Visiting Lapland without taking a dog sled trip is unthinkable! Young Juliane lives a stone’s throw from the Granö Lodge. She came to Sweden from Germany to work with huskies. She clearly has a passion for dogs and nature. In the middle of her backyard lies the ‘heart’ of her business: the kennels where the dogs stay.
The closer you get to the lofts, the more the enthusiasm of the husky dogs becomes apparent. They eagerly wait for the moment to walk through the snow. They bark loudly and jump against the fence as if to say, “Choose me, … please!” Juliane and her French helper prepare the dogs that are allowed to join them for the trip.
Before we start the trip, Juliane gives instructions on how to drive the two-person sled. One person sits on the sled and the other stands behind to steer and brake. It feels like a big responsibility to bring the dogs (and yourself) back safely. But once on the road it really comes naturally. The most important thing is not to let go of the sled, because with the enthusiasm of the huskies, it will continue, even without you.
We start the tour from the village and immediately enter the forest. Up and down hills, through bends and then we arrive at an immense white plain. It dawns on me that I am on a gigantic frozen lake. No people, just the dogs, the snow and the trees in the distance. The sun shines in the clear blue sky. This is pure enjoyment!
Along the way we stop to let the dogs rest. We get some time to get acquainted with the sweet character of the dogs. They all have a name that matches their appearance or character. Our drivers Demon (because of the fierce look) and Cannelle (because of the color of the fur).
Juliane makes coffee on a wood fire in a hole in the ground. We drink coffee from wooden cups and eat homemade chocolate cake with it. All this lying on a reindeer skin. What a life.
After half an hour we continue. Far too soon we are back in the village. In total the trip took about 3.5 hours and we covered about 20 kilometers. It was a beautiful morning. Dog sledding makes you hungry. Fortunately, Granö Beckasin’s restaurant is close by!
