Is there a better way than starting the new year on perfect ice? New years day 2017 blessed us with 46 km fantastic skating around lake Mökeren, just by the border to Sweden.
We captured the moment to be out on the ice just before sunrise. To our luck we heard the wonderful sounds of black grouse on the other side of the lake. Droppngs on the ice showed that they had been here before.
Nordic skating isn’t just the joy of skating. It gives you such wonderful nature experiences. We met a squirrel, followed some ravens and passed by a beaver hut. You could see the activity of chopped birches and the open water outside the hut. The beavers are really social animals. Inside the hut the family has different rooms where they spend their days and nights during winter time. The entrance to the hut is below the water surface to keep predators away.
After some nice refreshing pauses we were happy to skate round the lake on perfect ice and were back to the car just at sunset.
The winter solstice 2016 was December 21st. Now the days are getting longer and longer. We are looking forward to many skating tours 2017!