A freezing -15°C trek in the Arctic Circle made me cry for an unexpected reason

Living in London for the past 10 years, I have spent thousands of pounds on therapy to improve my mental wellbeing, but it turns out what I really needed was a bit of ‘sisu’.

This is the only Finnish word I mastered before boarding the Finnair flight from Heathrow to Helsinki.

Combining resilience and determination, sisu has no direct translation in English. What locals told me is that it’s a way of living that has been interwoven into culture in Finland for more than 500 years.

‘Sisu’ is not about overcoming suffering, but an aspiration to find purpose in life and striving towards the best.

Seeing the Northern Lights

I’m in the town of Ruka Kuusamo to tick off some bucket list items: witness the Northern Lights, experience Finnish sauna and witness the incredible landscapes.

Like most tourists in Finland, I am hoping to see the ‘Fox Fires’, as locals refer to the Aurora Borealis, but my expectations are low.

A member of my group had visited the region eight times before, and never seen the Auroras.

But just as I drop the luggage at the chalet in the Lapland resort, Rukan Salonky, I get a notification from a Northern Lights app on my phone.

Quickly, I bundle up as many layers of clothing as possible and race outside. There is nothing but stillness. Anticipation hangs in the air.

Just when doubt begins to creep in, a ghostly glow appears. It is so subtle at first, teasing its way through the darkness of the night.

I try to hold my breath that is pouring in front of me – like plumes of grey smoke – because of the icy temperature.

A few moments later, the display grows more intense, with all the colours shifting and shimmering. Emerald green, with illuminous yellow at the lower edges. There are even hints of pink and violet in a hypnotic dance above me.

The view is mesmerising – like a window into another world. The group stands still and no one utters a word as to not ruin the moment. It almost feels spiritual.

It is an evening to remember; I put myself to bed with a smile spread across the face.

Meeting Lapland’s reindeers

The following day brings further excitement. After a continental breakfast of some Finnish fruit jams and yoghurt at Kultala Restaurant, a short drive away is Palosaari Reindeer and Fishing Farm.

Owner Satu is a sixth-generation reindeer herder – and my guide for the visit. I am greeted by the gentle clatter of hooves on the snow-covered ground.

As I feed the creatures lichen – fungus and a green algae that is the their favourite snack – she tells me about the nomadic lifestyle of herders and reindeer husbandry. These are tales of survival and adaptation passed down through generations.

The Palosaari Reindeer and Fishing Farm offers rides with the reindeers, starting at about £34, including the tour. Some of the animals are temperamental and may refuse to lead the sleigh, but it is all part of the experience.

For Satu and her husband Mika, the reindeers are seen as their children. They are all part of the family.

The couple say that the starting point for all activities in the farm is a ‘healthy and happy reindeer whose life and needs are respected’.

We end the trip with a bowl of vegan reindeer soup and bread around the fire at the farm. Satu says it is all part of the experience as she pours more tea into my cup.

Challenging my inner ‘sisu’ at an arctic ski tour

I do not know what I was thinking when I signed up for the deep-snow arctic ski tour; it was a fleeting thought, something I agreed to almost by mistake.

Do I look like Bambi on ice whenever I get on skis? Do I also have some horror stories from age 10 when my parents sent me to a ski school? Yes to all.

The sport combines elements of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, designed to allow people to move through thick, snowy landscapes. The activity typically uses short, wide skis called ‘backcountry’.

Lotta, founder and tour-guide at Outdoor Passion Finland, smells my anxiety from far away, so decides to take me under her wing.

Five minutes into our three-hour journey to Valtavaara, one of the highest hills in Kuusamo, she addresses the group, telling us about the concept of ‘sisu’.

Gesturing at the towering pine trees laden with snow and the barren cliffs ahead, she tells us that this is how Finns find peace.

‘This is the space to think about your problems and find solutions,’ Lotta says with a big, genuine smile on her face.

Without realising, I am tearing up – little did I know that this corner of Finland will help me unlock a sense of clarity I had been seeking.

Crisp air fills my lungs after reaching the peak of Valtavaara. We had to abandon our skis and then continue by foot to complete our trail. At the top, a magnificent landscape – sprawling woodland and the frozen Lake Konttaisenjärvi – is beneath our feet.

We stay there only for a few minutes before making our way down because of the piercing wind and average temperature of around -15°C. 

There are a good few miles to our starting point, so Lotta leads us back. There are a few tumbles, but our bellies are full of laughter. There is a sense of achievement among the group and gratitude to our bodies.

It is the most memorable – and rewarding – part of my trip to Ruka-Kuusamo.

Winter splash

Another Finnish tradition I muster up the courage to try is a dip in a frozen lake – in a very non-‘rise and grind, wake up at 2am, eat 12 eggs and check Bitcoin’ way.

I arrive at House of Northern Senses, located in the idyllic Virkkula village and by the lake Pikku Porontima, just a few hours after the ski tour, so I am ready to relax.

After a warm welcome with champagne and traditional Finnish caviar canapes, I head down to the bottom floor of the manor.

There is a spa area with a large circular sauna for 12 people, a pool and luxurious showers, that can be hired even if you are not a guest at the hotel.

There is also an outside sauna, just a few meters from the lake. I sweat all toxins off for about 20 minutes before running towards the peer and slowly dipping my body in the freezing water.

It may seem extreme to some, but it is exhilarating. The shock triggers a rush of adrenaline. This sudden change of temperature causes the release of endorphins, leading to an immediate sense of euphoria. But just a few moments in, and I am out.

Jumping into a frozen lake after a sauna is a practice that embodies the Finnish spirit. There is no music, television or phones in the sauna – no distractions, so it brings people together.

A legend says that Finnish presidents used to have meetings with world leaders in saunas.

My tour guide tells me women used to give birth in saunas not too long ago. And when a person died, the sauna would be the very last place where they would get cleaned. So, in a way, it shows the circle of life in Finland.

End my visit to Ruka Kuusamo

Perhaps the perfect end to my trip was experiencing the nightlife in the town of Ruka Kuusamo.

There is a wide selection of bars – especially karaoke (it is the national obsession).

On a mission to find a good a good bar, I end up drinking my favourite new spirit Mintu, a Finnish brand of peppermint-flavoured liqueur, and dancing to a Jon Bon Jovi tribute band at a lively bar called The Zone.

I ended the night at IHKA Bar, begging the DJ to play Dua Lipa before returning to my hotel room where I snacked on leftover cinnamon buns at 4am.

Ruka Kuusamo was a blast. I return to London the following day, a little tired but with a huge sense of achievement and with a promise to hold on to my ‘sisu’.

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