The joys of the winter season

According to one of the old Czech weather proverbs, November 11 is the first day on which we can expect snowfall, as Saint Martin arrives in the country on his white horse. This year, he came on time and made the hearts of all passionate skiers, including mine, jump for joy. Especially after last year’s miserable season...

Фото: ЧТК

From the time I discovered the peaks of the Alps some fifteen years ago, Czech mountains seem to be a little bit less impressive than at the age of three, when my mum first let me down the slope. As much as they try, Czech ski centres can never reach the quality of their higher neighbours. You usually end up spending more time in the queues and on the lifts than actual skiing, but you pay almost as much as you do in the Alpine resorts.

Saying that, it doesn’t mean that I like our mountains any less - on the contrary. The older I get, the more I grow fond of them. And one of the best ways to explore them is on my cross country skis. I am not the type of a skier with up-to-date equipment, shiny skiing trousers, and perfectly waxed skis. For me, cross country skiing is more of a touristy affair than sport. I enjoy gliding slowly along the tracks and watching the landscape, rising above the stress and hustle of the ski centres in the valleys.

Another advantage of cross country skiing is that it’s very cheap. Virtually anyone can afford to buy a pair of skis, or at least borrow their parent’s model. Once you have the equipment, the skiing itself is basically free of charge. Even though the less I spend on ski lifts, the more I tend to spend in pubs.

Talking about food, cross country skiing is also a great opportunity to meet your friends. And because talking while struggling your way up the hill is slightly complicated, you have to make regular stops at mountain huts, tasting their hot soup and punch.

My friends and I usually set out on a trip when the more “orthodox skiers” are already on their way back home. This means we hardly ever manage to come back before it gets dark. I do sometimes get slightly nervous when night falls and we still have some thirty kilometres to go. On the other hand, there is nothing like sliding along the tops with a starry sky above our heads and no other people around. And since we usually stay in the valley, we end up our trip by speeding down the deserted well-tended slopes that belong to the real skiers during the day. But unlike them, we don’t have to pay for the lift.