When people think of Sweden, they often think of the snow first, although since moving here, I have learned there are many different Swedish seasons and each one comes with its own traditions, celebrations and scenery.

However the Swedish winter is exactly what I thought it would be and the Swedes love their winter sports from ice skating to cross country and down hill skiing. They are all easily accessible and so it was really starting to bother me that we had been in Sweden over three years and tried none of them.

With the help of some friends we finally managed to correct that mistake booking a week of downhill skiing in the popular Swedish mountain area of Sälen, Dalarna. Ski Star is a company that has ski resorts across Sweden and Norway offering a range of accommodation types surrounding extensive ski runs in addition to a range of other entertainment facilities to complete the holiday experience.

We were staying in a four bedroom apartment just across from one of the various ski lifts.

There was a big open plan communal sitting area, dining room and kitchen with two bathrooms and four bedrooms. We stayed in a double room which was a decent size with a wardrobe on either side of the bed and plenty of space for our luggage.

The resort itself was so much bigger than I was expecting with five different distinct ski areas. Most facilities were based at Experium which is where the Ski Star lodge is located.

There was also a McDonalds located right on the ski slope with its very own ‘McSki’ which is the skiers version of a drive through.

There are plenty of restaurants, shops and entertainment facilities at the resort, including a Stadium sports shop, a spa, arcade, bowling and cinema that showed a children’s movie once a day.

As you can imagine, we spent some time in the coffee shop between skiing. They had the most incredible blueberry cardamom buns that were just delicious when heated.

On the last day we wanted to ski as much as possible so we had lunch at Majkens Sylta to not waste any time. We had a Swedish classic, meatballs and mash potatoes and it was a perfect lunch before our afternoon ski lesson.

The skiing itself was so much more than I expected. The range of slopes and the intricate web of ski lifts meant you could never get bored. The ski pass is expensive costing over £200 for seven days but it gives you access to so many different slopes and areas that it certainly is worth the money. Especially in Sweden where you can claim £150 of that back through the wellness allowance we are entitled to every year.

As beginners we wanted to enrol in ski school which we did for 70mins a day, Monday to Friday costing only £75 for the five days. Rob was a complete beginner putting skis on for the first time this trip. I however, had some experience with two ski trips as a child and a little as an adult when chaperoning the annual ski trip to Nagano in Japan but I welcomed the review and was very quickly pushed out of my comfort zone.

In the mornings we would venture on new slopes with our friends Mark and Nicolette and in the afternoons we would go to our ski lesson and we really enjoyed it.

It was a dream being back on the slopes, enjoying the beautiful scenery whilst doing something active outdoors. I was impressed by the progress Rob made in just one week from a complete beginner on Monday to taking on red slopes by Friday. I was also proud of myself for finally leaving the snow plough turns behind and embracing the parallel turns. On one particularly windy day I also managed to tackle a hidden fear of heights I didn’t know I had when we ventured up to the top of the mountain.

Before this week, I didn’t realise how serious the Swedish ski culture is and the ‘after ski’ events held most week days were especially fun and incredibly popular. So much so, you had to reserve a table.

The after ski is a chance to unwind, drink plenty and watch a live show which lasts around 90mins. The songs are designed to rally the audience and provides plenty of opportunities for the crowd to sing along.

They resembled university nights out and had a fantastic atmosphere with some after skis held in some beautiful locations.

The week flew past as quick as Rob’s ski when it came off mid-slope but it was great fun. We didn’t really know what to expect when we agreed to join this group ski trip but it was a perfect mix of skiing, singing, relaxing and enjoying good company.

We left Sälen with great memories, mystery bruises, a lot of aches but that amazing feeling after a good work out. It exceeded expectations and I hope we can go back again sometime but for now we have a trip back home to look forward to for Rob’s grand family get together.

Until then….

SP x