maximum) 
Personal rating of the mountain: ** (6 stars maximum) 
Beer on the peak: Cisk Lager  ** (6 stars maximum)

Where is the highest peak of Malta – Ta’ Dmejrek?

Unfortunately, the highest point of Malta isn’t marked and various sources on the internet mention two different options for the exact location. According to them, Ta’ Dmejrek is located either nearby the chapel da Santa Marija Maddalena close to radars or 1.6 km away nearby a mine. You can find both of these places at the Dingli cliffs and I also provide a map to reach both of these places below.

Map of the walk between two highest points of Malta

My story of reaching Ta’ Dmejrek with personal tips

I visited Ta’ Dmejrek as a part of my project European Peaks during which I climbed the highest peak of every European country. After sleeping on the highest mountain in Cyprus in a car I wanted to find some more comfortable accommodation and I got lucky. I managed to book amazing accommodation at the Lucente Guest House which I got in return for drone pictures and videos. The barter trade still works these days.

King's Room of Lucente Guest House in Valletta — *Like a king in Valletta*

Valletta surprised by its amazing architecture and history

The host Charlie was probably the most funny and friendly guy I met on my trip. It was fun making drone movies with him. He showed me the nicest spots around Valletta so I could take some amazing pictures. Charlie showed that he is passionate about his business. Every room of his Guest House was devoted to one part of the Maltese history. I got a room which was associated to the time of the knights. Really cool decorations.

Telephone booth in Valletta at night — *Valletta at night*

I spent the first day flying my drone around Valletta and it was great! I didn’t have to care much about rules because Malta is the most drone friendly country with only a few restrictions.

Valletta from bird's-eye view — *Valletta from bird’s-eye view*

Reaching Ta’ Dmejrek by scooter

The next day I woke up pretty early so I would have enough time to conquer the highest point of Malta. Since the highest point of Malta is closest to the sea from all European highest points, I decided to visit it by scooter. It was not easy to find a scooter rental, but I found one shop online and I got the scooter delivered to my Guest House.

Mdina visited by a scooter — *Time to reach the highest point of Malta*

Malta isn’t a large island. Despite the mountain’s position on the other side of the island, Google Maps said I would reach it on my scooter in 30 minutes. The highest point of Malta Ta’ Dmejrek is situated at the Dingli Cliffs which has one certain advantage. You have a beautiful view over the Mediterranean Sea. The trip seemed to be pretty straightforward but I encountered an unexpected problem. It was very windy so I drove my scooter slowly not to end up below the cliffs.

Aerial view of the highest point of Malta Ta’ Dmejrek at Dingli cliffs — *View over the Dingli cliffs hiding the highest point of Malta Ta’ Dmejrek*

Travelling in Malta during midday is stupid

Another problem showed up when I reached Ta’ Dmejrek. Since it was very hot I drove only in a T-Shirt and since it was windy I didn’t feel anything wrong. However, after stopping my scooter I realized: I am completely sunburned. Again? I am curious when my plan not to get sunburned over the following summer will work. Since it was 12 o’clock there was no natural shadow spot at all in a 10 km radius, so I found a shelter under the only umbrella in a local fast food shop close to the highest point.

I drank 1.5 liters of water in a while and I felt much better. Then I visited the local chapel and took the 200 m walk to the highest point. Later, I also visited another location of Ta’ Dmejrek which I found on the internet. It lies nearby a mine, 1.6 km away from the first highest point. See the map of my walk here. Yeah, I made it!

Beach at Malta — *Time to chill on a beach*

After this dramatic summit I felt like celebrating my victory on a beach so I googled and I found the nicest beach nearby. Not surprisingly. Malta is really a small island.

After the swim I visited one more city called Mdina with a great fortress recommended by Charlie and I saw basically the whole island.

Maltese style rabbit

I left the scooter and was ready to leave to the airport but when saying bye to Charlie he told me: “Did you taste the Maltese style rabbit? If you didn’t, it is like you haven’t been to Malta!” I didn’t have time to taste the rabbit but Charlie insisted. He also promised me to take me to the airport, so I ordered one rabbit at a local restaurant. It took them so much time to prepare and I got really nervous. When the rabbit got served, I ate it so quickly that I didn’t even have time to taste it and I still don’t know if I liked it or not. However, Charlie dropped me at the bag drop at the airport 3 minutes before closing time so I caught my flight. At least after eating the famous rabbit I can say I have been to Malta.

Sunset at Valletta and a sailing boat — *Back in Valletta*

My tips for the mountain Ta’ Dmejrek:

Take a scooter and visit the highest point of Malta at the Dingli Cliffs. But be careful in case of strong winds.
The scooter will enable you to visit the whole island within a day.
Don’t forget sun cream like I did.
If you have time visit also the island of Malta called Gozo known for its amazing nature. I didn’t have time to visit it but it is a definitely good reason to come back.

April 9, 2023 • 0 Comment

The highest peak of Jordan – Jabal Umm ad Dami

Jordan impressed me like no other country before. It has so much to offer. I didn’t have high expectations before my trip but I enjoyed every single day in the country at the crossroads of the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe. The best experience was definitely the climb of the highest point of the country. Do you wonder why? Follow my story of visiting Jabal Umm ad Dami.

Date of summit: 6th December 2022 9:30 
Traveling mode: Hiking
Height of the peak: 1.854m
Hiking distance: 2.78km 
Hiking time: 1 hours 26 minutes  
Elevation climbed: 359m
Map of my journey to Jabal Umm ad Dami: Suunto map
Personal rating of the mountain: ***** (6 stars maximum) 
Beer on the peak: Petra lager beer 5% *** (6 stars maximum)

It took me more than four years after the last time to visit a country outside Europe again. That’s a lot compared to the times before covid and my expedition European Peaks when I usually made one trip a year outside the old continent. I simply couldn’t wait for such an adventure. I am happy that my friends Jan and Mates joined me for this trip so we all could enjoy the rich history and culture, amazing food and astonishing landscapes of Jordan.

This time, I will skip describing the start of our trip when we visited the Dead Sea and Petra (btw, both very exciting and unique tourist attractions), and I will move directly to Wadi Rum, a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan which hides the highest mountain of the country – Jabal Umm ad Dami.

Reading a book at Dead Sea — *My friend Mates reading a book at Dead Sea*

How to climb the highest mountain of Jordan – Jabal Umm ad Dami?

Wadi rum is a large desert and it offers such wonderful sceneries that today it is a protected area that has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2011. No wonder that it is popular among tourists. They usually visit Wadi Rum by organized tours booked in advance. I would recommend the same, especially if you come during the high season (March-May, September-November). Tour operators are limited and the available spots fill in fast. Even though we visited Wadi Rum during the low season (early December), we also booked our trip in advance. We made a thorough research and selected Wadi Rum Magic Tours which had the best reviews.

It turned out to be an excellent choice. We booked a two day tour during which we were supposed to climb the mountain on day 1 and we still had a chance to explore the most interesting sights of the desert during day 2. Our guide Arid was a local bedouin who had a great experience with both the highest mountain and the most interesting sights in the desert. He was also a skillful cook and prepared tasty local dishes which we appreciated a lot after long days in the desert. What we enjoyed most though was his flexibility and sense of humour. We had a lot of fun together and he was okay with our wish to replan the program a bit and make the summit of Jabal Umm ad Dami for sunset.

Jeep tour in Wadi Rum

When I travel abroad and visit new places I always try to schedule my visits of the most interesting and famous places differently than others to skip the crowds. I am very happy we did the same in Wadi Rum. Similarly like anywhere else, all the organized tours follow similar patterns. All start at the same time, follow the sights one by one. Even here most of the jeeps go together and you are basically in the crowd the whole day. If you make a trip to Wadi Rum, try to ask to start earlier for instance.

