Skagen Winter Swimming Festival

Under the ice you'll find warmth 

Maren Lotte returns faithfully to the Skagen Winter Swimming Festival and is happy to take her friend into the waves 

There are many ways to find peace. For Maren Lotte, it's all about jumping into the sea in the middle of winter - preferably in the company of 300 other winter bathers in Skagen. For the third year in a row, she took part in the Skagen Winter Swimming Festival 2025, and it has become a tradition she doesn't want to miss. 

"I've never been a water dog, it was actually my husband who always had to swim with the kids when they were little." Maren Lotte says with a laugh. "But one day after training, I spontaneously took a dip in the river. It was like discovering a new world. I immediately called my friend who had winterised before and asked: Are you coming tomorrow?" Many swimming trips and 4 months later they were at the Skagen Winter Swimming Festival, which they have made a regular annual event. 

A free space filled with laughter, steam and cold toes 

For Maren Lotte, it's not just the cold thrill that attracts. It's the whole atmosphere and energy that can be experienced at the Winter Swimming Festival in Skagen. 

"It's something special in Skagen. The saunas run all weekend, you meet good people and there's a great sense of humour and community. It's almost familiar, because you see some of the same people every year", she says. 

With a laugh in her voice, she talks about a couple of Vikings from Northern Jutland, Franz Jäger, Norwegian Super Nielsen and his eight female colleagues in matching red swimsuits, about her own bathing club "Bade Bunnies" with a bathing sponge on her bum and bunny ears on her head and about the feeling of sitting close in a crowded sauna without making a sound, which is a total contrast to everyday life where you prefer to keep your distance. 

Since her first time in the water as a winter swimmer, Maren Lotte has tried her hand at the discipline in many different places, often a cold flowing river or a still lake, which makes for very different swimming experiences. She has also tried cutting a 10 cm hole in ice to get into the water, yet it's unique to Skagen because the water here often has waves, which provides a completely different kind of challenge.  

Not a sport, but an experience 

For many, winter swimming is a cross-border experience, and Maren Lotte doesn't hide the fact that it's cold. "The worst part is when your stomach hits the water." she says with a laugh in her voice. "But the trip in the water gives you a feeling of resetting your whole system. You always feel better afterwards. The thoughts disappear and your head is completely calm. 

However, she emphasises that it's not about performance, "Some are hardcore and can swim around for several minutes, others are up and in again quickly. It's very individual and the most important thing is that you do it your own way because you don't have to perform for anyone" It shouldn't be a competition, you should remember to listen to your body and make it a good experience. 

From Skagen to Southern Jutland - and home again 

Maren Lotte lives and works in Southern Jutland, but every year the festival draws her home to Skagen, where she was born and raised. She and her friend stay in her old childhood home during the festival - a kind of homecoming in the cold. "It's something I look forward to all year round. It gives energy, laughter and warmth." She finds it hard to imagine winter without visiting the Winter Swimming Festival, and in fact, she can't imagine her daily life without a trip to the water, "If I don't go, I miss it. Especially in the morning. It gives me a good start to the day. It just makes me happy." 

A simple tip for new bathers 

For those who are curious but hesitant, Maren Lotte has a simple piece of advice: 

"I usually just take them under my arm and get them in. Then they can feel it for themselves. There's not much more to say - it has to be experienced."  

If you're thinking about taking up winter swimming, always remember to do it with others!
On days when Maren Lotte and her friend can't fit it into their daily routine - they simply skip the water trip, safety first!