Dreary winter day? Get out for an ice bath!

The fog hangs heavy over the fields, the thermometer shows 0 degrees, the wind blows icy. It doesn't sound like a perfect day for an outdoor adventure - and yet, full of anticipation, we set off from Hamburg for the Hinterland. We, that is Oli and Lesley from the Hinterland team. Our plan: ice bathing! For the micro-adventure on our doorstep (or rather the Hinterland office) we have chosen the [campsite of host Stefanie in Rümpel ](). The journey to the camp in the middle of the forest in absolute isolation between Hamburg and Lübeck takes just under an hour. The last piece we put back on an unpaved forest road. After host Steffi opens the gate and welcomes us, we park the van on the large lawn directly on the water of the 4000 square meter lake.

Ice bathing, or rather winter bathing in our case, refers to bathing in open waters at water temperatures around freezing point. This is said to not only strengthen the immune system, but also provide a boost of happiness and energy. The cold shock causes our body to release adrenaline and endorphins - a combination that provides a true "high" in the body. At least that's the theory. Known and "trendy" became ice bathing in recent years, especially by the Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof aka. "The Iceman." He got his nickname for a series of ice-cold records: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, running a barefoot half marathon above the Arctic Circle, and standing in an ice cube container for longer than 112 minutes. His videos on Instagram are now followed by several hundred thousand people. His motivational sayings like this inspired us, too: *"When you go into the cold, you cannot think. You have to be. You learn to be, to be the best version of yourself."* So, to finally find out for ourselves how you really feel during and after a dip in the ice water, the word for us is: winter jacket off, swimwear on and off we go. The adrenaline is pumping. Stay in for a minute. That's our self-imposed goal for the beginning.

Especially the moment of immersion up to the shoulders releases a real burst of energy. It gets warm inside. And although the body signals after a good 30 seconds through small stings on the skin "Hello, what are you doing?! Please get out!", the head continues to hold out. Deep breathing helps a lot. The senses sharpen. And then the minute is already over! Conclusion: It wasn't as bad as we thought. Quite the opposite: the good mood is noticeable and the body feels slightly exhausted, but super warm and comfortable. We would definitely venture into the ice water again at any time! The anticipation alone and the great feeling afterwards are motivation enough. And our microadventure also shows that there really is always something to experience in the backcountry. Even in winter. Even when there's no snow and it's so gray and gloomy outside that you'd prefer to stay inside all day. **In the video Oli has once again summarized the whole outdoor adventure (plus small fail): **

**Our tips for those who are still ice bathing beginners like us: ** **1) Do not go into the water alone the first time. ** Not only is it more fun to go into the icy water in a group or in pairs, but there's always someone on hand if something should happen. **2) Put on surfing or swimming shoes. ** Especially in winter, the bottom of bodies of water is particularly cold and slippery. We wore neoprene surf shoes for ice bathing, which protected us from slipping and getting cold. **3) One minute is enough for the beginning. ** Beforehand, it can help to warm up a bit and take a few good breaths. The first time you ice bathe, one minute in the water will definitely be enough to avoid putting too much strain on your body. **4) Do not submerge your head.** Enter the cold water quickly, but with caution and submerge only up to the shoulders the first time. Since most heat is lost through the head, a cap helps a lot. For sensitive people: Put on gloves and also keep your hands above water. **5) Do not forget to warm up afterwards.** Even if your body feels heated up inside all by itself after the ice bath, it's important to dry off quickly, dress warmly, and get cozy with a tea/coffee in the stand-heater pre-warmed van. 

***Fancy an icy micro-adventure in the backcountry? Here come the suitable camps all over Germany at natural lakes and ponds that invite you to winter bathing. ***