There is a special place off a dock in Helsinki, Finland – a hole in the ice. This small area of exposed water is the centre of a community who meet up in person and online to share their passion for ice swimming. Unlike other winter swim spots, there is no sauna here: just a bench, some hooks attached to the fence, and a small clearing in the frozen sea.

The man behind the community is ice swimming enthusiast Mikko, who moved to the area six years ago. Keen to find people to share his hobby, he set up a Facebook group, which today has over 600 members.

For some it’s just refreshing, ...

 

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