No skating on thin ice, if you follow these solid suggestions

Be prepared
Don’t go alone. Carry 15m of rope, an ice pick or ice claws, as well as warm, thick clothes in a waterproof bag.

Study the ice
Clear blue, black or green ice is strongest. Avoid white, milky ice and danger signs including slush, cracks and seams. Ice underneath snow will also be thin and weak.

How to move
With your ice pick, measure the ice depth at least every 50 metres. 10cm of clear, newly formed ice can support walking (20–30cm, a small car). Wear skis or snowshoes and, in a group, walk about 15 metres apart.

If you fall in...
Keep clothes on but lose shoes. Put your hands and arms on the ice and kick. Use your claws to pull yourself onto the surface, then roll away from the broken ice. Change into dry clothes and seek shelter and hot drinks.