We had another trick for the highest mountain of Jordan. We heard that nobody climbs Jabal Umm ad Dami at sunset time so we asked our guide if we could do so. He became curious about this idea. He wanted to witness the views during late hours as well so we changed the normal plan and set out for the peak after lunch.

It was perfect because even other interesting sights in the desert were already without other tourists. On the way we managed to see for example the chicken and egg rocks where we had so much time for ourselves that our guide could boast of his cool climbing skills. We were definitely impressed because he managed a tough boulder problem even while smoking a cigarette. We took a few pictures and moved finally towards the highest mountain of the country.

The chicken and egg in Jordan desert — *The chicken and egg*

Picnic at Jabal Umm ad Dami

The highest point of Jordan is far from all the bedouin settlements. It is situated nearby Saudi Arabia’s border and it takes over an hour to drive to the foot of the mountain from the Wadi Rum village. It takes time to make it to the top compared other sights in the desert but it brings the advantage that not many people are interested in the climb. If you want to experience something unique in the desert and without crowds, it is an excellent opiton.

We started our climb at 2:30pm. Here I wondered: Why so early when we want to be at the top for sunset? The path is rocky and partly sandy. I recommend high and closed shoes. I had outdoor running shoes which often work perfectly for such hikes but it was a big mistake this time. If you don’t want to have your shoes full of sand, choose something more durable. Alternatively, take it easy and behave like our guide. He decided to climb in his flip flops (no, this was a joke. Flip flops might be okay for locals because they grew up in the desert and are very skillful in the mountains but proper equipment is recommended here, especially if you are in the desert for the first time).

In general, the equipment of our guide was a bit funny. Besides his “shoes”, I also have to leave here a comment about his “backpack”. Instead of a rucksack, he carried up a small duffel bag. Lol. Regardless of the equipment, the guide was the fastest of us and while waiting for us, he was collecting local herbs to make a surprise for us at the top.

Once we successfully climbed the peak (btw, not a long climb as we made it in one and half hours but still a little challenge because of slippery sand), Arid set up a fire and made a very nice tea. How many times can you say you had a tea from the herbs of the mountain made freshly on the mountain top?

Cooking tea at Jabal Umm ad Dami — *Happy Arid cooking tea*

Wonderful sunset over the whole Jordan

Here comes the answer to my question. The biggest advantage of our early summit was that we could enjoy a wonderful time on the mountain top. It was perfect weather and we were sunbathing while drinking the tea and looking over Wadi Rum desert on one side and Saudi Arabia on the other. What a moment it was! I usually spend some time on mountain tops but I am mostly busy photographing the landscapes. Here, we stayed over two hours and most of the times we just relaxed and enjoyed the wonderful views and talk with our guide.

After the epic sunset our steps led back down. Half of the way was still during daylight but we needed headlamps for the second part. If you want to climb the mountain to see sunset, don’t forget them. When it got dark I was a bit scared for our guide. The surface was sometimes very slippery and difficult to see but my worries were unnecessary. Of course, the guide made it fastest even on the way down, despite his flip flops.

The toughest part of the day was on the way to our camp by jeep. December nights are pretty cold so don’t forget a feather jacket. You will sit on the back of a jeep outside so you need proper clothing not to freeze to death. Luckily, we had warm clothes so we survived the 90 minutes long journey. We arrived a bit cold but our day ended with an amazing bedouin buffet in a desert tent village. Good night and a new fairy tale coming soon!

Celebration of successful summit of Jabal Umm ad Dami during sunset — Celebration of successful summit of Jabal Umm ad Dami

*360 view over the highest mountain of Jordan*

April 2, 2023 • 0 Comment

Skating equipment for natural ice

Skating on natural ice is so much fun but it’s also very important to do it safely. Swedish lakes and especially the sea can be very tricky. I discussed different types of ice and ice safety in this article. Today, we will go thorougly through equipment you need on ice. Luckily, Sweden in general is very good with safety rules and you can see it also in the equipment of any Swedish skater.

Let’s start with the ice safety equipment

Skating is very popular in Sweden and there are many local Swedish skating clubs across the country. If you would like to become a member and join their skating trips you must first buy full ice safety equipment. All of the equipment is recommended to everyone who steps on natural ice. Let’s take a look at it briefly first:

Ice Skate & Boots – let’s start with the obvious equipment. It would be difficult to skate without them 😉
Skating Poles – important tool to check the quality and thickness of the ice, also helpful if you have to go against strong wind
Ice picks – a necessary tool to get you out of the water in case you fall through the ice
Whistle – helps you to call help if you are in trouble
Rescue Lines – will allow your friend(s) to help you get out of the water
Backpack with extra clothes in waterproof bags

Skater at Saltsjöbaden with full safety equipment — *You can see all the safety equipment well on my girlfriend Joanne*

I would never go to unknown ice conditions without the above mentioned equipment either. During the last seven years of skating in the Stockholm area and three years of being a guide I still explore new areas every winter and the right equipment is crucial.

Below you can see all equipment (including my camera gear) which I bring to every skating trip. Besides what you can see in the picture, I also bring medical kit and a waterproof bag with extra clothes in it which I would use in case I fall through. We’ll discuss these items below too.

List of ice skating equipment — *Ice skating equipment*

My ice skating equipment list

Let’s take a look at the equipment more in detail now.

Ice Skates and Boots

There are three main skates and binding systems for natural ice skating which you should choose depending on personal preference and skating style. In general, both of the nordic bindings are suitable for Swedish lakes and sea.

Nordic Bindings – Nordic bindings are a common type of skate binding used for natural ice skating. These are preferable for skating in Sweden over Dutch bindings (see below) because you can easily remove the skate from your boots and walk between lakes or if you have to pass a crack over land. These bindings use a clip mechanism that attaches the skate boot to the skate blade. The clip mechanism provides a secure connection between the boot and the blade while allowing for some flexibility in the ankle. Keep in mind that there are two types of Nordic bindings commonly used for natural ice skating. They are called the NNN (New Nordic Norm) binding and the SNS (Salomon Nordic System) binding. Both the boots and bindings must match. I have both of these pakcages and found out that SNS mechanism is slightly better for skating experience but the boots are less comfy for walking. If you would like to make trips with some walking in between, I would rather recommend the NNN binding and boots because they are more comfortable.
Dutch Skates– Dutch skates are different. Their blades are directly connected to the boots. These skates are much faster but they are not ideal for worse quality ice and you can’t just remove the boots and walk in between lakes. Dutch skates are therefore more suitable only for lakes with perfect ice or stadiums.

Would you like to buy some skates and boots too? There are many brands to choose from. I myself have skates from Lundhags and Skyllermarks and they are both amazing. Regarding boots, I have Salomon cross country skiing shoes for SNS binding and Crispi for NNN binding.

Skating Poles

Skating poles for testing ice thickness are an important safety tool for skaters, especially when skating on ice where conditions can vary widely. By using these poles, skaters can ensure that they are skating on safe, stable ice and avoid the dangers of falling through thin or unstable ice. They also work very well to pass parts of ice where the skating conditions are worse (for instance when there is snow or double ice) and help when skating against wind.

There are several brands offering skating poles and they differ in weight and the ability to go through ice. It’s important to know your own pole and “calibrate it” to test the thickness. I know for intsance that if I make a hard hit with my Skyllemarks pole and it goes through, I should turn around 🙂

Ice picks and a whistle

Safety ice picks are a specialized tool used for ice skating that are designed to help skaters pull themselves out of the water in case they fall through the ice. They are also sometimes called ice claws, ice awls, or ice gripers. Similarly to other equipment, there are also many different kinds on the market. I just recommend not to buy the cheapest ones. As this tool can save your life, rather spend a little bit more money to make sure your ice picks work well when you need them. Don’t forget to buy those which come with a whistle so you can call help in case of accident. Remember the last scenes of Titanic 😉

Rescue line

Rescue lines are an important tool for ice safety, as they can help to quickly and safely rescue someone who has fallen through the ice. They should be carried by all people who are venturing onto natural ice to be able to help each other. Every rescue line should also have a carabiner which you attach to a stripe at your back pack during the rescue. I am very happy with this one for example. It worked very well during my test fall through.

