Ice Bathing In Norway:

By Georgiana Marinescu, University of Bergen, Norway

If you have the opportunity to visit Norway or study there for a year like me, you will find that ice bathing is a very common sport all around.

The first time I entered the cold waters of Norway was in August during my welcome week. A small group of us decided to make the walk to a common place for ice bathing called Nordnes, except unlike common folk, we went at 11pm when it was dark and extra chilly. We dived into the cold dark water and my body felt like it was in shock. The rest of the group swam around and raced but I decided I had had enough of the freezing water and briefly exited after a few minutes.

Despite swearing I would not do it again, I found myself in those waters 3 more times throughout the year; once again in September, once in February and one last time in March. It took me some time but I found myself enjoying the activity eventually, I especially enjoyed the warmth of the saunas after and the hot drinks being served. In February I really experienced why it was called ice bathing when I had to tiptoe barefoot through snow and jump into water that still had thin layers of ice on top (I lasted a whole 30 seconds in the water).

Ice bathing may not be the activity for everyone, I certainly did not think it was for me, although i would still suggest trying it at least once, as it is a rare thing to swim in a Fjord in Norway.

(On the left was my first time in August, In the middle was the time in February, On the right was March).