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Home  >  Blog  >  Once is not enough: a second visit to Hotel Ylläshumina in Lapland.

Once is not enough: a second visit to Hotel Ylläshumina in Lapland.

Trish Burgess Posted on27/02/201912/03/2019 Finland, Hotel Ylläshumina, hotels in Lapland, Inntravel, Lapland, winter walking in Finland 17 Comments
Lake Äkäslompolo, Lapland, Finland
Standing on Lake Äkäslompolo in Finland (sign not written by me!)

Do you go back to the same place on holiday? There are so many destinations I’d still love to visit that I don’t often go back. I made an exception for Lapland and, in particular, Hotel Ylläshumina in the village of Äkäslompolo. Last January we booked a week there with Inntravel. It was a try-it-out week for cross-country skiing in the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park. The experience was so incredible, we were desperate to do it again. I’m sure Dougie was also keen to get his money’s worth from his natty fitted ski-pants: one outing was never going to be enough.

Cross-country skiing in Ylläs, Finland
Check out the pants!

There’s something very reassuring about going back to the same place. You know the lie of the land, where the shops are, where to sit in the dining room. Dare I say it, you feel a little smug when the newbies are dithering at the buffet table. We had plans to visit our favourite café from last year, Navettagalleria. I was looking forward to a lingonberry liqueur after dinner and picking up an extra set of coffee cups from the craft shop in the village.

Opting for a suite at the Hotel Ylläshumina

We chose a standard room last year at the Hotel Ylläshumina and it was perfectly lovely. It was cosy, warm as toast and the beds were comfortable. True, they were twin beds, separated by a table. But, to be quite honest, we were so exhausted by the cardio-vascular workout that is cross-country skiing and so full-up on hearty Finnish food (mmm silky mashed potatoes, creamy puddings…) if Dougie had crept over to my side in the middle of the night, he’d have been sent packing.

This year, we decided to splurge a bit. The hotel has built a number of superior and suite rooms with double beds. Still traditional log cabins but with more luxurious touches such as log fires and stylish kitchens. What makes the suites even more special than the superior rooms is the presence of a bathtub. I’d have paid a king’s ransom for a bath last year. I know the Finns love their naked saunas but I’m an uptight Brit with a Catholic upbringing so I’m accustomed to changing my swimming costume awkwardly under a towel. After a day on the trails, that bath was an absolute joy. I could have spent my whole holiday in the beautiful bathroom, luxuriating in the tub before slipping into a very chic inky-blue waffle robe.

Bathroom in suite of Hotel Ylläshumina
Bathroom in the suite at Hotel Ylläshumina

Choosing not to tire ourselves as much on the trails, we spent happy afternoons in our luxury love-nest. We sipped wine out of stylish Iittala glasses and cosied up on the faux-fur throw on the sofa, whilst the log burner gently crackled beside us. Romance was back on the agenda.

Living room in suite of Hotel Ylläshumina, Lapland
The gorgeous fireplace in our luxury suite

Having another go at cross-country skiing

Last year we skied all week, although as we were staying during the Polar nights, the amount of daylight hours was limited. Just a few weeks later in the season there are far more hours available. To get back into the swing of it, we opted for our usual route from 2018, skiing to Navettagalleria, a break for hot chocolate and cake then a gentle ski across mainly flat terrain, back to the hotel.

Cross-country ski trail, Ylläs, Lapland

On the second day we booked a refresher ski lesson which was invaluable for ironing out some technique issues. We felt ready for a long trail on the third day. It was classed as easy but as the downhills and uphills were far more pronounced on this route, we found the going quite tough.

It struck us both at this point that we didn’t have to ski all week. There are so many activities on offer in Lapland, why not do something else? Dog-sledding, snowmobiling, snow-shoeing and reindeer safaris can all be arranged by the hotel. Or you can just do your own thing. Which we did.

Let’s go to the zoo!

Last year we passed very close by Konijänkä’s petting zoo on a number of occasions. We always planned to visit but the urge to ski overtook the urge to see the animals. This year, when the weather forecast warned of heavy snow, we wisely agreed that a ten minute walk to the little zoo would be a good way to spend the morning. There weren’t many other visitors that day so the animals were very interested in the treats we had bought with our ticket.

