Lake Pühajärv, near Otepää in Valga County, is known to have the longest open hiking trail in Estonia. The ice trail winding across the lake is more than 11 kilometers long and is currently best navigated on skis or by kick sled.

"The vastness of Lake Pühajärv offers people a completely different kind of freedom, view and perspective. Winter is the perfect time to enjoy the panorama and landscape offered by the surrounding area and hills – the woodland shores and islands," said Imre Arro, the creator of the ice trail.

"On Friday, I covered 11 kilometers, an entire lap of the lake. I'm also proud because I made the first tracks. The others I was with did 7 kilometers, but I did 11 once I got going. It's not cold, it's very pleasant. When the wind picks up, I pull my hood up and then it's comfortable again," said Margus, a sledder from Tartu.

Another sledder, Annika from Puka, skated 3 kilometers. "In any case, I've got some exercise and the sun is shining – all of that makes skating here very enjoyable," she told ERR.

In the village of Peri near Põlva, locals decided to build a 200-meter-long curved skating rink in the park of a local manor.

"We were looking with envy at all those nice places where they have been able to build skating rinks on rivers and lakes. We don't have that luxury, but thought we'd build a skating rink here. We've been flooding it for about a month," explained ice master Karl Tammiste.

Meiko, a skater from Võru, really enjoyed the curves of the track. "They're fast too, and pretty comfortable. I like it," Meiko said.

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