1The Most Incredible Natural Ice Rinks on Earth
Don’t worry. You don’t need to know how to do a salchow or a camel. In fact, it doesn’t even matter if you are clueless about what those things are. Even an amateur can ice skate on any of these natural rinks (with enough padding). It’s a great way to get a little fresh air and exercise. Whether you go ice skating on a frozen-hard pond in a local public park or against a beautiful backdrop of massive mountains, you should always be certain it is safe, of course.
Simply check with your local outfitters and authorities, and be sure to learn what you should do in case there’s an emergency. After all, fresh snow can camouflage ice that is melting or too weak for skating. Also remember that while ice skating under the stars certainly sounds really romantic, if it’s too dark to see where you’re ice skating, you could hit debris or a dangerous hole.
It’s much safer to skate where the ice is well lit. Prefer roller skating? Then you can simply stop at these incredible natural ice rinks and take in their natural icy beauty.
1. The Ice Rinks in Alberta, Canada
Image courtesy of Sean Thonson Travel Alberta
You’ll discover several natural ice skating rinks in Alberta. Veteran visitors suggest Lake Louise where the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise regularly maintains the ice. The resort even erects an ice castle large enough to skate through. Outdoor lights keep the place lit until 11:00 pm. Weather-permitting, the best tie to go is from December 15th to April 15th.
If you visit Canada in the peak winter months, check out any of Alberta’s national parks. Look down under your feet once in a while, too. You could see big rocks suspended in the ice or even fish still swimming in the deep places. Check out Johnson Lake and Carrot Creek in Banff National Park too!
2The Mirror Lake, Lake Placid, New York, USA
Image courtesy of www.lakechamplainregion.com
Magnificent Mirror Lake is situated in the charming alpine village of Lake Placid, in the heart of the impressive Adirondack Mountains. This lovely lake itself spans areas of New York, Vermont, and even Quebec, Canada. Here you’ll find 122 acres of ice skating and other cool things to do.
The two-mile track around the famous lake is always plowed but only open when it’s safe to skate. During the winter months, this place is open to the public 24/7. There is even a section specifically kept clear for ice hockey enthusiasts near the town’s beach. The entire Lake Champlain region is actually great for ice skating.
3Lake Vanern, southwest Sweden
Image courtesy of Helena-Wahlman/Imagebank
Lake Vanern is not only the biggest lake in the entire European Union but it’s also Europe’s third-largest lake. It is roughly 2,183 square acres and includes over 22,000 islands. The lake spans three Swedish provinces, Dalsland, Varnland, and Vastergotland.
No one maintains or grooms the ice here. Nevertheless, it remains an ice skater’s paradise due to its natural, rugged beauty. Veteran visitors recommend catching the sunrise here and confirm that the numerous colors are nothing less than spectacular.
4The Ice Rinks of Switzerland
Image courtesy of Salis-Romano/Switzerland-Touris
Your first stop for ice skating is Lake Joux situated in the well-known Lake Geneva region, within the memorable Jura mountain range between France and northwestern Switzerland. The lake spans an area of almost six square miles.
There’s also Lake Silvaplana, in Grison. The ice has to be cleared of the snow prior to anyone skating but there are floodlights here so the skating hours are extended at night. Around noon strong winds generally kick up near the lake. While this can discourage some ice skaters, it probably is why kite skiing or snowkiting was invented here.
5Lake Weissensee, Carinthia, Austria
Even amateur ice skaters are warmly welcomed at famous Lake Weissensee, ensconced in the Eastern Alps of Austria. Here you will be able to pick up some tips from experienced ice skating instructors during their seasonal ice skating school. Ice skating is open here from December 15th through sometime in early March.
The natural ice surface here is regularly groomed. There are more than two and a half miles of natural ice track here. There are also stock sport lanes, round ice skating rinks, and even special seasonal classes on speed skating.
6Shichahai Lake, Beijing, China
Image courtesy of tour-beijing.com
The Shichahai Lake is found in the northwest section of Beijing, China. It is one of three lakes. During the winter months, this ice skating spot is particularly popular with children. No doubt this is largely due to its great 18-foot-long ice slide.
Here you will see more than mere ice skaters. You could very well spot ice bikes, ice boats . ice bumper cars, and ice chairs as well. You can also do some night skating if you wish. Back in 2013, CNN reported that this ice rink was one of the ten top most beautiful in the world. The best time to visit is from December 15th to December 31
7Mill Pond Park, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Image courtesy of visitgrey.com
Finally, we have Mill Pond Park. Sure, you might think that a little pond might not make the kind of impression a big frozen lake would make but if you’re into ice skating then don’t overlook this place. Popular Mill Pond Park is situated in the well-known York section of Ontario, and the greater Toronto area.
Many people come here not only to go ice skating but also to practice ice hockey techniques. Before you strap on your ice skates, though, you had best visit the pond’s south end. That’s where they post signs notifying visitors if it is safe to ice skate or not.
So there you have it, fellow travelers, several of the most incredible natural ice rinks on the planet. If you’re into ice skating now you know where to go. Mind you, as former Penn State penman Jack S. Chesney was quick to confirm, many of these places are actually great places to visit any time of the year. Pretty cool, huh?
