In the Lap of Arctic Luxury
BETH ABBIT takes a grown-up trip to Finnish Lapland
SPEEDING through the snow covered fields on the back of a wooden sledge I can feel the sharp Arctic chill nipping at my cheeks.
Slowing down briefly to let another sled pass, my pack of huskies peer backwards towards me. Yelping and straining at the harness they rear up and bark, eager to speed up. I move my foot off the break and we’re off again, zipping through the icing-white fields, past pines and snow drifts and across the dramatic Nordic landscape.
This wonderful excursion through Lapland’s spectacular scenery is all part of an unmissable husky sledging ride from Huskypoint.
On a visit to Finland’s northernmost region, this is by far the most thrilling and delightful of the many Lappish activities we have been lucky enough to experience.
An essential activity for any animal lover, the safari also gives visitors the chance to meet the beautiful huskies at the farm in Sinettä from £75 per person.
After the exhilarating tour we shelter from the sub-zero temperatures in a log cabin with a cup of Finnish berry juice.
Owner Juha Hokka chats about the prestigious Lappish tradition and explains the gruelling conditions he expects to face when he takes part in the Finnmarksløpet the following week.
Each year around 130 mushers enter the event, which is the longest dog race in Europe.
Juha, now a veteran, will survive on a measly four hours of sleep each day as his dogs cover 1,000km of Norwegian countryside.
In previous events he has been forced to simply dig a hole in the snow and bed down for the night. ‘Rather you than me’, I think, as I cosy up next to the stove and sip my coffee.
Then again, it is a wonderful sport, perhaps I could get used to it. Where to ski and how to dress
Levi is a great resort for those looking for a lively atmosphere. The town boasts plenty of shops as well as pubs and bars to keep you going into the early hours.
The resort is great for beginners and less confident skiers but also has some challenging runs for the more experienced. Three-day tuition at Levi can be pre-booked from £86 per person. Ski and boot hire is from £98 per person and snowboard and boot hire is from £126 per person.
The beautiful resort of Ylläs is a much quieter option more suitable for families. Three-day tuition here starts at £82 per adult and £74 for children under 12. Ski and boot hire starts at £90 for adults or £61 for children, while snowboard and boot hire starts at £109 per person.
Temperatures in Lapland can drop to blistering -14 degrees during the darkest winter days so make sure you’re well prepared before you arrive. The easiest option is to hire a thermal suit which can be used for all activities including skiing and snowboarding. Suits can be pre-booked from £39 per person in Levi or from £54 per person in Ylläs. What to do
The charming resorts of Levi and Ylläs are not just about skiing. If the slopes don’t appeal there are dozens of activities to try including cross country skiing, fatbiking and sledging.
Those with a need for speed will no doubt enjoy ice karting, which starts at £45 for over 12s. Drivers zip around an ice track in what can only be described as the closest thing to a real life Mario Karts experience.
If you fancy something a little more serene you can’t go wrong with a romantic nighttime sleigh ride through candlelit woods led by beautiful Finnish horses. The gentle sound of twinkling sleigh bells is the only sound to be heard as you watch the incredible bright stars and glistening moonlit snow from beneath warm blankets. This relaxing ride costs £35 for adults and £15 for children.
And of course no visit to Lapland would be complete without a visit to a reindeer farm, with sleigh rides starting at £29 for adults and £19 for children. Feeding these wonderful animals is a magical experience which can only be topped by a fast paced dash through the snow on a traditional wooden Sami sleigh. How to see the Northern Lights
The elusive Aurora Borealis are best spotted late at night and in the darkest place you can find. Some visitors never manage to see the incredible spectacle, while others are treated to the light show on a nightly basis.
One of the best ways to spot the Northern Lights is by hopping aboard a snowmobile and whizzing through the woods under cover of darkness. Experienced Lappish guides know the darkest places to stop so when you finally see the green and blue lights dancing across the sky it’s a truly awesome moment. Watching this natural spectacle in the freezing night air is like nothing else.
The trip through the woods ends with a welcome visit to a traditional log cabin where riders are treated to biscuits, coffee and berry juice served in a traditional Lappish kuksa.
As we warmed up by the fire during our excursion our guide told us about some of the mythology surrounding the Northern Lights.
“The lights are supposed to look like a fox’s tail,” he says. “When they are running up the fells they swipe snow with their tail, it comes up and reflects on the air and we get the Northern Lights. We think it’s a true story because the Finnish name for Arctic Fox means ‘fox’s fire.’”
The Northern Lights Snowmobile Safari, departing from Ylläs, starts at £55 per adult and £9 per child based on two sharing. What not to miss
The intricate SnowVillage at Laino is built in each year using 20 million kilos of snow and 350,000 kilos of crystal clear natural ice. It lasts only until the spring when it melts away again, making a visit here totally unique.
Visitors can take a tour of the exquisite ice sculptures, cinema, ice bar, chapel and gloriously decorated rooms during the day. But for a really incredible experience it’s worth splashing out and spending the night in one of the beautiful snow suites.
Furnished entirely out of snow and ice, each room features stunning illuminated motifs carved from ice emblazoned across the walls.
As each bed is made from ice, making it onto the mattress without touching the snow can be tricky process.
But once you’re swathed in a thermal sleeping bag it’s easy to get cosy and drop off in the peaceful, ethereal rooms.
During our stay temperatures dropped to -4 – positively balmy for that time of year – and after a delicious threecourse meal in the beautiful ice restaurant and a few warming shots from ice glasses it’s easier than you imagine to fall asleep.
An overnight stay in this truly extraordinary place starts from £145 per adult and £99 per child, including shared taxi transfers.