Where to go to beat the heat
Don’t sweat it as summer rolls on. Hit up some of the coolest destinations on Earth, writes Lorna Thornber.
When the summer’s as stinking hot as this one has been (quite literally if you stroll past the bins in my neighbourhood), it can be hard to remain cool, calm and collected.
Chronic insomnia brought on by hot, steamy nights (I’m still talking about the weather here) and chronic crankiness brought on by not being able to walk five metres without breaking out into a sweat can leave even die-hard summer lovers craving cooler climes.
While we never know in New Zealand just when the next cold snap will strike, why not hit up a destination where crisp, bracing conditions are the norm and the locals perennially chilled out? Whether you fancy spotting penguins and polar bears, 24/7 skiing, or sipping cocktails in a bar recarved each season from ice and snow, there is somewhere to suit.
Campbell Island, New Zealand
The most southerly of New Zealand’s subantarctic islands is so foul temperatured it makes Invercargill look balmy (it receives just 650 hours of bright sunlight a year compared to Invercargill’s 1600). But despite being buffeted by rain and gale force winds for much of the year, scientists and meteorologists queue up to visit. As do a fair few nature-loving international tourists.
Lying 660 kilometres south of Bluff, Campbell Island is a wilderness of the purest order. A land of craggy cliffs, windswept beaches, hidden glades and fields of ‘‘megaherbs’’ with brilliantly coloured wildflowers in summer. Part of New Zealand’s subantarctic World Heritage Site, the 11,300 hectare island is also home to sea lions, elephant seals, six species of albatross, penguins and the critically endangered Campbell Island snipe. It also happens to be the winter breeding ground of rare southern right whales.
The island’s human history is intriguing, albeit suitably murky. Shipwrecks were so common in the area in the last century that several of the subantarctic islands, including Campbell, had depots for castaways forced into Robinson Crusoe-like existences minus the sunshine. Several people were marooned on Campbell Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and whispers of the mysterious ‘‘Lady of the Heather’’ continue to be heard.
Legend has it that a stone fireplace, shell pathway, windbreaker of flax bushes and a few shrubs of heather are the remnants of the home of an exiled lady known as either the French or Jacobite princess. According to the legend, she was caught up in a plot to overthrow the French monarchy after the Napoleonic Wars and was subsequently sent to the Antipodes. A hut was built for her at Camp Cove but, just a year after her arrival, she was said to have been found dead of starvation - the heather is thought to have been planted by the princess as a homage to her Scottish lover. Believe it or not, this land of extremes is likely to inspire wonder in even the most jaded traveller.
Svalbard, Norway
If baking on the beaches of the Gold Coast is your idea of hell, why not try the ‘‘Cold Coasts’’ instead?
Located halfway between the Norwegian mainland and the North Pole, this icy archipelago is every heat phobic’s dream. Think pure white landscapes of fjords, glaciers and frozen waterfalls trapped mid-plummet down snowy mountain peaks. Plus, more polar bears than people. While the name translates as ‘‘Cold Coasts’’, Svalbard is actually pretty mild for this latitude - temperatures hover around -6 degrees celcius in summer and -14 in winter.
While you could spot one or more of the islands’ some 3000 polar bears almost anywhere at any time, your best bet is to take a tour with an experienced guide or a summer expedition cruise, which will take you to the ice packs where the bears hunt seals. In winter, the Northern Lights replace the sun, shining their laser-like beams across the perennially dark skies both night and day, while the ‘‘midnight’’ sun in the warmer months makes 24/7 outdoor adventuring possible. Take a snowmobile or dog sled ride to explore the nature reserves and national parks and, in the surprisingly cosmopolitan town of Longyearbyen, enjoy a meal at the world’s northernmost sushi restaurant, a bevy at the local brewery and the array of cultural events on offer.
Nagano, Japan
The Japanese macaques (aka snow monkeys) at Jigokudani Monkey Park have life sorted - they hang out in the steaming natural hot springs until their body’s thermostats tell them it’s time to chill out in the surrounding snowcovered forest. There’s usually snow on the ground from December to March but a visit in January or February will pretty much guarantee it.
The host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, Nagano is prefecturesized playground for snowsports. The region’s mountains are home to some of the largest ski resorts in Japan, most notably Shika Kogen and Mount Hakuba.
Nagano is also famed for its hot springs so, if you need to defrost, do as the moneys do and head to your nearest warm waterhole. Maguse Onsen, set on a hilltop overlooking Nagano City, is justifiably popular with expansive views out to the Japanese Alps from its cut stone outdoor bath.
Quebec City, Canada
If you think a cold beer or glass of wine of an evening is refreshing, wait until you try a cocktail on the rocks in an ice ‘‘glass’’ while sitting on an ice barstool in North America’s only ice hotel. Before hitting your ice slab of a bed (with blankets of course). Open between December and March, the Hotel de Glace is rebuilt from snow and ice each year to feature 44 themed suites, a grand hall, chapel, giant ice slide and ice sculptures galore.
But you don’t have to stay there to satisfy your craving for cold. When the snow settles on the ramparts (castle walls) that surround the Unesco-listed old town, the city’s as pretty as a wintry fairytale picture. Stroll along cobblestoned lanes past French-style 17th and 18th century buildings, pausing for a photo opp (or drink) at the majestic Chateau Frontenac before warming up (not too much mind) at one of the city’s classic bistros. You can’t leave without sampling a proper Quebecois poutine: a rib-sticking medley of cheese curd, gravy and fries. Head to Chez Aston, a local fast food chain, for a classic version, or to Poutineville for a posher variety.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a trip to Canada without indulging in at least one snow or ice-related activity. Fortunately, in this inherently walkable city all you need to do is schlep across the street from the museum to Battlefield Park, where you can opt for ice skating, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.