Konijänkä's petting zoo, Äkäslompolo
My very own Dr Dolittle

No sooner had Dougie begun to rummage in the bag – not easy with thick gloves – than the resident dogs became his faithful friends. I think they were Newfoundland dogs (Landseers?) and they were adorable. They walked alongside us as we made the acquaintance of Hilma the Bactrian camel which originates from the cold Asian steppes, so is very well adapted to Lapland’s freezing temperatures. Likewise the llamas, yak, sheep and goats. Dougie was delighted to meet Aslak, the Highland bull, and they chewed the cud for a while, reminiscing about winter in the Cairngorms.

Highland bull at petting zoo
Dougie meets an old Scottish pal

We met up with some cuties inside too. I was particularly smitten with a little chipmunk, sitting in his feeding cup. We said hello to guinea pigs, turtles, ferrets and bunnies before a well-deserved warm up at the café with coffee and doughnuts.

Chipmunk in feeding cup

You might be surprised to learn we ventured out into the snowstorm that afternoon. We battled the wind and biting cold as we took a very essential walk – into the village for provisions. Wine and crisps. We filled our trusty rucksacks with Tempranillo from the Alco shop and trudged back to the hotel, clanking rhythmically, ready to share the tale of our foolhardy expedition with our skiing friends.

Discovering winter walking trails

The cross-country skiing is second to none in Ylläs: over 300km of trails to suit all abilities. Everyone makes use of the winter sports map which marks out the routes. The map also shows winter paths: those requiring the use of special snow shoes (the ones that look like tennis rackets on your feet) and those which are suitable for normal sturdy walking boots.

This proved to be a revelation to us. We have adored our walking holidays with Inntravel, in Austria and Mallorca, so why not go for a walk in the Finnish wilderness? We sussed out a decent route of about 6km from our usual café along a river valley to another café, Kotamaja, nestled between three of Ylläs’ seven hills. The temperature that day had risen to an unbelievable zero, unheard of in February. This meant we didn’t even need our thick winter jackets and trousers – the thinner cross-country ski outfits were perfect and even then we were shedding layers as the afternoon progressed.

winter walking in Ylläs national park

We only met a couple of people on the track and they were on fat bikes, adapted for cycling on snow. No-one else was walking that day, despite it being a well-maintained path cut into the snow. It was very deep on either side, however, so we’d have been up to our nether regions if we’d stepped off the trail. It really was a fantastic walk through the woods as the trees were heavy-laden with snow, leading to the creation of some very strange shapes.

Snow on trees in Lapland

Once we neared the café, the landscape changed. The valley widened; a large expanse of snow with skiers appearing from five different trails, like tyre spokes, leading to Kotamaja at the hub. We upped our pace and joined the skiers inside the café, warming by the central open fire and supping hot berry juice and carrot cake. A quick trip to the outdoor compostable toilet (this truly is the wilderness) and we were ready for the return leg. It never bothers us if a walk involves the same route back. It’s amazing how things look different when you’re facing the other way.

Kotamaja cafe in Lapland
Can you spot the café hidden in the trees?

Dougie was fascinated by animal tracks in the snow and we were soon rewarded with the sight of three reindeer. We could just see them through the trees so we kept very still and watched them until they eventually trotted further into the woods. We continued our winter walk, reaching home as the sun dipped below the horizon and we’d racked up a decent 14km.

The temperature was even higher on our last day. The air was still and the sun shone. We planned another walk of about 12km in all, this time along the river valley to the east of Lake Äkäslompolo towards Lake Kesänkijarvi. The jump in temperature transformed the scenery. The trees which had been laden with snow the previous day, had now shaken off their load. It felt as if spring had come incredibly early. We could hear birds chirping and we saw a dipper making the most of the gaps in the ice that appeared on the surface of the lake.

Edge of lake Kesänkijärvi, Lapland

Coffee and apple tart drew us to Kesängin Keidas, yet another café with a rustic loo. This time, after a rest, we headed back to the hotel via the village for some souvenir shopping. We found our treasured coffee cups and added two more to the collection.

Loving Lapland second time around

A second visit to Lapland was a great success. Going a little later in the season gave us ample opportunity to explore further. There was less pressure to fit everything in or to ski every day just because we had hired the skis for a week. Time slowed, we found a more relaxed rhythm and we adored just being in a place we loved. Returning to Hotel Ylläshumina was an absolute delight. Doing it in style, with the upgraded facilities, was even better.

Frontage of Hotel Ylläshumina

Would we go a third time? We’ll see. There’s still so many other countries we’d love to explore. But then, there’s that log fire in our room and the scenery which takes your breath away. And six coffee cups might just be more useful than four.

