Ice Skating On Lake Neusiedl – Photos
Raise your hand if you’ve ever ice-skated on a natural lake! (Or leave a comment).
In Austria most lakes across the country are open to the public for swimming and water sports in the summer and ice-skating and -surfing in the winter.
Considering the overall size and terrain of Austria, the Lake Neusiedl / Neusiedler See is a comparatively large (315 km2 = 122 sq mi) but very shallow (1.8 m = 5 ft 11 in) lake with the Austrian-Hungarian border running through it. The main part of the lake belongs to Austria but as a whole it is protected as a national park and since 2001 even got accepted as a World Heritage Site.
Around the lake and its environs there are picturesque and well-frequented cycling routes, and since it is located in the vast Pannonian planes with its almost constant winds the waters are mostly used for surfing and sailing.
In the winter months though, if the winds are gentle during a freezing period, it turns into a huge natural ice-skating rink with surprisingly large smooth stretches between the ripply parts, and you can skate for miles across the icy wide, wide “Land”.
Right after New Year’s Eve 2011 we took the one hour car drive to the “Sea of the Viennese” with our little cousin Oliver to enjoy a day out on the lake and see the shores from a different angle. After making our way through the huge reed belt, which serves as an important habitat for wildlife and resting place for migratory birds, we got to experience this feeling of freedom of the wide open scenery that you can otherwise only enjoy on a boat. A little family race and goofing around for some pictures against the beautiful sunset made this wonderfully relaxing day complete.
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Growing up our neighbors had a small pond on their farm where we would go ice skating in the winter. I remember our Mom dragging out a box full of skates from the closet. Hand me downs from my older brothers and sisters. We would usually have a bonfire going to be able to warm up and skate at night by the firelight. I wasn’t much good at it but I do have some good memories.
OK, which of you are the most naturally gifted skaters? Didn’t see any photos with anyone on their fanny so either those were all deleted or you’ve got the ice skating thing figured out. I must admit I’m not a natural ice skater (what Floridian is?) but I did OK in my youth. Now I don’t think I would survive the falls as gracefully as in my college days so I wouldn’t even venture on the ice. The secret is to stay warm, right? Especially on a lake surrounded by the Wide, Wide Land.
Looks like a lot of fun! We didn’t get much ice in South Carolina, so we used to go to roller skating rinks. I did try ice skating once, but never got to the point where I felt comfortable enough to enjoy it. ?
Somehow I believe Oliver is taller than you all now??
What fun had by all. There is nothing more splendid than spending quality family time. The ice sailing looks so fun. Do you have to know how to skate to partake? I would seriously like to give it a go. I wouldn’t ve able to stop until I fell, but that’s ok. ?
Thanks Ladies for the splendid pictures.
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Looking at all the fantastic photos I had almost the feeling I would have been personally with you in that wonderful area.
It’s always nice to see how much fun you had together and how great your affection for little Oliver is. Really heartwarming!
Thank you very much for sharing so many wonderful hours in your life with us.
I’ll bet Oliver will never forget this day with his awesome cousins! Love the snow angels – but honestly that picture that seems like you’re out in the middle of this giant sea seemed a little scary to me. I’ve been out on oceans far out when scuba diving, but warm water is much my preference compared to frozen. Makes me very happy to see your family enjoying winter together time.
I was enjoying your descriptive and narrative write up as much as seeing the slide show. Wow that place looks amazing, and to be able to ice skate for miles and miles all along a large lake like that would be a skaters paradise. It looks like the Salt Flats in Death Valley, but on ice instead. It looked like an awesome time, family fun skating outside. In one shot little Oliver looked like he was a little professional speed skater darting around, and then the next he looked like “help I’m about to fall”.
Where I am it just never gets cold long enough to be able to skate on the lakes, so in my teens use to skate at skating rinks, often school field trips to go skating, was a lot of fun. It would be another whole new experience to skate on a frozen over lake like that where it extends forever across the wide, wide horizon like that. Wow! Austria is an amazing place from all the pictures you’ve shown us. Thanks for sharing these wonderful moments! 🙂
Reminds me of the World Heritage site of Canada here, in Ottawa of being at one point ( maybe still is?, not sure on that fact nowadays) considered to be tge Longest Hatural Outdoir Skating Rink in North America, The Rideau Canal… in summer boats come through and dock in Ottawa, but in winter it becomes Frozen Fun, for those who enjoy skating, I used to enjoy skating but not in years, I’m not fond of Winter but have skated part of it and walked the distance of it in past. During Winterlude Festival it’s quite popular, tourists come from all over to enjoy it… These photos reminded me of Ottawa and The Rideau Canal, Tgsnkyou for sharing these, your Winter Fun Enthusuasm shines warmly through ⛸