Offroad ice driving experience on the frozen Baltic Sea

Who needs a proper bridge when the sea can be crossed via a very special highway, straight over the frozen waters! Every year at least two, sometimes three or four ice roads operate between the Western coast and the islands of Estonia. These are quaint seasonal avenues that allow motorcars or snowmobiles to be ridden on sea ice.

The small islands of Vormsi and Hiiumaa with their peculiar indigenous cultures are so popular as summer vacation destinations that ferry tickets are often sold out for days in advance. Although in the summertime one can only get to the islands by ferry, in the winter, when the Nordic frost covers the Baltic seacoast with a thick cover, Estonians open winter roads on ice — highways on the frozen sea, thoroughly snowploughed and marked with tree branches.

Ice Road — a different experience

* The low winter sun mirrors the wondrous patterns of light on ice and snow.

* The gently rocking sea ice under one’s feet expands to the horizon.

* Extreme offroad driving experience on ice.

The best bet to try out an ice road is to take a trip from Haapsalu to Vormsi.

* Ormsö, an archaic small island, populated on the 14^th century by free Swedish seafarers. To this day, Vormsi is one of the centres of the old Estonian-Swedish culture.

* Vormsi is only a few miles from the Western Estonian resort town of Haapsalu, the once vacation spot of the Russia czars. The Haapsalu-Vormsi ice road is open to public an average of eight winters out of ten.

Related Links: About Haapsal, Haapsalu on Wikipedia, Haapsalu Castle video on YouTube

Visit Haapsalu Episcopal Castle - White Lady and walls that hide centuries of secrets.