Monday on ice

Finally I got to go skating. I've been too affected by my cold to be out earlier but the last couple of days after Christmas has been good skating weather. Minus four degrees cold, sunny and wind-free. Today I felt well so I went out for a couple of hours in the afternoon to skate on a bog, or marsh, nearby that usually is overfilled with water after the autumn rains making it look like a fairly large lake, though not even a metre deep anywhere. 

The ice was a bit ruff from having had snow covering it for a week and then melting, forming lots of little bumps and in other places you got ice-crystals looking like a small brook running across the ice, where there has been open water, some snowdrifts and a lot of wind while freezing again.
There were several families there today, some even skating holding a pram in front of them. Lots of kids learning the basics of skating having fun, some not wanting to be in on that cold ice in the first place, while grownups had cups of coffee, chatting to each other enjoying the moment.
Most use "normal" skates, like hockey skates but we were a few using the "long-distance" skates with a rail of about 50 cm. The long rail gives you a long glide and you can effortless learn the technique and go very long distances. 
I took this blip from my coffee point from a rock at the north tip of the lake. You can perhaps see some skaters at the horizon. If you get a chance to try, -Do it. Heres a link to the occasion.