Backpack with a waterproof bag

Every skater should have a backpack with a waterproof bag inside full of extra clothes. It doesn’t only help to carry essential extra clothes which you would use to change after ending up in water but it also serves as a life vest. To make sure your backpack works best as life jacket, you have to have an extra stripe which connects your backpack to the stripe in the front of your body (see the red stripe on the picture below). It makes sure that the backpack will stay attached to your body. Without this stripe, the backpack would go up in the water and it wouldput your head down in the water.

I’m using a classic hiking backpack (30l) for skating with the additional strips. If you want you can also buy a special ice skating backpack where the stripes are already included.

*Ice skating safety backpack with safety line attached*

Clothes and extra clothes in the waterproof bag

When going to skate, it’s good to use layering system for your clothing. I always have the first two layers as described below and then I sometimes add additional layer in case it rains/snows or if it’s very cold. During skating, you can then easily adjust the layer based on how warm you feel or how the weather changes.

Base Layer: Start with a lightweight and breathable base layer that will wick moisture away from your body. This layer should be made of materials such as polyester or merino wool, and should fit snugly against your skin. I myself prefer merino wool as it doesn’t smell after sport.
Insulating Layer: The next layer should provide insulation to keep you warm. This layer should be made of materials such as fleece, and should be loose enough to allow for ease of movement.
Outer Layer: The outer layer should protect you from wind, cold and/or moisture. This layer should be made of materials such as Gore-Tex or other waterproof and breathable fabrics (in case of wet weather) or a down jacket in case it’s very cold.

In addition to the layers above, you should also wear a warm hat, gloves or mittens, and a scarf or neck warmer to protect your neck and face from the cold.

All above I carry once more in the waterproof bag. Don’t forget to add there a small towel to dry yourself. I also recommend to bring sealskinz socks which will keep your feet dry even in wet shoes. Another tip is to have a rain jacket in the waterproof bag to keep your back warm after you put on wet backpack.

Don’t forget to think about breaks. It gets cold pretty quickly once you stop moving. For these moments I bring with me a thicker down jackets and down pants. Thanks to them I am never cold during lunch/snack times.

Extra tips

All the above mentioned pieces of equipment are necessary on ice but I have some more tips which can make your experience even better.

Ice measurement: Skyllemark sells great measuring tools for ice thickness. They are small and fit nicely in a pocket. I use them when I want to know how thick the ice is.
Powerbank: As I am using offline maps on my phone while on ice skating trips, I also always bring a powerbank to make sure I ahve enough battry for the whole day trip
A torch: You never know what can happen on your trip. To make sure I also see in darkness, I always bring a torch
A camera: Don’t forget to document your trip. A smart phone is great but if you want special and unique pictures, I recommend also a 360 camera. I myself bring even a DSLR camera but it’s pretty bulky for skating.

Don’t go on ice alone

Now, the ice skating packing list is ready. I also have to add that it’s necessary to have a skating partner. In case of an accident it is important to have someone who could help out. That’s why I always go on a skating trip in a company.

Where to buy ice skating equipment in Stockholm?

If you would like to buy your own equipment I recommend Alewalds store in Stockholm. There you can get the best advice on winter equipment in Stockholm. If you would like to test the equipment first you can book a trip with the company I work. Take a look for more information here.

March 26, 2023 • 0 Comment

Swedish hidden gem – Gotska Sandön

Sweden has been experiencing one of the hottest summer in its history. The hot weather made me and my fiancé discover an island with wonderful beaches and pleasantly cool water. Have you heard about Gotska Sandön? I wouldn’t be surprised if not. This might be the national park with the worst marketing in Scandinavia. Joanne and I found information about it in a random book. There is very little information online, especially in English. But do you know what? That is exactly why the island is so special and amazing to see and explore.

Details and statistics

Location: 40km north of island Fårö (nearby Gotland), 127km south-east of Stockholm
Size: 8km long, 5km wide – 3 601 ha
Highest point: Höga åsen 42m
Highlights: Sand beaches, hiking, seal watching
Capital city: None
Harbour: None

Anyway, why is Gotska Sandön special? It is an uninhabited island which is very remote and even few Swedes have visited it. The island consists mostly of sand and is dominated by beaches, dunes and forests. The only civilization you can find there is a camp where you can either rent a cabin or sleep in a tent. If you like wonderful sandy beaches just for yourself and extraordinary sandy or forest hikes this is an island for you.

A ferry approaching Nynäshamn harbour — *Our ferry approaching Nynäshamn, our adventure starts soon.*

No harbour at Gotska Sandön

But first of all, you have to get there. The approach to the island can be a bit complicated. Since there are no harbours at the island you have to take a special ferry which is able to land on sand. If you are lucky and you come to the island on a windless day you will be able to disembark from the boat directly to the beach Las Palmas which is the only one suitable for landing directly on sand. It is fun to experience and also comfortable because it is nearby the camp.

If you come though on windy day like we did the boat chooses another beach which is hidden from the wind and you have to take a gummy boat to the land. This process usually takes a few hours since all the people and bags require several gummy boat trips. When this interesting procedure is done you have to hike additional 3-10km depending on the beach to the camp.

Exchange of tourists at Gotska Sandön — *Exchange of tourists*

Then, the island is basically yours. Since only a few tourists visit the island, you will easily find a five km long beach just for yourself and you can enjoy swim in the pleasantly cold water all day.

Beach at Gotska Sandön — *Happy Joanne on 8km long sand beach just for her*self

Seal forecast at Gotska Sandön

If you want to be active you can always enjoy a hike in the forest or on 42m high sand dune. If you like wildlife, the island also have something for you. You can spot seals on the island. The camp announces “seal forecast” every morning which tells you the probability of seeing them in the northeast of the island. There are a few rocks which seals enjoy sunbathing at. We were lucky during our visit and we could see dozens of them fighting for the best rock. Fun, fun, fun.

Seals at Gotska Sandön — Three seals and one swan as a bonus

You won’t find the best tv program in tv

During our last evening on the island we took wine to the largest sand beach situated in the north and the sky showed us something which you can’t see even in the most epic movie. The sunset was spiced by showers above the sea and it created an unforgettable scenery. A pity I was too busy enjoying it that I didn’t make a timelapse.

Sunset at Gotska Sandön — Cheers to a lovely trip!

Anyway, the summer is still long. If you have some spare time, go ahead and visit this island. Just don’t forget to bring enough food. There is no shop on the island and you should also get something extra in case the weather turns too bad and the gummy boat can’t reach the island. On stormy days, trips are cancelled and you have to wait additional day or two to leave the island.

Hiking at Gotska Sandön — HIking on the sand dune covered by old forest

Do you also have a hidden gem tip for this summer? If so, let us know!

PS: The island offers one more bonus. Since there is no soil, only sand, there are also no rivers, lakes or paddles. Do you know what it means? This island is mosquito free! This makes the island a real Swedish paradise

Gotska Sandön at sunset — See you soon Gotska Sandön

Perfect new black ice in front of Stockholm City Hall

March 19, 2023 • 0 Comment

Ice safety: How thick should ice be to be safe?

Ice is fascinating. If it’s thick enough it allows people to make wonderful trips on lakes or seas. But ice skating is an adventurous sport and safety should never be underestimated. Do you know how to evaluate ice? You can’t just simply check the thickness and say that if it is 5cm thick, then it’s safe. In fact, it’s such a tricky question that I devote this whole article to it. I have been guiding on ice for three years and I took a thorough ice knowledge course in Sweden. Here are my most important learnings.

There are different kinds of ice and the quality matters

First, we have to go through the different types of ice as their quality differs. Since ice skating is so popular in Sweden, there is a extended vocubalury regarding ice terms. In my course we took a look at 117 of them. It isn’t important to know all of them but I will present to you the 5 most important ones.

