NORDIC WINTER KNOW-HOW

Ready to embrace the wilderness, whatever the weather? Then you too can capture the spirit of Norwegian ‘friluftsliv’

- KERRY WALKER

Step into the powder-soft snow. Jump into icy water. Feel the cold. Relish it. Take a big, life-affirming gulp of the chill, winter air. Ski in quiet exhilaration through the backcountry to a lonely mountain hut. This is friluftsliv, the distinctly Norwegian concept of embracing outdoor living no matter the weather. When winter darkness descends and temperatures plummet below zero, the Norwegians don’t just snuggle under a blanket, whack up the heating and binge on Netflix, they go outside. Why? Because, they say, time spent in natures heals you: it jump-starts your immune system and awakens every cell, lets endorphins flow and gives you the space to regain purpose and perspective.

But friluftsliv isn’t just about climbing peaks and pushing limits, it’s about making the wilderness — however small — your own, whether you’re making yourself at home at a winter camp, walking in a frozen forest or spending the evening by a campfire with the Northern Lights dancing overhead. Ultimately, friluftsliv is about intuitively reconnecting to the environment, elements and seasons in a way that makes you feel truly alive.

WINTER GLAMPING

EPIC ARCTIC VIEWS: The Glacier Far north of the Arctic Circle, where the land splinters into fjords, expect a front-row view onto the only European glacier to calve directly into the sea. Geodesic pods (billed as modern-day ‘igloos’) are where big wilderness meets eco-minded Scandi cool, in a glacial palette of greys, blues and whites, plus wood-burning stoves, goosedown duvets and telescopes for Northern Lights gazing. It’s tempting to hibernate, but venture out for dog sledding, glacier hiking, ski touring and whale-watching, returning for a soak in the seafront hot tub: pure Nordic magic. From £420 a night. theglacier.no