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© Photo TVB Mondsee-Irrsee, Melanie Stockinger; sunset on Lake Irrsee in the Salzkammergut region.
View over the Irrsee, in which the sunset is reflected. A snow-covered footbridge can be seen at the edge of the picture, with mountains in the background.
View over the Irrsee, in which the sunset is reflected. A snow-covered footbridge can be seen at the edge of the picture, with mountains in the background.

Ice, Ice, Baby

Ice Swimming in Salzkammergut

A new trend is conquering our lakes - winter swimming. What does it do for health and well-being? Discover the magic of winter swimming in the Salzkammergut - we have collected many tips and tricks, as well as the best spots!

 

Winter bathing is the ideal way to recharge your batteries with energy and strength at the start of the new year.

If you do it right, you can also enjoy many health benefits. Try something new and fight the winter blues - it's good for  your body and soul!

Who dares to take the step to more well-being and dips into the cool water?

© Bademantel(c)SalzburgerLand_Anna_K._Erhardt
Eine Frau im Bademantel steht an einem schneebedeckten Steg am Fuschlsee.
© Handtuch(c)SalzburgerLand_Anna_K._Erhardt
Ein Steg am Fuschlsee im Winter. Wir sehen Beine, die Richtung See laufen und ein Handtuch fliegt durch die Luft.

Benefits for Body and Soul

Even if it costs a lot of overcoming at the beginning - the ability to overcome ourselves makes us experience new feelings of happiness and the unique feeling after the cold bath makes us feel the pure vitality.

The cold stimulus in the ice-cold water strengthens the immune system, which in turn provides good protection against inflammation. Thus, winter bathing can provide an overall increased sense of well-being. Allegedly, it even helps to reduce anxiety and panic attacks and also ensures better night sleep.

For competitive athletes, going into the cool water can also be used for therapeutic purposes, as it is said to have a preventive effect against sore muscles, and overall the performance can also be increased.

 

© Winterbaden Traunsee_SalzkammergutTourismus_ElisabethHaider
Eine Frau beim Winterbaden im Traunsee.
© Eisbaden mit Hana Moravcikova_TVB-Attersee-Attergau / Miro Pochyba
Eine Frau beim Winterbaden im Attersee.

„Brrr – is that cold“

... is probably the first thought when going into the ice-cold water. But with a few tips and tricks, the magic of ice bathing will unfold step by step.

Untrained people can go for regular outdoor baths as a preparation already in summer and autumn. But also regular alternating showers with cold and warm water are suitable for training.

The head and hair should not be submerged when going into cold water. For beginners, it is also advisable to keep the hands above the water, as hands and feet are the parts of the body that cool down most quickly. So it's best to keep your hands in the air and wear a warm hat! It is also recommended to wear thin protective shoes on your feet.

Proper breathing also plays a major role in winter bathing. The preparation starts already out of the water. Our tip: try out the breathing technique of extreme athlete and cold expert Wim Hof to prepare yourself perfectly for the ice-cold bathing pleasure.

Important: Safety always comes first! It is best to always listen to your own body and slowly test what works well. If you are unsure how your body will react to the cold water, simply bring a friend along as a companion. If you are unsure because of possible circulatory problems or if you have any pre-existing conditions, please be sure to talk to a doctor about the project beforehand!

 

© Winterbaden Traunsee_SalzkammergutTourismus_ElisabethHaider
Eine Frau beim Winterbaden im Traunsee.

For winter swimming it is best to choose a place where you can quickly get into deep water. For example, a jetty with a ladder is suitable. You can climb in and out quickly. The shallower the entrance to the water, the greater the risk of losing the feeling in your toes.

By the way, hypothermia cannot occur during winter swimming, since the body reflexively converts its energy reserves into body heat during the current cold stimulus.

Whoever has made it completely into the water - congratulations! But please don't go too far from the shore - so you can leave the lake at any time if it gets too cold.

A towel or a blanket, as well as the warm clothes should be ready for you to be able to slip in immediately after the bath.

And afterwards? Drink a warm cup of tea and enjoy the pure feeling of happiness!

© WintertauchenAttersee_SalzkammergutKatrinKerschbaumer
Ein schneebedeckter Badesteg am Attersee.

Attersee

Attersee

Water temperature Attersee: ca. 7°C

Spots :

  • all public bathing areas around the lake
More Info
© WinteramIrrsee_TVBMondseeIrrseeHerbertBenedik
Der Irrsee im Winter. Am Seeufer liegt Schnee.

Mondsee-Irrsee

Mondsee-Irrsee

Water temperature Mondsee: ca. 5°C

Water temperature Irrsee: ca. 5°C

Spots:

  • all public bathing areas at the Irrsee
  • all public bathing areas at the Mondsee
© Bad Goisern im Winter Foto: Sven Posch / www.viewnect.com
Auf diesem Bidl sieht man Bad Goisern von oben an einem sonnigen Wintertag. Man sieht den Hallstättersee und den Dachstein Krippenstein

Dachstein-Salzkammergut

Dachstein-Salzkammergut

Water temperature Hallstättersee: ca. 8°C

Spots at Hallstättersee:

  • Strandbad Untersee
  • Strandbad Obertraun
© WinterlandschaftOffensee(c)Gerhard_Spengler
Der Offensee im Winter.

Traunsee-Almtal

Traunsee-Almtal

Lakes in the Region:

  • Traunsee (ca. 7 °C)
  • Langbathseen (ca. 7 °C)
  • Offensee  (ca. 7 °C)
  • Laudachsee (only reachable by foot)
© WinterlandschaftFuschlsee(c)SLT_ChrisPerkles_Salzkammergut
Der Fuschlsee im Winter, die Landschaft ist schneebedeckt.

Fuschlsee

Fuschlsee

Water temperature Fuschlsee: ca. 5°C

Spots :

  • Fuschlseebad
  • Naturstrandbad Hof
  • Hintersee
More Info
© Photo Oberösterreich Tourismus GmbH/David Lugmayr: A woman in swimwear stands at the edge of a heated pool and looks out over the Wolfgangsee.
A woman in swimwear stands at the edge of a heated pool and looks out over Lake Wolfgang

Wolfgangsee

Wolfgangsee

Water temperature Wolfgangsee: ca. 5°C

Spots:

  • the lido St. Gilgen offers a weekly guided winter swim
  • all public bathing areas at the Wolfgangsee

Our tips for winter swimming

  • Keep head and hands above the water
  • Wear a hat and thin shoes
  • Start with short sequences, increase slowly
  • Do not stay in cold water for more than 5 minutes
  • Enter the water via a footbridge
  • Always stay near the shore
  • Have warm clothes and a blanket ready
  • Safety first! Bring a companion and seek advice from a health care professional if you are unsure.

 

Source:

TVB Fuschlsee, TVB Attersee-Attergau, wikipedia.org