Lapland, is the most magical winter Rachel O'Brien have ever witnessed.
28 November 2006
Lapland is the most magical winter experience I have ever witnessed. The snow constantly fell and the land was full of pine trees that looked like they had been sprinkled to perfection with sugar icing. There was approximately six hours of day light per day and through the grey heavy snow filled skies it was almost impossible to see the sun.
My family and I travelled out on Christmas day at 2pm from a not so busy Gatwick airport. With only a few shops open it was enlightening as the whole experience was very different from the usual crowds and queues.
Considering, Santa Claus, had come down the chimney that morning leaving very appropriate presents for the children under the tree, there was nothing I really needed to buy except a pair of sunglasses (which I thought were stylish and would look good with my new ski wear) and some sun protector for our faces on the ski slopes. Little did I know we weren't going to being seeing much sun!
When we arrived at Kuusamo airport after a 4 hour flight it was 8pm as the time difference was 2 hours ahead of the UK. We were transferred onto a coach which took us on a 4 hour journey of snow, trees and winding up hill roads. We arrived at midnight and settled into our family room at Pyh?tunturi Hotel. The room was a fantastic size and even though altogether it had been a long 8 hour journey, we found ourselves excitedly investigating it and looking out of our windows onto ski slopes, which were surrounded by mountains covered with trees with heavy snow on them that made their branches hang wide.
An early start in the morning for the slopes led us to believe it was still night time as the sky was still black at 8am. When we walked into the dining room for breakfast it was like a romantic setting for an evening meal as all the tables were lit by candlelight.
At 10am there was daylight and after having a hearty continental feed we headed out dressed in our new salopettes, ski jackets and snow boots. However, it was absolutely freezing walking down hill to collect our skis but our minds were taken off the cold when we came across a sledge wedged in the snow which created a lot of fun sliding down the hills instead.
Once at the ski hire we managed to warm up inside and had our feet measured up for skis and ski boots. It was all done very quickly and professionally and my partner even had a try of mini skis for the first time. Being a professional ice hockey player, it was like having his usual skates on and he went flying down the red run even without poles. He soon got bored though as he thought they were too easy so off he went to get the real thing.
Our first day experience was a fun learning kerb and at 4pm (the sky was dark at this time) we were ready to go back to our room to hang up our ski wear to dry. After a much appreciated hot shower and change we headed to the restaurant for a well deserved drink and meal, which was laid out in buffet style so you could help yourself to what you wanted. There was plenty of salad and potatoes for vegetarians and traditional meatballs for the rest. Yet again the setting was dark and lit by candlelight and the atmosphere certainly relaxed the children for an early night after an exerting day at ski school on the family slopes.
The next day led us to a pre-booked trip with Crystal Holidays to meet, Santa Claus, after a 2 hour coach trip to Rovaniemi. It was a village totally devoted to our big bearded friend and was definitely worth a visit, as there were ice slides for all and as soon as we were off the coach we were screaming with pure delight sliding down them. There were many souvenir shops lit up by coloured lights where you could buy gifts and caf?s for a quick bite to eat (mainly burgers, pizza and chips) and for those who liked cakes there was a good selection. The whole village was alive and bright with help from the shop's lights, Christmas tree's lights and street lanterns.
In the mist of it all there stood three extremely tall snowmen which was a definite opportunity for a quick photo. Furthermore, there was a post office were you could send a Lapland postcard from the Arctic Circle to those back home (or to yourself for a keep sake) and get an official Santa Office Stamp affixed to them. Moreover, the highlight was meeting Santa in his grotto and having a family photo taken with him.
The following day we experienced another pre-booked trip and visited a husky and reindeer park. This time it was a 30 minute ride in a mini bus and once there the sound of the huskies' welcome was much appreciated. They were so exited it made us feel good about being pulled along by them whilst sitting down on a sleigh, the children in front having such fun, whilst my partner stood on the back to put his foot on the breaks for when they turned corners to prevent us from toppling over! Our sledge proved to be the fasted as the huskies were raring to go and nearly caught up with the sleigh in front but luckily the breaks were good!
The reindeer ride however, was not so fast but more enchanting as they walked us through the woods whilst we sat wrapped in rugs supplied on a much bigger sleigh. After both rides we sat on logs in a wig wham with an open fire to warm up with the group.
The next couple of days took up valuable ski time and by the end of them my eldest was flying down the slopes after finishing 5 mornings at ski school and she even had a go at cross country. Pyh? was excellent for beginners as it was not too busy on the family slopes and there were lessons everyday with professional ski instructors for those who needed them.
Our last trip of the week was 'Fun in Snow' which we had yet again previously booked. This was a 20 minute mini bus ride away to an iced lake which was 30 centimetres thick (3-5 metres deep with the deepest point reaching a depth of 18 metres). We walked across it to where a net had been placed in the lake through a dug out hole made by a local fisherman. He showed us how a line was run under the iced lake to another hole approximately 7 metres away. The line was pulled at that point to catch the fish in the net and to our surprise 3 whitefish and 2 perch were caught. As soon as they were taken out of the water they died instantly due to the freezing temperature. (We were told this was the most humane way to kill fish). We then had a go at drilling a hole in the ice and fished with a rod but none of us caught a single fish. After a cold fishing encounter we warmed up in yet again another wig wham with an open fire where coffee and sausages were supplied for the group.
That evening was New Years Eve and from our room before midnight we had a fantastic view of two professionals skiing down the slope right outside our window with torches. As it turned 12 o'clock the sky was full of fireworks and up on the slopes above us were crowds of people from the resort watching out in the cold night whilst we had the best view in the warmth!
We started the New Year handing back our skis and ski boots after having more fun with the sledge we still had. As it was the last day we took the opportunity to take in our surroundings for the final time. There were log cabins dotted around the woods either side of the main road and out of the woods trotted a wild reindeer who passed us like he owned the place, it was quite amusing seeing him waddling in front of us then disappear down the hill.
We decided to hit the local supermarket to stock up on items to take home. I particularly liked the candles in different coloured glass and bought some to take home as by then I was quite accustomed to them on our dining tables at the hotel. After buying our goods there was quite a lot to carry up hill back to the hotel so we jumped into a cab and left our sledge wedged in the snow for someone else. The fare was cheap and definitely worth it as we needed to get back quickly to prepare for our journey back to the airport.
Once at Kuusamo we saw familiar faces from the inward flight and everyone seemed to have the rosy cheek healthy glow of the cold. The departure lounge was cosy with a food bar and yet again souvenirs for last minute needs to buy yet another fluffy reindeer or husky dog. The flight was on time and by 8 o'clock we were on our way home to a reasonable temperature (not below freezing as it can go down to -20° centigrade).
All in all the whole Lapland experience was fun, exiting, adventurous, fascinating, peaceful, magical, but lastly freezing! So if you fancy going to Lappi (Finnish for Lapland) make sure you bring plenty of warm clothes especially for the youngsters – warm socks and snow boots are a must. You may even be one of the lucky ones to see the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) which is often spotted around 200 times a year.
Finland (known as Suomi to the Finnish) is a wonderful country and not just for a winter break as in the summer months the scenery is completely different with green grass, trees, mountains and blue lakes which are apparently breathtaking. The weather is much warmer reaching temperatures of 20° centigrade. There are long light mid summer nights where the sun does not set at night for several weeks (a long summer day lasts for 2 months) which encourage midnight hiking in the Lapland sun.
The Finland flag explains it all as the blue cross on white background represents thousands of lakes and the white represents snow, ice and the light summer nights. So it is definitely worth a visit whatever the time of year as it has a complete contrast of weather for winter fun or summer delight.