Macro photo of snow ice structure — *This is a macro photo of snow ice structure. Is it a strong ice? Read below?*

Which ice has the highest quality?

Black ice (in Swedish kärnis) – this ice is created on open water during cold and clear nights. It is the best ice to skate on. It’s so clear that you can see through the ice and 4 cm is usually enough to skate on. This applies though only if you are experienced and have full ice safety equipment with you. Check out the recommended ice thickness by authorities below. The only disadvantage of black ice is that it melts faster during spring time when sun shines strongly due to its colour. This ice makes wonderful sounds so you can also evaluate the thickness by listening to it.
Snow ice (in Swedish stöpis) – this ice is created when there is snow on top of an ice layer which turns into ice during stöpning (Swedish word for the process of snow slowly melting and turning to slush which subsequently freezes). This ice is white in colour due to many small bubbles in the structure. The advantage of this ice is that it melts slower in heat due to its white colour. The disadvantage is that it quickly becomes soft on top in warm weather. This ice also cracks easier than black ice. I fell through once when the snow ice was 8 cm thick because it cracked after many other skaters who passed and there was no stable black ice underneath.
Salt ice (in Swedish saltis) – salt ice has similar characteristics as snow ice. You hardly ever get black ice on the sea due to salt crystals. The water freezes during colder temperatures (-0,5C at Baltic sea and -1,8C at North Sea) and it also melts faster. This ice doesn’t make much sound compared to black ice so it is more difficult to evaluate the thickness.
Double ice (in Swedish överis) – this ice occurs when there is water on top of the ice, for example because of rain, which subsequently freezes. The water slowly freezing on top creates a double ice layer with some water in between. This isn’t dangerous when it comes to falling through. However, you can get serious injuries if you come quickly from classic ice to double ice: your skates will suddenly stop and you will fall forward, often leading to knee and head injuries. Sometimes noses are even cut off… If there is a danger of double ice, it’s important to be extra careful and go slowly.
Spring ice (in Swedish våris) – this is the most tricky ice. Spring ice is usually beautiful to skate on during early mornings if temperatures were below zero over night, but the quality of the ice can change dramatically under the hot sun. The structure of the ice can break into small pillars and you can suddenly fall through. So even if the ice is 20 cm thick, it can still fall apart under strong sun and your weight.

*Fresh and beautiful black ice in front of Stockholm City Hall*

*Salt ice looks similar to snow ice but if you look closely you will see snow crystals*

Combination of black ice and snow ice — *This is a combination of black ice and snow ice. It was created after a heavy snow fall when snow was lying in the water during a very cold night. The snow created beautiful patterns in the ice.*

Skating in double ice isn't fun. It's actually almost impossible — *Skating in double ice isn’t fun. It’s actually almost impossible*

These are the most important ice structures you should know before coming to the ice but there are many more. Take a look at summary of Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute.

Ice safety according to authorities

Now that you know the differences of ice quality we can finally take a look at how thick the ice should be to be safe. According to both Issäkerhetrrådet (Swedish Ice Safety Advisory) and Snowfed (Swedish Snowmobile association), the ice should be 10 cm thick to safely walk on, icefish or to ice skate. If you would like to take a snowmobile, car or a small truck the ice should be even thicker (see below). These numbers refers to the highest quality of black ice. If the ice is of lower quality, it must be even thicker.

The strength of the ice varies both in time and space

Has ice safety become more clear already? Let’s make it more complicated again because the ice does not have the same thickness everywhere. As we were told during our ice knowledge course: “The ice can hold here, but not there. It can hold here now, but not later.” Why? The reasons are explained on the pictures below. If you want to go ice skating, it’s always important to take a look at a map beforehand to investigate potential dangerous areas. The Swedish terms are explained under the picture.

Map os where ice can be weak — *Explanation of the Swedish terms is below.*

Areas with possibly weak ice

Even though it’s very cold, it doesn’t mean that the ice is safe everywhere. At some places the water flows more, so skaters must be extra careful. Below you can see a list of places where it’s worth being extra careful:

Grund – Shallow water – when there is suddenly shallow water, the water flows faster there, which often causes weaker ice or even holes.
Vindbrunn – Wind hole – is created when there is a new layer of ice after the first cold night but winds destroy a part of it.
Inlopp – Water inlet – when water enters into a lake/sea, it causes weaker ice due to the flow.
Utlopp – Water outlet – the same happens when water leaves a lake – the area nearby can have weaker ice.
Avlopp – Drain – Areas where pipes drain water cause weaker ice too, again because there is a stream of (sometimes even warm) water.
Udde – Headland – There is also usually some stream around headlands (edges of peninsulas). Be aware of these places.
Råk – Crack – Cracks occur when the ice is shrinking and expanding in changing temperatures. There is no surprise that ice can be weaker around cracks. Skate a bit along the crack to find the best place to pass it.
Ränna – Large crack caused by boats – These cracks are impossible to pass and there is also often a weaker ice around. Be careful around them especially when a new boat passes. Waves caused by the boats can cause new ice cracks.
Vass – Reed – Water around reed often doesn’t manage to freeze as effectively as on open water. Before I learnt this I fell through once in such area. Be careful.
Bro – Bridge – Ice under bridges is often weaker than elsewhere.
Brygga – Jetty – they usually absorb more heat from sun and the ice around them gets weaker.

Wind hole which was created by wind during the creation of new ice — *Typical wind hole which was created by wind during the creation of new ice, then the hole increased in size due to even stronger wind*

There are two more interesting terms that aren’t included on the map but they are good to know about. They aren’t usually dangerous because they are usually very small but sometimes they can grow into significant sizes:

Slukhål – Suckhole – After rain, there will be some water on the ice which usually disappears slowly under the ice via small holes or cracks. The flowing water can create so called suckholes which can become pretty large if there is a lot of rain.
Stöpvattenhåll – Snow ice hole – we talked about the stöpning process when snow slowly turns into ice. What we haven’t mentioned is that wet snow becomes very heavy and that causes water coming from below through small holes or cracks to the top of the ice. If these holes become larger they create snow ice holes which look like neurons, aren’t they beautiful?

Stöpvattenhåll - Snow ice hole — *Stöpvattenhåll – Snow ice hole at Brunnsviken*

The danger of spring Ice

Let’s get once more back to the spring ice (våris) because it can be very dangerous. When the sun is very strong (in Sweden, it starts to impact ice significantly from beginning of March), it can change thick ice into dangerous area because the ice loses its structure from below and it’s hard to see it. Take a look what happened to an ice fisherman in 2023 in Sweden.

Ice Knowledge Summary

We have gone through all the important terms. We learnt about the different types of ice and we also checked all the potentially dangerous areas with weak ice. What I haven’t mentioned in this article is the safety equipment and the importance of experience and being in a group. I wrote a w h ole article about that before and you should definitely study it too before coming to the ice. You can also check out here how it is to fall through ice and how you save yourself. I tried it in a course and it was actually a lot of fun 🙂 If you would like to try skating on natural ice under safe conditions, I am also working as an ice skating guide in Stockholm. Let me know if you are interested. I hope to see you on the ice some day!

Selfie of group of skaters on a Swedish lake during sunset

March 12, 2023 • 0 Comment

Your guide to ice skating in Stockholm

After testing and finishing Vasaloppet, I present to you a new winter sport. Do you know what Stockholm is unique for in winter? Why is it called a winter paradise among a large outdoor community? The answer is ice skating opportunities. Thanks to hundreds of lakes and the largest archipelago in the world nearby there are countless opportunities. Would you like to try skating on endless lakes or sea too? Follow my tips or join me on an organized skating tour. I am not only enjoying trips on ice in my free time on my own, I also work as a skating guide in Stockholm.