Trail signs in Ylläs, Finland

This is a holiday we booked with Inntravel and paid for ourselves. We did receive a small discount in exchange for an article on the Inntravel website. 

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17 Comments

  1. Nell (Pigeon Pair and Me) Reply
    07/03/2019 at 10:31 am

    I for one am glad you went back, as it meant I got to see more of the area on your social media feeds! Nice that you were able to relax into the place even more, and see things you didn’t get to last time. #FarawayFiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 8:56 am

      Ha! Well I’m so glad I could do that for you, Nell. Those blue skies made for some super shots.

  2. Clare (Suitcases and Sandcastles) Reply
    07/03/2019 at 2:13 pm

    I’m with you on the naked saunas, Trish – my experiences in spas in Germany and Slovenia have demonstrated that it’s torture for us buttoned up Brits! We don’t often visit the same place either but when you find somewhere that special, it’s totally worth it, I reckon, and like you say, it gives you the freedom to not feel that you have to ski all day like you did the year before. I really enjoyed ice fishing on my Norwegian cross-country trip. Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 9:01 am

      I remember returning to a place in Minorca many years ago and although we enjoyed it, it did feel a bit déjà vu. I think when you have a sport or pastime you want to do, it’s quite likely you will return to the same place if you know it’s a great location. That’s definitely the case here as the cross-country skiing trails are so extensive, there would always be something new to try.
      I’ve not tried ice-fishing though we could have done it in Lapland – maybe next time!

  3. Phoebe | Lou Messugo Reply
    07/03/2019 at 5:08 pm

    Your second trip is making me even keener than I was last year to get to Lapland. It looks like the most gorgeous holiday with the right balance of activity and luxury. That fireplace! #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 9:02 am

      I used to think of Lapland as the place families go to see Santa Claus but it’s so much more. And the people are just lovely.
      It’s a cracking fireplace, isn’t it!

  4. Lydia C. Lee Reply
    07/03/2019 at 8:41 pm

    I loved Lapland. I’d go back in a flash! Finland was probably our best holiday ever as a family – with teens and a little one, it had something for everyone. We all had so much fun. I get why you’d go back! #FarAwayFiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 9:05 am

      I wish we had gone when our son was younger – he’d have loved it either as a little boy or teen. He’d love it now, but it’s harder for him to find the time now he’s flown the nest and working. You must have some wonderful memories.

  5. Christine Reply
    09/03/2019 at 8:09 am

    There are a few places I’d like to go back and explore again but I worry it won’t be as good as the first time round. Also that I’m missing out on other places! That said, it sounds like you made the right decision and got to do lots of different things this time round, it definitely looks like a place I’d like to visit one day (along with everywhere else). #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 9:06 am

      That’s just how we think about repeat holidays. It wasn’t the same when we once went back to a resort in Minorca – just became a bit boring. I think it was the chance to do cross-country skiing again that also drew us back. It seemed a god idea to pick up on where we left off and we knew there would be lots of new trails.

  6. Erin Gustafson | Oregon Girl Around the World Reply
    12/03/2019 at 10:43 am

    Oh my goodness the fireplace IN your suite is just divine. And I had to laugh out loud at your Britishness regarding the saunas. It is definitely something to contend with here in Denmark as well. What wonderful weather you had for enjoying the outdoors come winter. Seriously swoony. Thanks for sharing with #FarawayFiles, cheers from Copenhagen.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 9:17 am

      I thought it was such a bold move, to put such a statement fireplace in a log cabin! We didn’t really need to have it on, as the underfloor heating was amazing, but it was a treat to sit beside it and just watch the flames. You can’t do that in a sauna haha!

  7. hilary Reply
    12/03/2019 at 10:57 pm

    What a lovely vacation! I’d love to try cross country skiing, and your upgraded room looked splendid. I do agree with you about revisiting places. Of course I love to see new places, but there is something so satisfying about knowing what you’re doing and digging deeper into a place. #farawayfiles

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      13/03/2019 at 9:18 am

      We rarely go back, because of the wish to explore more destinations, but I can see why people do like to return. It reduces the stress too, as you know what to expect.

  8. catherine's Cultural Wednesdays Reply
    13/03/2019 at 6:43 pm

    You’ve got the bug now! This was our first winter not cross country skiing since the boys were tiny and we so missed it.

    • Trish Burgess Reply
      21/03/2019 at 2:05 pm

      I wish we had done this when our boy was at home. I never thought about a winter holiday as wasn’t keen on downhill skiing and now I’ve discovered cross-country skiing and winter walking – a whole new world has opened up.

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