Would I dare to go ice swimming?
Katriina Nykopp |
I once agreed in passing to a friend's suggestion of ice swimming, and my sisu wouldn't let me back out. So on a January evening after the gym I made my way to Häränvirta's magnificent ice-swimming spot and stood with a towel around me watching my friend plunge into the water. "Once you get moving, you won't stop," my friend instructed, and told me to breathe. I did as told, dipped in up to my neck, and then got out in a hurry.
Strictly speaking, it's called winter swimming, because the swimming season starts even before the ice arrives and not all Finnish waters even freeze over during winter. Häränvirta doesn't mind light frosts either; it only yields to an ice cover in really cold winters. Flowing cold and stately, the water is clean - and cold. Zero-degree water moves fast and deserves respect: if possible, go in with a friend, and carefully, especially in the dark.
You can find plenty of researched information about the benefits of ice swimming by googling, but enthusiasts say the same things when you chat with them. Improved sleep quality, fewer colds, and better tolerance to cold are the most common. Your skin likes it too, and many say all kinds of ailments get left in the ice hole.
Häränvirta's winter swimmers are happy to welcome new members, and you can redeem a key for a year's use from the swimming hall for €15. You can also get in the water in Suolahti, and there too the swimming hall can provide more information.
So how did my ice swimming go? It was absolutely wonderful! I felt great and wanted to go again. I got hooked and now I go several times a week! And yes, I feel I sleep better and don't have to wait for sleep in the evenings.
If you're interested, contact Häränvirta's winter swimmers or pick up a key from the swimming hall, and I can take you to try it too!
Photos: Saana Peurasaari, Katriina Nykopp and Teija Kyläniemi.