We are driving our snowmobiles across a large, windswept plateau in between the rounded, forest-clad mountain tops. It’s hard to tell with all the snow, but our guide informs us that it is actually a frozen lake. That explains why it is so flat and lacks trees. The snow is has been packed by the wind and is hard and bumpy but the area is open so it is possible to drive at speed, the soft seat cushioning the bumps. The sensation of speed is strange, there is surprisingly little wind yet anything over 40 kilometers an hour feels like you are about to break the sound barrier, much thanks to the bumpy track. Despite being rather big and heavy – kind of bulky compared to road going scooters –  the snowmobile feels skittish, it slides about from side to side and you have to fight to keep it straight; more so when going fast and this of course adds to the sensation of speed. Soon we are across the lake and enter the forest where it gets tricky, the track is skinny, with hills and humps, turns and dips; despite slowing down considerably, I have to concentrate to keep going without crashing.

Though different, both speeding over open ground and picking out a path through the forest is exciting and challenging at the same time; it feels adventurous, and a sunny day like this, having an adventure in the wilderness of Lapland is just the thing to do.