Lapland in Winter
“Lumi and the Wolf” is set in Lapland during winter, so of course Mum and I had to experience that, too. So in mid-February, we packed all our thermal and wool layers, hats, mittens, snow boots, and skis, and travelled to Saariselkä. Saariselkä is part of the Inari province, where Lumi’s aunt and uncle live, and it touches on the Urho Kekkonen National Park – the home of Wolf! It is one of Finland's largest protected areas. It is named after Urho Kekkonen, our late President and Prime Minister of Finland. It was -25 degrees Celsius on most days, so we ended up wearing three layers of thermals below our ski suits.
Mum and I stayed at the Wilderness Hotel Muotka, and we were lucky enough to get an upgrade to a Panorama Lodge! I LOVE traditional log style cabins! We even had our own sauna and our own fireplace! From the hotel, we cross-country skied to the Kiilopää fell every day. I got to see the gorgeous snowy trees, which Lumi loves so much, and we even came across three reindeer that were running down our ski tracks.
The fell is part of the National Park, so of course I wanted to spend time there every day. For our first day, I had booked a snowshoe walk in the dark with Lapland Safaris! Snowshoes are great for walking on top of fresh snow without sinking in. We had 70cm of snow! Want to know what was most incredible, though? The fact that even though it was cloudy, the sky was black, and we were in the middle of a National Park with no artificial light in sight, we could still see! Apparently, the snow reflects even the little bit of moon and starlight that comes from behind the clouds. When we got too hot and sweaty, we paused, and our guide taught us to recognise animal tracks in the snow and served us hot juice. I spotted many snowy trees that looked like cloaked figures in the dark. We didn’t see any Northern Lights, but it was a wonderful, adventurous experience nevertheless.
Next, Mum and I climbed the Kiilopää fell on foot. The higher we got, the sparser the trees got, and finally, they stopped completely. We walked inside a cloud and could barely see anymore, so we made our way back down. We also visited the smoke sauna and river ice hole at Kiilopää. I wouldn’t have believed it, but my Mum dipped into the ice with me! I didn’t realise she was this brave!
But then it was time for our next Lapland Safari: we visited a reindeer farm! In the olden days, the only means of winter transportation for the people of Lapland was on sleighs pulled by reindeer. There could be as many as 25 - 30 reindeer in a long caravan! And now we got to experience this traditional, peaceful way of moving through snowscapes. The only sound we heard was the squeak of reindeer hooves in the snow. After that, we got to feed the reindeer! But my favourite part was talking to the Sámi reindeer herders. They were so happy to answer my questions, too. Did you know that reindeer drop their antlers every autumn, and they eat them for their minerals?
What a trip! But I have to say, my favourite part was simply admiring nature's beauty. I can barely believe we live in a world this magical, and it was a stark reminder that we have to do everything we can to preserve it. The cold months are already getting warmer, and I don’t want to lose the magic that is Lapland in winter.
PS.: Thanks, Lapland Safaris, for the gifted activities!