How to survive winter in a castle
Nemilkov Castle covered in snow.
On Czech Television's program Blue Blood , a gentleman from Štemberk says: "If you want to live in a castle, you need a sweater and thick socks." That's certainly true, but it wouldn't be enough for us in Nemilkov. This year's winter temperatures in the Šumava region were extreme. The locals say they haven't experienced anything like it in over six years, so we got to experience the coldest weather right away.
Winter nature in the vicinity of Nemilkov.
So, besides socks and sweaters, you need to have the following for winter in Nemilkov:
Jégrovi drtiče mrazu – predecessor of Moira (note for the younger generation)
A proper hat
Ski gloves, preferably from Alaska (we have these thanks to our son, who played hockey there and knows a thing or two about winter :)
3–4 layers of clothing topped with a winter jacket (necessary even if you are just going from your room to the hallway)
The lowest temperature we measured in our living room after arrival was exactly 0. But otherwise, we have "warmth" in our bedroom, living room, and dining room all in one. We managed to heat it up to 13 degrees at most, but of course it depends on the distance from the stove. Near the tile stove (i.e., at a height and radius of 1 meter), it was sometimes even 18 degrees.
A new day begins. The closer to the stove, the better.
You may be wondering how one sleeps in such conditions. If strict rules are followed, you will sleep soundly until the first rooster crows, but it is essential to:
Sleeping in a sweater
Wear a hat and preferably cover it with a hood
Lie down on two blankets and cover yourself with two blankets as well.
We do not recommend moving at all to avoid creating any air pockets (this point is only for experienced users).
The main thing is to wear lots of layers! It's cold both indoors and outdoors.
It is a disaster if you need to go to the toilet during the night (which is not unusual when your feet are cold). If there is no other option, you will have to walk about 30 meters down the hallway to the future bathroom, which has the necessary "equipment" but is otherwise just bricks and concrete. Using this cozy room is more like visiting a cryosauna.
It is a little absurd that despite all the struggle with the cold, a careless resident of the castle can burn various parts of their body. The explanation is simple, however. It is most comfortable by the stove, so necessary hygiene and changing clothes take place as close to it as possible. So it happened that even in the middle of a freezing winter, we were treating minor burns.😀
After our first winter at the castle, we are truly welcoming spring with open arms and rejoicing at every new snowdrop. We can't wait for the sun to warm us more than just our souls. Inside the castle, it's still winter...
