Check this out for a-n-ice hobby

(das/JB) While the sub-zero temperatures drive most of Luxembourg's population into hibernation, a band of hardy climbers is finding new thrills in the chilly climate – ice climbing.

Instead of spending their weekends sipping hot chocolate at home, this group prefers to dangle precariously from a giant wall of ice, which has formed across a rock-face between Büderscheid and Schuman's Eck.

“This is a real rarity in Luxembourg, a unique opportunity," said Laurent Baraquin, who discovered the 15-metre high wall of frozen water with three amateur climbing friends on Sunday.

Laurent explained that the ideal temperature for climbing the wall was minus five degrees Celsius so that the ice is smooth. He said he takes precautions to ensure the safety of the climbers, using special sharp crampons known as ice axes to secure positions.

He also checks the quality of ice as he climbs in case it is not strong enough to support the weight of the climbers.

With temperatures expected to thaw during the coming days, Laurent was keen to make the most of the dramatic phenomenon. He said: "Now, the quality of the ice is still good but, if the weather changes as is announced in the coming days, the ice can crumble."