Stockholm is the best place for ice skating in the world

If you look at the latitude of Stockholm, the Swedish capital lies far in the north but winters are surprisingly moderate here compared to other places this far in the north, for instance in North America. The gulf stream does its job so temperatures usually flactuate around 0 in winter. This might not sound perfect for Stockholm ice skating opportunities but it actually is!

Let me explain to you the unique ice skating conditions we have in the Stockholm area and why it is the best place to skate in the world. For great ice skating conditions we need to fulfil two assumptions:

Cold temperatures so lakes and the sea freeze
No precipitations so the ice is not covered by snow

Skating in central Stockholm, Sweden — *Winter conditions vary every year. In 2019 Mälaren in central Stockholm froze and we could skate in Stockholm city centre*

In Stockholm’s climate there is always a cold period when eastern winds prevail. During that time (usually coming in November and December), cold temperatures freeze the lakes and sea and it creates amazing opportunities for skating.

This moment usually doesn’t last long in other cold parts in the world because snow follows soon and the ice disappears under a thick white layer. On the other hand, snow is much less common In Stockholm and if it snows it often doesn’t last for a long time. Western winds show up, they bring warmer weather and the snow melts. This is good news for skating. Ice needs much higher temperatures to melt so the snow disappears and we can skate again!

These warm and cold periods usually alternate through the whole winter in Stockholm and that’s why we have the best skating conditions here. Another advantage of Stockholm is the large variety of water surfaces. We can find here small, medium and large lakes as well as the archipelago so there is also a new place to skate. Everything mentioned above brings the opportunity to skate basically anytime from the season start (usually November or December) until the ice melts (most often some time in April).

Skating on a mirror like sea. — *After rain and during plus temperatures lakes and the sea look like a mirror*

Safety first during ice skating

While skating is so much fun it’s also very important to do it safely. Swedish lakes and especially the sea can be very tricky and you have to know where it is safe to go. Luckily, Sweden in general is very good with safety rules and you can see it also in the equipment of any Swedish skater. Local Swedish skating clubs don’t allow their members to enter ice without:

Ice Skate & Boots – it would be difficult to skate without them 😉
Skating Poles – important tool to check the quality and thickness of the ice, also helpful if you have to go against strong wind
Ice picks– a necessary tool to get you out of the water in case you fall through the ice
Whistle – helps you to call help if you are in trouble
Rescue Lines – will allow your friend(s) to help you get out of the water
Backpack with extra clothes in waterproof bags

If you would like to buy your own equipment I recommend Alewalds store in Stockholm where you can get the best advice on winter equipment in Stockholm. If you would like to test the equipment first you can book a trip with the company I work for (booking below) and you can test the skating with me.

I also have to add that it’s necessary to have a skating partner. In case of an accident it is important to have someone who could help out. That’s why I always go on a skating trip in a company.

Skating at Saltsjöbaden — *My girlfriend Joanne demonstrates well the full ice skating equipment*

Skating at Siljan — *Joanne once more on an endless lake in Dalarna. The freedom you have on ice is amazing*

How is it to fall through ice?

It might sound crazy but I have never fallen through ice since I started to skate in the Stockholm area. I am always very careful and don’t give the ice the opportunity to trick me 🙂 I am mostly thankful to the skating poles which always help me to evaluate the thickness. I was curious though how it feels to be in the freezing water so I tried it out in a course.

I was supposed to jump in a hole in ice and stay there for three minutes. Then, I had to get out of the water on my own thanks to the ice picks. I have to admit I was a bit scared but the experience was not as bad as I had feared. It was actually similar to jumping into a freezing water after sauna, just without the sauna to warm up again 🙂 Luckily, the extra clothes are compulsory on such courses too so I changed into fresh and warm clothes and I was completely fine. Getting out of the water with ice picks worked very well too.

It was a great experience because I know now that in case of an accident it isn’t scary or a big deal. I am curious when my first fall through happens. I hope at least after seven more years 🙂

Swimming in a frozen lake — *Swimming in the frozen lake*

Try out skating in Stockholm with a guide

Of course, I started skating in Stockholm with guides. I had no idea what is safe or not. The guides give you safety because they have experience and they always go first on ice. If somebody from a group falls through the ice, it should always be the guide. The guests are 99% safe if they follow guide’s decisions and recommendations. I have learnt from many guides during last seven years and taken a special ice course in Stockholm and I am enjoying the time skating with both my close friends and clients while guiding.

If you would like to experience natural ice too, book a trip with The Green Trails below and I will take you to the best ice of the day and you will have an unforgettable experience. We guide both people who know how to ice skate already as well as complete beginners and we have the full safety equipment ready for you. Please note that we make the trips extra safe and no client has fallen through the ice yet. Ok, for except one guy who did it voluntarily. He was very curious about the cold bath experience so we allowed him 🙂

Skating guided tour in Sweden — *One exciting trip led us to the edge of the ice*

Book a skating trip with me below

I guide skating trips for all beginners, intermediate and advanced skaters. If you decide to book a skating trips with The Green Trails, don’t forget to leave a comment in the Special Requirements section in the checkout that you found this tour on my blog. By that, you will make sure that I will be assigned to your specific trip and as a bonus you will get a small present 🙂 Below you can see what all skating trips we offer:

Magic ball with a skater on a frozen lake

March 5, 2023 • 0 Comment

The Best Skating Locations in Sweden

Sweden has around 100 000 lakes and most of them freeze druing winter. It means a real ice skating paradise and we don’t even count the possibilities on the sea! Nobody will ever be able to skate even on a fraction of these ice surfaces. I am lucky to have tested more than 100 hundred of them during my 11 years in Sweden. Here are my tips where you can find the best skating locations in Sweden.

Before I start naming all the amazing lakes and archipelagos where I got the chance to skate, I have to tell you the most important thing: Every winter is different. Sometimes we have excellent conditions for skating all around the country, sometimes we have mild winter and there is less ice or we have too hard winter with too much snow which isn’t good for skating either. In general, Stockholm area is the best for ice skating. The climate is rather mild so the snow usually doesn’t stay long time but it’s cold enough so the ice freezes and we have great skating opportunities. I am explaining more about the unique ice skating conditions in Stockholm in this article.

As you know the most important now, let’s take a look where you can have the best skating experiences!

Stockholm City

The best winter I experienced in Stokholm was in 2019 when it was so cold that even the eastern part of the third largest lake of Sweden Mälaren froze. The lake flows to sea at Stockholm city centre, nearby Gamla Stan and the City Hall and it was all frozen! I will never forget our trip from Riddarfjärden via Barnhusviken, Ulsvsundasjön, Essingefjärden to Årstaviken. What a sightseeing on skates!

Höga Kusten

Have you heard about the High Coast area in Sweden (in Swedish Höga Kusten)? It’s a coastal region in northern Sweden that stretches for about 129 km along the Gulf of Bothnia. What makes Höga Kusten unique is its geological history. About 10,000 years ago, the land in the area was covered by ice sheets that were several kilometers thick. As the ice sheets retreated, the land slowly began to rise, at a rate of about 8 mm per year. This is one of the highest rates of land uplift in the world, and as a result, Höga Kusten is now one of the few places on earth where visitors can see the effects of post-glacial rebound in action.

Thanks to Höga Kusten history you can find there beautiful natural scenery, including towering cliffs, picturesque islands, and dense forests. I visited Höga Kusten many times before but my favourite visit was definitely in 2023 when the sea froze and we could skate all the way (with a short walk in between) from Docksta to Köpmanholmen. It was amazing to pass Skuleberget (the once nine-meter-high island which turned to today’s highest coastline mountain) and national park Skuleskogen!

The conditions we had at Höga Kusten don’t happen often since the area is known for a lot of snow precipitation but if you get a chance to skate there, don’t hesitate a minute!

Skating in front of Skuleberget, north of Sweden — *Skating in front of Skuleberget*

Uppsala – Stockholm

The same winter brought also the opportunity to skate on Mälaren from Uppsala to Stockholm which I did with my friends as a memory to old viking skating race Vikingarännet. What a pity this 80km race is not organized anymore due to weak winters.

