Ice thicker, western part of the Weissensee (the ‘small lake’) opened
The western part of the Weissensee now has enough ice to allow walkers on. So the ice on the ‘small lake’ has officially been opened. Skating is only possible to a limited extent.
Officially opened
De predicted ice formation indeed came. Snow caused a delay, but the outlook was positive. And there is a plan of action.
“The western part of the Weissensee is officially open from now on”, ice team member Bernhard Jank announces on natureislauf.at.
The current ice thickness on the Weissensee
New measurements have been shared as well. The ice on the west part is currently 11 cm thick.
Jank: “Skating is only possible to a limited extent, as we cannot take the ice planer onto the ice yet. A path has been cleared along the circuit for winter walkers.”
So proper, unrestricted skating is not possible yet. “Depending on the weather, skating should be able to start around Christmas.” Walkers are expected to watch for the barriers. There are treacherous spots at times, as Jank has said before.
Photo: natureislauf.at
The small lake and the large lake
De remarkable Weissensee is a mountain lake and a nature park of the same name in Carinthia. A bridge at Techendorf divides the lake into ‘small’, in the west, and ‘large’, in the east.
Because of its depth the large lake often freezes later. Sometimes that part stays open altogether while cars are driving on the small lake. Which is one reason skating the Weissensee is ‘different every time’ every year.
Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour
Normally racing skaters and recreational skaters would be counting down to the Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour.
The organised tour over 200 kilometres has been cancelled because of corona (COVID-19) and code orange. And Runn Winter Week in Sweden is not going ahead either.
Which means there is only one alternative to the 11-City Tour left: skating at Luleå:
- Recently there was word that the tour in Swedish Lapland was ‘going ahead as planned’.
- That was before the government's advice not to travel abroad was extended, though.
- On 14 December prime minister Mark Rutte announced that this travel advisory applies until mid-March, where it had been mid-January.
- And on 16 December the whole world on code orange.
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Magical ice between the mountains. Oases that are a feast for the eyes under the sun. Team dionvacation is made up of recreational skaters and sun lovers, people who savour life. We share that zest for life from the Weissensee all the way to the Catalan coast. The holiday home ‘Vida Daurada’ (the golden life) suits that lifestyle, between mountains and sea. All articles are written by our own travel editors. Vida Daurada sponsors the Sun destination section.