Do you only know Lake Saimaa in summer? Then you might have to look twice when you see it in winter. Where boats cruise across the water in June and people dive in from the jetties, just a few months later there is a vast white expanse. The lake freezes over completely and suddenly becomes part of the winter landscape. During my winter visit to South Karelia, I see in Lappeenranta just how naturally the Finns make use of the frozen lake. Routes are prepared across the ice, people go for walks, children play and cross-country skiers glide past.
Read this article in DutchWhen does Lake Saimaa freeze?
Lake Saimaa freezes gradually. Sheltered bays and smaller areas of water freeze earlier than the large, open parts of the lake. When the ice becomes strong enough to walk on varies from year to year and from one location to another. Saimaa is a vast network of lakes, islands, narrow passages and open water, so conditions can vary considerably from place to place. During winter, ice conditions are continuously monitored by the Finnish Environment Institute, Syke. At fixed monitoring points, both the thickness and the quality of the ice are assessed. A measurement in one location, however, says nothing about conditions across the lake as a whole. It is therefore not a good idea to simply step onto the ice wherever you happen to be. Using official, maintained routes is strongly recommended.
Walking across the frozen lake
In winter, a special route is created and maintained across Lake Saimaa in Lappeenranta, the Lake Saimaa Multi-Use Trail. This 10-kilometre route can be used for walking, jogging and cycling. It still feels strange to think that you are walking across a lake, especially once you get further away from the shore. For the people who live here, however, it seems to be the most normal thing in the world. In Lappeenranta, they even put children’s playground equipment out on the ice in winter.
Cross-country skiing on the lake
As soon as the ice and snow conditions are suitable, cross-country ski tracks are prepared on Lake Saimaa in Lappeenranta. Cross-country skiing is very much part of winter life in Finland and you see plenty of it around Lappeenranta. The city has many cross-country skiing opportunities on land, but also out on the frozen lake. I do not go cross-country skiing here myself, but I regularly see people gliding past across the ice.
An ice hole for winter swimmers
There is another way for the real diehards to experience the lake, by taking a dip or even swimming in the ice-cold water. Winter swimming is perfectly normal in Finland. First you warm up in the sauna, then spend a short time in the cold water before heading back into the warmth. I visit Myllysaari Lakeside Sauna, right on the shore of Lake Saimaa.
Here I try a peat sauna, covering my skin with warm peat before going into the sauna. Afterwards, you can rinse it off in the shower, but the more traditional option is, of course, a quick dip through a hole in the ice. On the other side of the peninsula at Myllysaari, a larger area of water is kept open for those who actually want to swim. That really is for the diehards!
What else do Finns do on a frozen lake?
Walking and cross-country skiing are just two ways in which frozen lakes are used in Finland. Depending on the location and conditions, you can also go ice skating and ice fishing. Not every activity is possible everywhere, but that is exactly what I find so fascinating about winter in Finland. A lake does not suddenly become ‘off limits’ when it freezes. It simply takes on a different role.
Interestingly, I hardly see any snowmobiles on the ice around Lappeenranta. This is quite different from my previous winter trips to the Finnish Lakeland around Lahti and Jyväskylä, where snowmobiles are much more a part of winter transport and are also used to cover longer distances across frozen lakes. The ice directly in front of Lappeenranta, with its specially prepared routes, is mainly set up for walkers, cyclists and cross-country skiers.
When does Lake Saimaa thaw?
In spring, the ice gradually begins to disappear. Shallow areas and places with flowing water thaw earlier than large expanses of ice and the exact timing varies from year to year. This is also when the ice can become particularly unpredictable. Rising temperatures and stronger sunlight change its structure, causing it to weaken quickly even when it still looks solid. Eventually, the walking and cross-country skiing routes disappear, boats return to the water and the jetties come back into use.
Where can you experience frozen Lake Saimaa?
Lappeenranta is an easy place to experience Lake Saimaa in winter. From the city centre, you can walk straight to the Lake Saimaa Multi-Use Trail and Myllysaari is also nearby. If you want to see more of South Karelia, Lappeenranta is easy to combine with Imatra. Here you get to see an interesting contrast. While large parts of Saimaa freeze over, the Vuoksi River remains largely ice-free because of its strong current.
Where to stay in Lappeenranta
If you want to explore frozen Lake Saimaa from Lappeenranta, Hotelli Lähde is a convenient place to stay. The hotel is located directly by the harbour and Lake Saimaa, so you can walk from the hotel straight onto the ice. I have stayed here in both summer and winter and particularly like the location. The rooms in the characterful old building are comfortable and inviting and a generous breakfast is served in the morning. The hotel also has a spa with saunas and hot tubs, which is a welcome place to warm up after a cold winter day.
Other recommended places to stay in Lappeenranta
These three centrally located hotels in Lappeenranta are highly rated and offer good value for money.
Hotelli Rakuuna
Salpalinjan Hovi
Boutique Hotel Lähde
Visit in winter or summer?
I could not tell you which is the better choice, Lake Saimaa in winter or in summer. I love both! In summer, you can cruise between the islands, walk or cycle endlessly along the shores and celebrate Juhannus, the Finnish midsummer festival. In winter, you can walk, cycle and cross-country ski across the lake itself. That contrast is what makes Saimaa so special to me. It is the same landscape, yet a completely different experience in every season.