*Wonderful end of a skating trip at Mälaren during sunset*

Vättern

The second largest lake in Sweden Vättern boasts of crystal clear water. Since it’s very deep, it hardly ever freezes all but its bays sometimes do! I had a chance to skate on a small part of the lake in 2021 and it was an unforgettable experience.

Siljan

The heart of Dalarna and its lake Siljan is not only famous for Midsummer celebrations. In winter, the whole lake usually freezes and you can make wonderful trips there. My trip in 2021 from Mora to Leksand was as long as famous Vasaloppet.

Karlholmfjärden

Skating on sea is special. Due to salt water and many currents it is definitely more tricky than on lakes and advanced ice knowledge experience is essential. If you dare though you are rewarded by wonderful trips among islands and cute villages. I made my favourite archipelago trip at Karlholmfjärden in 2023.

Saltsjöbaden

You can experience another great archipelago skating nearby Stockholm. Saltsjöbaden is a popular tourist destination reacheable by pubic transport in Stockholm and trips on Baggensfjärden and Erstaviken are wonderful.

Marvikarna

Sweden is a flat country in general. If you want to visit mountains, you have to head northwest to the border with Norway. It surprised me though that you can find though wonderful cliffs even in Stockholm area. I discovered them when I skated at Marvikarna lakes. It was a cool trip with wind in the back from Åkers Styckebruk via multiple lakes to Gnesta. If you want to try typical Nordic skating which combines skating and short hikes, this is a wonderful option.

360 picture of a skater on endless lake during sunset — *Long trip it Mavikarna was finished asfter sunset*

Ånnsjön

If you would like to skate next to real high mountains, you have to head to the north. Since mountains attract clouds and it snows there often, the skating season is usually very short. Lakes usually freeze already during October/November there and they are skateable until first snow comes. I got the chance to skate on wonderful Ånnsjön nearby ski resort Åre and it was amazing to skate with view over Jämtlands mountains.

Storsjön

You can skate at many places even if it snows because the municipalities clear skating tracks. The longest one is prepared every year on Storsjön in Östersund. The track is usually 30km long so you can enjoy new scenery during a whole skating day.

Norrviken – Edsviken – Brunnsviken

Let’s get back to Stockholm area. I will introduce to you the most popular lakes where you can usually skate from January to March. In the north of Stockholm it’s popular to make a trip on three different lakes with short walks in between. Try a trip on Norrviken, Edsviken and Brunnsviken. It’s easy to access these lakes by public transport and if you take a look at weather forecast in advance you can plan a one way trip with wind in the back from point A to B.

Skating on Brunnsviken with Swedish flag — *Brunnsviken is my “home” lake just a few hundred meters away from my home. Here I celebrated the first day of my Swedish citizenship*

Drevviken – Magelungen – Orlången

Similarly, you have great skating opportunities in the south. Drevviken, Magelungen and Orlången are Stockholm’s classics. There, I learnt also for example how it is to fall through the ice.

Bråviken

Let’s get once more on sea ice. Norrköping and it’s bay Bråviken offers often great skating conditions. In 2021, the conditions were there best of all Sweden and I made there multiple beautiful trips.

Ice sailing in Sweden — *You can also see ice sailers on ice in Sweden, like here at Bråviken*

Tyresta national park

Let’s end this summary by the unique opportunity of Stockholm region where you can go skate-hiking in national park Tyresta. There are multiple lakes in the national park and you can combine very well hiking and skating there!

More about ice skating in Sweden

Do you have any own tips on best skating locations in Sweden? Let me know! If you would like to read more about ice skting, I prepared a thorough guide how to skate safely. Take a look at my article here.

*Sunsets on frozen lakes are so beautiful!*

February 26, 2023 • 0 Comment

Falling Through Ice and Rescue

My last article about ice skating in Stockholm got a lot of attention. I received many messages that my readers are interested to try ice skating on natural ice! I am very happy about it and I understand! It is the best experience you can do in Stockholm in winter! Besides that I got several questions about safety and the experience of falling through ice. Even though I said that falling through ice never happened to any guest of the ice skating company The Green Trails where I work, I would like to share my experience with you. I tried falling through ice during an Ice knowledge course in Sweden. It was such a cool and valuable experience that I decided to devote a whole article to this topic.

Let’s start directly with a video of my own experience when I fell through ice. It might look scary but I am very happy for such an experience. Even though I guide with huge respect for the ice conditions, this experience can be extremely valuable in case of an accident. During the Ice knowledge course I could try it in a controlled environment. There were experienced guides with us and they found the perfect ice conditions for us. We did our practice where ice gets thinner and thinner and we could test how far you can go as a skater. Thanks to this experience, I now know what to do in case of an unplanned fall through ice. It was also a great test of my equipment. Here is the short movie!

What do you think? Would you like to try this too? Cool, right? 🙂 Please, just don’t get too excited and never try this on your own. Even though I enjoyed this experience and it might look like fun, we had multiple lectures before to get ready for this moment. We were instructed properly what to do and there was also a safety boat with a diver in case of emergency.

Safety boat saving poles on ice — *Safety boat is saving skating poles which one skater forgot to take out from thin ice before leaving the cold water*

As you can see in the movie, I still made some mistakes, even though I had multiple lectures beforehand:

I had a bit small backpack which caused that even my head went under water. This normally doesn’t happen with a bigger backpack.
I forgot to open the safety line before throwing it to my friends.

Otherwise, it went pretty well 🙂 I managed to get out of the water with the ice picks, I crawled enough to stand out on safe ice and the changing of clothes which you don’t see on the video went well too thanks to my friends.

SSSK skating group on ice in Stockholm — *Discussion about what went well and what could be done better for next time*

How does it feel when falling through ice?

I always say that it feels like jumping into a frozen lake after sauna, just without the sauna. It means it’s pretty nice! The problem is that you don’t have the sauna nearby to warm up again. That’s why it is important to be ready for such an experience. Here are my tips:

TIP 1: Avoid risky ice conditions

Let’s start with the most obvious tip. Avoiding falling through ice is the best way to enjoy skating. Go on ice only if you have enough experience about the lake/sea and bring all safety equipment. Bear in mind that the ice thickness can vary on different places of the surface. If you don’t have enough knowledge, go to the ice with someone experienced or book a guide.

TIP 2: Learn about ice and ice conditions

Are you a novice when it comes to ice knowledge and skating? Then, the best way is to get a guide. Check out my article about skating in Stockholm where you can book even me as your guide. Can you skate, do you have your own skating equipment and would you like to go on ice with other skaters like you? Join SSSK club (Swedish language necessary) in Stockholm and join their organized trips. This is the best way how to learn about ice. This is also the place where I learnt most. You can join trips on both sea and lakes, always on the best ice in the Stockholm area. Besides trips, they also organize ice knowledge courses, like the one I did.

Rescue of a skater from a fall into of frozen lake — *A friend trying to get out of water*

TIP 3: Prepare well for the worst

In case you fall through ice, you need great equipment. Be sure to have following with you if you go on risky ice:

A partner – most important thing. Never go on ice alone. In case of an accident, you want someone to help you.
Have proper rescue equipment with you when on ice: safety line, ice picks and a backpack with a strap between your legs which serves as a life jacket.
Spare clothes in a dry bag – always have clothes ready in a dry bag in your backpack to be able to change in case of fall through. I have a hat, gloves, three layers for both upper and lower part of the body as well as:
- Extra tip 1: Seal Skinz socks – special waterproof socks which will help your feet to be dry even in wet shoes after you fall through.
- Extra tip 2: Dishwashing gloves – they will help your hands to keep warm when you wring out your wet clothes.
- Extra tip 3: Don’t forget a towel in your backpack to dry your skin before you put on dry clothes.
- Extra tip 4: Have a spare Gore-Tex jacket or some light rain jacket so your wet backpack doesn’t make your back wet when you start skating again.

