It’s hard to imagine, but from the 16th to the 19th century, in what has come to be known as the Little Ice Age, rivers up and down the UK would freeze every winter, offering prime skating opportunities for anyone who dared venture onto the ice. In London the River Thames was frozen solid for up to 2 months at a time, and the famous Frost Fairs celebrated the winter season with games, festive markets and a sort of Dancing on Ice of yesteryear.

These days while winters are milder in Britain, much of Europe is still firmly within Jack Frost‘s grip. London has its fair share of pop-up ice rinks, but for those who feel hemmed in there is nothing like taking to the ice surrounded by acres of gloriously frozen lake… and we’re not short of them in Europe!

Switzerland

Skating on London’s inner city ice rinks is an exciting experience of its own but not great if you really long to roam free. Switzerland‘s lakes offer a vast natural expanse for honing your blade running skills.

Lake Sihlsee near Einsiedeln has areas marked out where it is safe to skate – you can rent skates or bring your own and go for free. Lac de Joux in the Jura mountains is paradise for skaters, with its vast perimeter transformed into a giant-sized ice rink with the onset of winter. Or, if you prefer to be within reach of a nice cup of cocoa to warm icy fingers, the refined glamour of St Moritz allows skating on Lake Moritz- and if it’s not open there is even the Eiserena Ludains as back-up!

Lake Sihlsee | Trains to Einsieden 
Eiserena Ludains | Trains to St. Moritz
Lac de Joux | Trains to Le Chenit

Austria

Austria’s so-called “White Lake” (Weissensee), in Carinthia, becomes an ode to winter sports as soon as the cold snap begins. Divided neatly into rinks for curling, skating and even ice golf, hemmed in on all sides by lush woodland and Christmas-card chalets is as stunningly beautiful in winter as it is when the snow departs in summer. Neusiedl Lake is perfect for culture vultures bordering both a national park and some of Austria’s finest wine growing regions. Extreme thrill-seekers should head for the (snow-covered) hills to Zell-am-See resort for skating and winter sports including tobogganing, swimming, and sleigh rides!

Weissensee | Trains to Villach

Sweden

With countless natural lakes, Sweden is an icy maze of rinks waiting to conquered. Nyköping is perfectly placed at the water’s edge so you can spend a day gliding (or sledding if that’s more your thing) in a vast natural ice skating venue before warming up in true Swedish fashion with a sauna. If you consider yourself something of a pro, the Vikingarännet - an 80km race – allows you to sightsee and retrace the footsteps of Vikings all at the same time. Just don’t forget your helmet and cape.

Nyköping | Trains to Nyköping

Holland

Like London, locals in Holland don’t always get the chance to ice skate au natural, due to rising temperatures. When canals iced over in Kinderdijk in the Netherlands, around 2.5million people seized the freeze (if you pardon the pun) to explore nature in its frosty glory. It’s no longer an annual event, but when the cold hits Holland’s famed waterways become natural skating tracks. So if you get the feeling it’s going to be a long hard winter, head to Holland. Kinderdijk is a UNESCO World Heritage Site full off iconic windmills – we can’t think of a more fun (and sustainable) way to travel!

Kinderdijk | Trains to Rotterdam

Images by suvodeb, jchip8, preeto_f06 & china daily reproduced with thanks under a CC Attribution license 2.0