Highlights from the Natural Park Lake Weissensee

Lake Weissensee captivates with its magnificent, panoramic landscape even in winter. The lake‘s eastside, with its fjord-like enclosures, harbours an idyll: only coniferous forests line the lakeside, no car in sight - the lake presents itself with an unspoiled view.

Lake Weissensee, at 930 metres above sea level, reliably freezes over in mid December, creating a solid, up to 40 cm deep, ice sheet. A colourful mix of winter holidaymakers bustle on this playground: ice skaters glide along leisurely on the smooth as glass ice sheet, speed skaters break records. Ice golfers indulge in a game of ,,Winter Golf‘‘ on the steamrolled snow surface. Cross-country skier circle the lake and now snow machines guarantee perfect snow conditions. Provided are 55 km of skating and dual cross-country ski tracks and it happens that ice skaters and cross-country skiers start a spontaneous race. A sleigh ride, with well-natured Haflingers replacing human muscle power, is just perfect for romantics.

Learn to ice skate with the experts

Whether whizzing or gliding leisurely across the natural ice sheet - all that can be learned. The theme at the Nature Ice Skating School is „Learn ice skating the easy way“ and professional trainers teach the basic rules of ice-skating there. Ambitious advanced ice skaters can improve their ice skating technique under the supervision of ice skating trainers. The Nature Ice Skating School Weissensee is a service of the Ice Skating Association Weissensee and offers courses for adults and children throughout the winter season. Courses can be booked at the Weissensee Information or directly at the ice skating school.

Marathon across 200 kilometers

Ice skating is a tradition at Lake Weissensee. The lake, with its 6,5 km² ice sheet, started its international triumph when the ice skating enthusiastic Dutch were looking for a new venue for their alternative 11-Cities-Tour. The lake came to their attention as an ice-reliable alternative to the waters in the Netherlands, which no longer freeze over.

Around 5000 Dutchmen will travel to Lake Weissensee this year (18.01. to 01.02.2014) to determine the fastest skaters over various distances. This event is being held for 26th time this year. The most prestigious discipline is the 200 km marathon. The record time is an impressive 5 hours and 11 minutes. That should not intimidate the amateur ice skaters because they can get hold of a medal and certificate for shorter distances of 10, 20 or 50 km at the guest-ice speed skating race, which is held every Friday during the winter season.

Warm up with a mulled cider at ice curling

The area of 6,5 km² offers space for various ice sports activities. The heavy ice resurfacing machine, affectionally known as „Glitschi“ – prepares, planes and polishes not only the tracks for the ice speed skaters but also the ice rinks for ice hockey players and the tracks for the ice curling players. The latter can be found very often in Carinthia. They handle their ,,Carinthian Stick’’ with an astounding precision and readily invite guests for competitions. A proper ice-curling tournament is great fun and a glass of steaming mulled cider makes sure that no one gets cold.

Coloured golf balls are necessary

White fairways invite to a game of golf at Weissensee again this winter. The 9 fairways, which have been well prepared and grinded into the blanket of snow on the frozen over lake, have to be played twice at a tournament. Winter golfers meet for a tournament on 13th to 15th February 2014. A golf-pro shows a few playing tricks for golfing on the frozen over lake before the game. An absolute must are coloured golf balls, which are easier to find in the white roughs. Open fireplaces and bars in the Winter Golf Hotels add to the right atmosphere at the "19th hole".

Children‘s -Ski World with many discounts

Whether little or large, no fan of Alpine skiing will miss out at Lake Weissensee. One four-seater chairlift and four tow lifts open up an area of 7 km of cross-country ski tracks, which vary in degrees of difficulty from easy to medium. The mascots BOBO®, the penguin, and Meterix, the little measuring bear, are looking forward to greet kids & co at the Children‘s - Ski World Weissensee. Meterix, the little measuring bear, is in charge of the many discounts for children - the smaller, the more discount. Children pay at the hotel, at the ski lift, at the skiing school and for ski hire according to their height.

Two natural toboggan runs go down the hill at Weissensee, a four-seater chair lift is provided for the ascent. Moreover, if the brisk ride on two runners is not fun enough then you can take part at a yodelling seminar, which is held at the Naggeralm every Wednesday.

The Nature Park Weissensee offers its guests a special treat for the winter season 2013/2014: the ski pass is free of charge from 23.02. – 09.03.2014; just book your holiday accommodation at one of our more than 30 partner companies, get your guest card and off you go up into the mountains.

Faster, higher, further – Children's Olympics at Carinthia's Lake Weissensee

Olympic games on ice and in the snow especially for kids. Fun is the main element during this nature experience. Ice skating and skiing require skills but speed, stamina, energy and coordination are also needed in the individual contests.

There is, for example, the „Ice Slalom“ where the children dash across the ice through a pre-set parcourse. The faster the speed, the more points can be collected. The same goes for the „Speed Snowman Building“. Two groups compete in this contest and winner is the group which has finished building the snowman first. Extra points can be earned according to originality and beauty. Accuracy skills are required during the „Ice Hockey Cup“ where the participants must use ice hockey sticks to get the puck to the predefined goals.

Everyone has to find their own method to get downhill on a hay-filled sack as fast as possible in the „Sack Race“. Points for every achieved centimetre are given at the children's ski jumping contest. The „Winter Nature Quiz“ tests the knowledge of the young guests. Questions about „Nature and Animals in Winter“ must be answered and pictures must be named during this quiz. Many other contests also invite to compete in a playful manner.

The Children's Olympics on ice and snow are for children aged three to 14, and take place at 2 fixed dates during the half-term holidays – other dates are available on request. Every participant receives a certificate and the top three will be celebrated at the winners' ceremony. Participation is free of charge.

Delicacies from organic farmers

The landlady of the Naggler Alm, above Lake Weissensee, serves Carinthian specialities of the highest quality, based on organic produce. The region‘s organic farmers supply dairy products, cheese, bacon, sausages and meat. Restaurants at the lake cater for lovers of fish dishes and have trout and whitefish from Austria‘s purest bathing freshwater on their menus.

Biathlon taster course

More than 50 kilometres of dual and skating cross-country ski tracks invite to sliding across the snow at the Nature Park Weissensee. Fans of Nordic winter sports can look forward to a taster course in biathlon this year. A biathlon track with facilities for shooting with laser rifles was added to the net of cross-country ski tracks during the construction of the new Nordic Centre in the middle of the Nature Park Weissensee.

The idyllic Seewiesen cross-country ski track directly at the lake, for example, is part of the dense net of groomed cross-country ski tracks. The ten kilometres long Franz-Josephs high altitude cross-country ski track, for example, or an excursion to the 1.074 m high Tschabitscher are ideal for anyone who prefers dizzy heights. There are also hiking cross-country ski tracks for anyone who is accompanied by a four-legged friend. Artificial snow-making facilities guarantee perfect tracks on most courses.

Free of charge shuttle bus service for more mobility

A free of charge shuttle bus service, which connects all destinations in the Natural Arena of Carinthia, is available for our guests for excursions into the surrounding areas. Come on board and take your seat - and off you go to the neighbouring Gitschtal Valley or to the Millennium - Express Talstation, which takes winter sportsmen and women to Nassfeld, one of Austria‘s top 10 skiing areas.

INFO: Natureislauf (sport), Naturarena (nature), Weissensee (tourism)