TIP 4: Get organized help from your friends

Hopefully, you listened to my advice and you skated in a group. There are four important tasks when someone falls through. Divide the help effectively:

Person 1: talks with the person in the water, helps with the rescue and helps to take off clothes
Person 2: unpacks the backpack and dry bag and prepares dry and warm clothes
Person 3: wrings out the wet clothes and the safety line and puts them back in the backpack
Person 4: prepares hot drinks and food
If you have a luxury of Person 5, he/she can make videos and pictures so you can share your experience with me and others on social media 🙂

TIP 5: Warm up after you are in dry clothes

Do you know what is the best way to warm up? Here are some of my tips:

Drink something warm and ideally sweet. Liquids with sugar warm up body better than without.
If you have some food, eat to get new energy.
Move as soon as you can. To warm up, walking is better than skating since you will do better movements to warm up your feet and you won’t be so quick that you are cooled down by the wind.

TIP 6: Try a fall through ice in safe conditions

If you would like to prepare mentally for the fall through ice, try it in an organized environment. There are various courses enabling such an experience or try at least to take an ice bath before going into the sauna.

TIP 7: Avoid swimming and join a guided tour to enjoy skating

If you would like to skate on endless Swedish lakes/sea, I wrote a special article about that experience. I’m guiding trips around Stockholm and it’s so much fun. If you are interested, read more here.

*Skating in Stokholm city centre is an unbelieveable experience*

February 12, 2023 • 0 Comment

Experience 33 winter activities in Sweden

Global warming makes winter sports less and less accessible around the world. I am very happy to live in Scandinavia which still guarantees wonderful winter conditions. I have tried multiple outdoor activities in Sweden and I have to say we have a real winter wonderland here. Check out both well-known and unknown sports activities you can experience in Sweden and ideally visit us to try them. They are so much fun!

I have recently seen a question in the Expats in Stockholm and Sweden Facebook group asking if it is a good idea to visit Sweden in March. The vast majority of people answered negatively: “To be honest, there really isn’t much to do here as a tourist destination, especially for a whole month, and March is still a relatively cold and dark period. I’d consider going somewhere on the Mediterranean. Don’t visit Stockholm.” After reading all the answers, I just thought: Oh my god. Why do people live in Sweden when they don’t enjoy March here? It is my favourite month! Let me explain you why.

First of all, let’s take a look at how dark March is. The fact is that we have a solstice on our planet and it is every year on the 21st of March. It means that day and night have the same length all around the world. After this date, Sweden has actually longer daylight than anywhere else further in the south. It means it is not dark during March in Sweden 😉

Now, let’s take a look at the main point of this article: there really isn’t much to do here as a tourist destination. I summarized what I experienced during the last 10 years in Sweden and what you should try out too! Look how many amazing winter activities you can do in Sweden! I have found 33 which means you can have one for every day in March and two extra for April 😉

Northern lights in Stockholm — Another answer to “There isn’t much to do and see in winter in Sweden!”

1. Ice skating

Let’s start with the best winter activity you can do in the capital of Sweden. The region of Stockholm has hundreds of lakes of different sizes and together with the large areas in Stockholm archipelago you have the best ice skating opportunities. Since it doesn’t snow much in Stockholm, you can skate pretty much anytime from the season start (usually November or December) until the ice melts (most often some time in April). If you would like to experience real freedom this is a winter activity for you. Imagine skating the whole day on the endless Swedish sea around islands and cute villages on islands. Would you like to join for a trip? I devoted a whole article to ice skating here.

2. Cross country skiing – classic style

Let’s move to another traditional Scandinavian winter sport – skiing. Did you know that there are several kinds of skiing? We will go through all of them in this article. Let’s start with the most known skiing style which is classic cross-country skiing. Have you heard about Vasaloppet? This oldest cross country skiing race in the world has already attracted more than 1,700,000 participants around the world. The race is 90km long and promises an unbelieveable atmosphere not only for the racers but also for the spectators. Visit the finish of the race Mora and you won’t regret it.

If you would like to try cross country skiing yourself, many places across the country offer cross country skiing courses. Try it, it’s so much fun and if you fall for skiing, after a few years training you can participate in Vasaloppet too. Take a look at what my experience was like.

Cross country skiing in Sweden at Vasaloppet — Vasaloppet

3. Cross country skiing – skating style

If you want to be faster on cross country skis, you can try skating style, also called freestyle cross country skiing. This new technique was developed at the beginning of 20th century and it was widely adopted in the 1980s after the success of Bill Koch in 1982 at the cross-country skiing championship. I personally prefer this style since it really feels like you are flying on the skis. So much fun! Similarly to the classic skiing style, you can find many courses across Sweden to learn it. If you are looking for great tracks nearby Stockholm, I highly recommend my favorite tracks in Falun, Lugnet. Otherwise you can find inspiration at skidspar.se.

4. Downhill Skiing

If you want to be even faster, go for downhill skiing. On downhill skis, you can easily reach speed above 100 km/h. There are many ski resorts around Sweden but you will find the best one in Åre. It offers the most tracks and most slopes. Another advantage is that Åre offers slopes for everyone regardless if you are a beginner, intermediate, advanced or pro skier.

You might be surprised but there is also a small ski resort in the middle of Stockholm. Hammarbybacken offers even a world cup competition for pro skiers. Even though the hill is relatively short, it also has its black slope which is perfect for a slalom race.

Skiing in Åre can lead to ski jumping too

5. Snowshoe hiking

Let’s take a break from skiing and let’s take a look at snowshoeing. Snow shoes are perfect for hikes in areas with a lot of snow. You’ll love the feeling of crunching snow under your feet. My personal favourite place for snow shoeing is Skuleskogen national park where you can hike daily 10-20 km and stay over in local huts, even free of charge. There you can have a great time making barbecue under the Northern lights.

Snowshoe hiking at Jämtlands Triangel during wonderful sunny day — This is another beautiful snowshoe location in Swedish mountains (Jämtlands Triangel)

6. Watching Northern lights shows

Have I just mentioned Northern lights? It is the most exciting phenomenon to witness in Sweden so let’s take a look at them. Aurora Borealis occurs sometimes all around Sweden but you have the biggest chance to witness them behind the polar circle. I’m myself fascinated by Northern lights so much that I’m hunting them every time we have a chance to see them in Stockholm. Just keep in mind, you have to be patient to see the lights. If you want to learn more tips about when and where to see Lady Aurora, you can take a look at my Practical Guide to see Northern Lights.

Watching northern lights from tent at Jämtlands Triangel — Watching Northern lights from our tent is one of the greatest experiences of my life

7. Ice fishing

Another activity which requires patience but brings a lot of joy is ice fishing. Create a hole in the ice with a special ice drill and catch your dinner. Ice fishing is so popular in Sweden that there are even competitions. Can you beat the largest fish ever caught on ice in Sweden – 7kg arctic char?

8. Sauna

Are you becoming cold from me talking about winter sports? I have something for you to warm up. Try a sauna with a jump into frozen water. It is not only a lot of fun but also healthy for your body. According to studies, taking a sauna helps with relaxing and detoxifying of your body and Scandinavian countries know it. Therefore, sauna use in Sweden, Finland and Norway already starts in early childhood.

Jumping in snow after sauna — If there is no lake or sea to jump in after sauna you can ask your friends to cover you in snow. It works well too!

9. Ice windsurfing

Let’s go from cold water back to ice. One of the most exciting winter sports I’ve ever tried is ice windsurfing. It is even more exciting than windsurfing on water. If you have a strong enough wind, you can reach speeds faster than 100km/h thanks to the very low resistence of the ice.

10. Snowkiting

The wind can also be utilized for snowkiting. Bring a kite and enjoy it either with skies in the mountains or with skates on a lake. Both are a lot of fun!

