The skating season on Lake Weissensee in Carinthia (Austria) started today. With the ice layer reaching 15 centimeters, the western part of the lake was opened to the public.
The lake is located at an altitude of almost 1000 meters, in recent days the temperatures were low and the ice layer was able to develop sufficiently.
Ice supervisor Norbert Jank has been checking the ice in recent days and clearing a path for skaters and other outdoor activities like ice hockey or ice stock.
Today, many locals took to the ice. In the afternoon, around 1,000 people took advantage of the sunny weather and excellent ice conditions. The ice ring is approximately 3.5 kilometers long.
Every year at the end of January, several thousand Dutch skaters use the lake as an alternative venue for the Elfstedentocht, a very popular speed skating endurance race in the Netherlands.
