There’s so much more to snow than skiing
A HOLIDAY in colder climes doesn’t have to involve joining tens of thousands of people on the ski slopes, says WILL HIDE. Here are eight enthralling activity breaks to consider…
1 MUSHING I N QUEBEC
Learn to mush a dog sled in Quebec. You’ll work with mahikans, a breed that looks like a wolf. A seven-night trip (three nights in a cabin and three in a wilderness camp, before returning to Montreal) costs from £2,290pp with Canada As You Like It( canada as you like it. com), including flights, accommodation and guides.
2 FUN FITNESS I N DENMARK
The Kurhotel Skodsborg, which sits alongside the Baltic Sea, ticks all the boxes for a weekend break, with cosy rooms and an extensive spa, while Copenhagen is 15 minutes away by train. One fitness class on offer is a kettlebell workout in the sea. Afterwards, warm up with an ‘ aufguss’ session in the sauna, which i nvolves i ntense heat and essential oils. Kurhotel Skodsborg (skodsborg.dk) has double rooms with breakfast and spa entry from £167. Baltic Sea workouts cost £50pp based on a group of eight. BA (ba.com) flies from Heathrow to Copenhagen from £77 return.
3 SWIMMING I N SLOVENIA
Come on in, the water’s… freezing! The International Winter Swimming Association’s World Cup takes place in Lake Bled, Slovenia, from January 31 to February 3. It’s as much about novelty swim caps as anything, although hardcore athletes take part in the 450m endurance race – without wetsuits. Swim- quest (swimquest.uk.com) can arrange a trip to the World Cup from £ 560pp ( two sharing), with two nights’ B&B, entry to the competition and a welcome drinks party. EasyJet (easyjet. com) flies from Stansted to Ljubljana from £50 return.
4 TRACK ORCAS I N NORWAY
A seven-day ‘liveaboard’ cruise off the coast of Norway offers the chance to track orcas and humpback whales as they feed on herring. Stay on deck to photograph them, or you can put on warm kit to snorkel with them at a respectful distance. Although short, winter days often give excellent, clear conditions, while the bonus of long nights is the chance to spot t he Northern Lights. Swoop Arctic (swoop-arctic. com) offers a full-board trip f r om £ 3, 020pp, excluding flights. Norwegian (norwegian. com) flies from Gatwick to Tromso from £97 return.
5 HEAD FOR THE NORTH POLE
The Svalbard archipelago is 600 miles from the North Pole. In the world’s most northerly town, Longyearbyen, the sun sets in November and doesn’t rise till the end of January. At this Norwegian outpost, try a snowmobile safari or ice cave tours. Best Served Scandinavia (best-served.co.uk) has a four- day winter break from £960pp, including flights.
6 SPOT WOLVES IN THE USA
We think of a trip to Yosemite National Park to spot wolves, elk and bison as a summer activity, but Bon Voyage (bonvoyage. co. uk) is launching a snow safari to see it from a new perspective. A nine-day trip is from £3,995pp, including flights, guides and accommodation with some meals. 7 I CE- SKATE I N FINLAND Don your skates and whizz around Finland’s frozen lake district, about 160 miles northeast of Helsinki. Enjoy lessons and a guided excursion while s t aying i n Porosalmentie. Magnetic North ( magnetic northtravel.com) has a fiveday break from £905pp, including B& B accommodation and dinner on your first night. Finnair ( finnair. com) flies from Heathrow to Helsinki from £92 return.
8 BOBSLEIGH I N NORWAY
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, racing down the Olympic bobsleigh track in Lillehammer at 80mph is for you. It’s a weekend for beginners, but don’t worry – you’ll be led down the track by a professional. On this four-day trip you can also try tobogganing and airboarding – speeding downhill on an inflatable sledge. Responsible Travel (responsibletravel.com) offers a B& B break f rom £ 1,099pp, i ncluding flights and activities.