11. Ice hockey

Compared to summer, there are not many winter team sports but the existing ones are a lot of fun. You probably know ice hockey which is very popular around Sweden. Gather a group of friends to play a game or visit a match of Swedish hockey league and enjoy one of the best hockey games you can see in the world.

Outdoor ice hockey in Sweden — When I was studying in the north in Umeå we played ice hockey every week with other students

12. Bandy

Have you already seen ice hockey but would you like to see something even more unique? Visit a match of Bandy. Simply said, it is like ice hockey just on a frozen football field played by 11 players on every side. It is regarded as one of the fastest sports in the world and is only played in northern countries. To give you a taste of the game, look at the best goals made in the Swedish league below.

Take a look at some of the best goals in Bandy

13. Curling

Another winter team sport requires a lot of precision. Build a team and try curling in one of many curling halls around Sweden.

Deep focus before next move at curling — Deep focus before the next move

14. Biathlon

Currently, my favourite Olympic winter sport to watch is biathlon. Thanks to the shooting, the races are very unpredictable and that makes it very exciting! You can watch biathlon competitions every winter in Östersund which holds a world cup competition. When I visited one of the races, I was also happy to find out that you can even try biathlon yourself there. It was very cool to try to hit the targets like pro athletes. Now, I will not complain anymore about the biathletes who miss the targets. It’s pretty hard!

Shooting at biathlon range — Trying biathlon in Östersund

15. Winter camping

Do you like hiking and camping? Try it in winter too. There are much less hikers during winter so you can enjoy the nature on your own. It’s very cosy to wake up and have a view over a frozen landscape.

Winter camping at Jämtlands Triangel — Winter camping with my girlfriend at Jämtlands Triangel

16. Ice Hotel

Do you prefer sleeping inside? Then, try something special during winter in Sweden. Visit the famous Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi and spend a night in an ice paradise. The hotel is unique every year with decorations made by artists from all around the world!

Once you’re there, don’t forget to take a shot in a glass made of ice and if you’re there with your fiancée, why not to get married there too? The Ice hotel also has a small chapel where couples from all around the world get married.

Kissing at Ice Hotel in Sweden — Testing if it’s a good idea to get married at the Ice Hotel

17. Back country skiing

Let’s get back to skiing. There are a few very popular ski activities you can try in Sweden. Let’s take a look first at ski touring and back country skiing. The difference is very small and the names are often exchanged with each other. In Sweden it’s two very different sports though. Back country skis in Sweden are very similar to cross country skis, they are just wider and they are used in free terrain. People often use these skis for travelling longer distances from hut to hut and they are also used for multiday trips with an extra sled where you can carry supplies. Try back country skis in popular mountain area in Sweden such as in Jämtland close to Åre or far in the north at Kungsleden.

A backcountry skier at Swedish mountains

18. Ski touring

Ski touring in Sweden is rather associated with off piste skiing. The skis are more similar to downhill skis and people use skins for going up in the hills. These skis are rather used to climb mountains and to enjoy downhill in free terrain rather than long distances. Thanks to ski touring you can for example climb Swedish highest mountain – Kebnekaise.

Ski touring in Jämtland - summit picture of Åreskutan (1420m) — Ski touring is very popular in Åre area too. This is my summit picture of Åreskutan (1420m)

19. Ski jumping

I wonder why Sweden sucks so much at international ski jumping competitions. Both neighbors Norway and Finland have world star ski jumpers but Sweden has none. Do you think it is because there are no ski jumps in Sweden? That’s not the problem. There is a large ski jumping area in Falun called Lugnet which held world championships in the past. Lacking a ski jumping tradition will be more likely the reason. Anyway, keep an eye on competitions at Falun and watch amazing jumps from athletes all around the worlds except Sweden 😀

*Ski jumping championship in Falun, Sweden*

20. Heliskiing

Let’s turn to another winter activity where Sweden excels. Would you like to try world class off piste skiing in the best possible conditions? Try heli skiing behind the polar circle. In Abisko you can join a group of skiers and experience heli skiing.

21. Ice Cross

Have you heard about Ice cross? It’s popular mostly thanks to exciting Red Bull events. Check it out and if you dare, visit the ice cross facility in Stockholm.

22. Dog sledding

One of the most popular activities among visitors to Sweden is dog sledding. I have to admit I am a bit afraid of dogs so I haven’t tried it yet but I will one day. It looks very cosy!

23. Ice climbing

If you like rock climbing you should definitely also try ice climbing. What about ice climbing directly on the highest waterfall in Sweden? It is also on my to do list this winter.

Take a look at a short ice climbing movie from Abisko

24. Winter swimming

We have already talked about sauna but did you know that it is very popular to swim in ice cold water without going to the sauna these days? There are even races in cold water in Sweden!

25. Winter kayaking

I prefer to utilize water in the solid state during winter for acivities such as skiing or skating but there is also an option to experience an adventure on unfrozen lakes. Enjoy views over snow covered national parks or cities from a kayak. Stockholm offers many opportunities for instance.

My frozen kayak during sunrise tour in Stockholm archipelago — *My frozen kayak during a sunrise tour in the Stockholm archipelago*

26. Fat biking

Biking and snow often don’t go together. Slippery roads can be tricky so bikers usually take a break from biking during winter months. Have you heard though about fat biking? These bikes have much thicker tyres so they can be used on snow. Would you like to try?

A girl on flat bike on a beach — *My girlfriend testing a fat bike on a beach. It also works very well there. Next time we have to try it on snow!*

27. Car drifting

Let’s stay on snowy roads. Do you like cars? Then, I have a winter activity for you too. North west of Stockholm, there is a special lake where ice drive races are organized. Visit Dalarna and test your driving skills on ice!

28. Yukigassen

Yukigassen will bring you back to the childhood times when you had snowball fights with your friends. It is actually an official snowball competition. As you might guess from the name, it comes from Japan but there are Yukigassen associations in all major northern countries including Sweden. Visit Luleå for a national competition.

Yukigassen snow ball fight in Umeå, Sweden — Yukigassen fight in Umeå, Sweden

29. Sled

Let’s stay in our childhood and let’s enjoy children’s favourite means of transport in winter. Sledding is so much fun even for adults and there is even a sled championship in Sweden every year. Visit SM veckan and compete in Alpin Rodel.

30. Skijoring

Do you have pets and would you like to train together with them? Then, skijouring is the best thing for you! Skijoring is basically any sport where a person on skis is pulled by a horse, a dog (or dogs), another animal, or a motor vehicle (snowmobile or car for instance). In Sweden, you can find many cross country skiing tracks where pets are allowed.

31. Reindeer race

If you own a typical Lappland pet – reindeer, you can participate in a Reindeer race during Jokkmokk winter market. This is a wonderful event when people gather from all around the world to admire Sámi traditions.

32. Snow mobiling

To be honest, I am not much of a fan of snow mobiling. I prefer moving in the pure nature with my own power but I understand snow mobiling is popular in Sweden. The machines are very quick and you can explore nature in much shorter time compared to skis or skates. For me, they are just very loud and smelly and I am not that happy to meet them on my trips. I am not surprised that they are banned in Norway in free nature and allowed only on specific paths. I hope Sweden will follow the rule in the future. Anyway, snow mobiles are allowed now so try them.

33. Snowboarding

I almost forgot about snowboarding. It’s not much a surprise because I am a skier and you know there is a small rivalry between both sports so maybe I forgot it on purpose 😉 Anyway, Sweden offers perfect conditions for snowboarding too. If you are a skier like me, why not trying a snowboard too? Look what Ms. Ledecka managed. She won a gold medal both in snowboarding and skiing at the Olympic games. I am proud to be a Czech 🙂

CONCLUSION: Is Swedish winter boring or not?

So what do you think? Is winter still boring in Sweden? Feel free to share my article if you have a friend who thinks winter sucks. I am sure you will change his/her mind 😉

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