In summer, the Austrian lakes are lovely for cooling off in, even if they do leave you smelling like a fish tank instead of a salt lick. In winter, if it gets cold enough, you can ice skate on them, which I’ve been lucky enough to do a couple of times since I’ve been living here.
The most well-known lake close to me is Weissensee – because it’s a bit higher in altitude it generally freezes first. But it’s a bit of a drive and not something we’re up for with a small child who is not quite ready to ice skate.
But he loves ice. So, one day last winter, we headed to Lake Turnesee. It wasn’t open for skating, but it was frozen over and it was incredible to see the difference between summer and winter – looking the same yet with a surface tinged in white. The sound is haunting – this weird twanging noise that echoes out across the surface – slightly terrifying, but it’s just the natural noise of ice expanding, contracting and cracking due to temperature changes.
Turnersee was not officially open at the time though there were a few locals skating who swore it was safe. And it probably was, but I’d never risk it. It feels a bit like swimming outside the flags at a surf beach. Not advisable.
But boy did Sam love it. Naturally, we stayed at the edge and simply played around on the ice, pushing him on his butt as he giggled and squealed. Even a year later he still talks about it. And it’s pretty cold right now, so if we’re lucky we’ll get back there.
an aussie in austria 