Ice and Warm

Ever thought it would be possible to enjoy the northern lights without thermal socks? Catherine Quinn keeps warm in a glass igloo.

The temperature has plummeted to -20°C. It’s so cold that things I didn’t even know could freeze have frozen. Like mercury. Well not quite (the element freezes at -38°C). How is it possible then, that here within the Arctic Circle I’ve dispensed with my thermal layers and am risking the enjoyment of a cold beer?

The answer lies in Lapland’s latest technological masterpiece – the glass igloo. These feats of sustainable engineering have allowed the creation of miniature bio-pods, kept at a pleasantly balmy 20°C, while affording a view of conditions that would usually cause frostbite in seconds.

Besides keeping the occupants comfortably snug, the clear glass is also designed to stay free from snow and ice – even in the coldest conditions – allowing crystal clear views of the night sky after several metres of snowfall. And in an area of the world where the northern lights are so commonplace that locals have stopped noticing them, the igloos attract a slew of visitors eager to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

I arrive at Kakslauttanen Igloo Village in central Lapland (northern Finland), via a train and bus ride from Tampere airport, enjoying magical winter views and excited to see the atmosphere’s colourful electronic discharges.

The best times to see the lights here last year were in April and September, but the chances of a sighting in this part of the world can be as high as two days out of three throughout the year. Under a glass igloo, your ability to endure temperatures that would freeze an eskimo’s snoo snoo are heightened exponentially. So if you can stay awake, your chances are higher still.

I must admit I had wondered how cosy a glass igloo could really be. After all, the igloo village is owned and run by Lapps – a people known for their ability to endure cold climates. The owner’s daughter, Sonja, breezing through the -20°C snowdrift to greet me in just a pair fashionable jeans, does not assuage my doubts.

“Finnish women often put their babies out to sleep in the cold air,” she explains later, as we discuss the merits of Lapland’s weather. “It gives them a good sleep.”

With this inbred hardiness then, I hold little hope that the igloos can be anything other than tolerably warm. But ducking through the hobbit-sized entrance, the heat rolls out in thick, welcome waves – in stark contrast to some of the other on-site accommodation at Kakslauttanen, actual snow igloos where guests can enjoy a guarantee that the temperature won’t drop below -6°C. Those who brave them and return use words like “rewarding”, but with added proviso, “Beware the teeth-chattering cold.” The complex also boasts a snow chapel, snow restaurant and snow bar for those who enjoy their ice-cubes on the wrong side of their drinks.

Given the fact that Kakslauttanen’s guests are more audacious than most, it’s no surprise the daily activities list reads like an Arctic adventure-thon. Visitors can trek to a nearby lake to carve a hole in the ice and fish for perch, drive a snowmobile in a midnight quest to seek out the lights, or cover the same ground on foot, using a pair of Lapp snow shoes. By far my most thrilling experience was the chance to lead a pack of huskies over vast tracts of snow-deep wilderness – I was alive in the surreal winter scenery. Perfection.

No Finnish resort would be complete without a sauna, and the Lapps’ favourite is the smoke sauna, of which Kakslauttanen’s, they claim, is the largest in the world. This haven of woody fumes – a hut literally pumped through with wood smoke, said to be good for the health in these parts – sits directly opposite an ice pool carved from a frozen lake. Having sweated in the sauna and run the bone-chilling gauntlet to the pond, the waters literally take my breath away. I emerge speechless with exhilaration, pulling ice chips from my hair.

A warming draft of hot berry juice later at the snow bar (there are no ice-cubes in clinking glasses here) and suddenly there is an excited call from the waiter. Night has fallen and the lights are showing.

Against the pitch-black sky, a greenish glow can be seen wavering uncertainly on the horizon. It shimmers slightly, but the assembled viewers are unsure. Is it the real thing, or some kind of trick of the light from a nearby power station? Only when the lights fade, do we realise it is indeed the Aurora Borealis – subdued, but in residence.

As we watch, hoping for more, a loved-up couple pull up on a snowmobile. They have returned from a northern lights hunt, and have been told it’s a particularly good night for spotting. “But later,” they confirm, “around three in the morning.” The excitement of the group is tangible. The last few nights have been cloudy, and many have travelled here with the sole purpose of sighting the elusive light show.

A few more drinks later and I return to the glass igloo. The lights may have faded, but far more surprising is the clarity and scope of the stars. White, yellow, red and green illuminations dot the sky in an endless, stunning swathe. I have never, in my whole life, seen so many stars.

Having returned to our glass-roofed palace we make a new discovery. Our beds can be angled mechanically, and with the touch of a button we’re comfortably raised for the world’s best stargazing.

After a day racing huskies and leaping into ice ponds I’m soon asleep. But we wake at 3am to something more spectacular than the stars. The northern lights have reappeared, this time in a flickering green column striking through the centre of the sky. As we watch from our beds, one by one the lights in the other igloos go out. But soon everyone has left the warmth to watch the show in the chill night air. A glass igloo might be a great way to keep warm, but this is one light display, it seems, which is worth getting cold for.
Glass Igloos at Kakslauttanen Igloo Village from €166pp, including breakfast and morning sauna. For more details and all the activities on offer, visit www.kakslauttanen.fi

What to wear when it’s a nippy -20˚C outside

If you’re heading up to Lapland from Tampere, it’s going to take more than an extra woolly jumper to keep you warm. Even in April, temperatures in northern Finland can drop to below -20˚C with a metre of snow on the ground.

Laplanders opt for materials like silk, merino wool and fibres that have been engineered to tackle the cold. For cosy woollens, New Zealand brand Icebreaker are touted locally as the merino wool experts, with everything from merino wool glove liners to hats specifically designed for extra warmth at sub-zero temperatures. You can also use technology to your advantage. New on the market are Silversocks, made with silvercoated fibres for optimal temperature distribution in cold conditions. For the ultimate cheat, though, you could always resort to the latest Lapland favourite: lithium battery-fuelled heated gloves. The latest range by YC Miracle keep your hands toasty for up to six hours and are a frostbite saver in these icy depths.