Walking on the Lake in Winter Sunlight

-20°C, slow walk across two islands, and a few words about winter clothing

This time I’ll take you with me out onto the lake ice. It’s –20°C, so dressing warmly is essential. The sun is shining — it doesn’t warm the air, but it wraps the walk in something that feels like a gentle hug in the middle of winter’s cold. Along the way, I’ll share a little bit about how I dress for winter adventures.

First, let’s walk across the ice to Mother’s Day Island, a little wooded haven in the waters off our cottage. It’s a regular spot for our trips with the children — the same island we skied to a few weeks ago. Even in winter, it feels wonderfully hygge, a cozy living room in the middle of the icy lake.

The cold forces me offline. With two layers of gloves — woolen mittens underneath and leather gloves on top — I don’t feel like looking at my phone or reacting to its vibrations. It’s great, because the cold deepens my sense of presence and pulls my attention fully to where I am. But I still want to capture moments. To take photos, I zoom with my nose if needed and press the side button, which works even through the gloves.

Dressing warmly is a skill. During winter, you learn what combinations work and what don’t. Right now, for example, I need three layers of wool socks under my iconic Finnish Kuoma winter boots. I wore the same kind of shoes as a child, and now my own children wear them too.

Underneath, I have a wool base layer, then an inner clothing layer, and on top, my winter outerwear. In such extreme cold, I always wear two thick sweaters underneath. My insulated winter jacket and pants are preferably a bit roomy rather than tight, so that air can circulate between the layers. The trapped air creates an insulating layer that keeps me warm.

The amount of light has increased dramatically. Just a month ago, it got dark by 3 pm, but now there’s still light until 5 pm. It feels surprisingly long. Now it’s easy to get outside twice during daylight. These photos were taken at 1 pm.

Just a few days ago, on January 17th, the polar night ended in northern Finland, and the sun rose for the first time in two months. There, in Nuorgam, each day during polar night is like our brief blue hour in the afternoon down south. The blue is incredible, and the snow, moon, and northern lights illuminate the landscape.

Here in southern Finland, there is no polar night, only the gentle rhythm of shortening and lengthening days. First the days shorten toward the end of the year, and then slowly, almost imperceptibly, days start to grow again

Here is a short video capturing the mood of the first island.
[zoom the screen to make it full screen]

The shoreline rocks are glazed in bright ice, and on one large icy boulder, the grasses sparkle like crystal. Behind it, the island filter sunlight through its trees onto the frozen lake.

The ice lets out a few sharp cracks — perhaps new cracks form somewhere under the snow. Let’s continue toward the next, smaller island.

Swan Island is a tiny island made from a single rock. The rock is split in the middle, and from the crevice opens a window with a lake view, framed by a young pine. That rocky window is like real art — like a natural installation, made by Earth.

In summer, we rowed here and the children crawled through the gap (link to the post). Now they wouldn’t fit, all bundled up in thick winter clothes.

Surprisingly, it feels quite warm now, even when I briefly take a glove off. Movement helps keep warm, and walking briskly from one island to another warmed my body.

This island is mostly covered with pines. They look incredibly beautiful as the low sun casts its light between the trunks. Somewhere far off on the shore, a woodpecker taps softly. It’s the only sound you can hear besides your own breath and the crunch of snow. The world has fallen silent.

Did you enjoy this lake walk? I did, very much! I don’t mind the cold when I’m dressed warmly enough. Out in the freezing air, it can be just as comfortable as indoors. And the best feeling is coming back inside after fresh outdoor air — feeling energized and full of life!

🌿 GROW WILD IN FOREST SOIL 🌿

Find your cozy nature corner on Substack, and enjoy a quiet moment in the wilderness. Subscribe for free!