Winter in Telemark

We stayed in the most gorgeous cabin with views of both the mountains and the nearby lake, which started every day frosted over and steaming from the temperature difference. This trip reached a new temperature low for us, sitting at about -25 celsius on average. We got very good at thermal layering and fire lighting, that's for sure! Treated with an early morning of magical cotton candy skies and freezing temperatures, we made our way into the mountains for a touch of skiing. It was a first time for me, so took some getting used to! But the slow learning pace meant I had even more time to appreciate the insane landscapes around me. I've decided that's enough of a reason for me to ski; the adrenaline that I'm sure will come with actually making it down a run is just a bonus.

Every time I travel into these remote parts where quiet is the norm, I always find myself thinking 'why not just stay?' but honestly, I think travelling to Norway from busy London only makes these experiences more magical, and makes me even more grateful for it. I think like most things, I would become desensitised to it, and it would become 'normal' after a while, however impossible that is to believe right now.

As our cabin weekend retreat came to an end, we left with an even deeper appreciation for the slow living, quiet joys of a Norwegian Winter. Cosy - or koselig - has taken on a whole new meaning after this trip.