Arctic Circle caravanning

Fresh from a month-long family caravanning trip to the Arctic Circle and Lapland, we catch up with loyal Caravan Guard customers, James and Katy Butler, to find out more about their adventures.

It’s been a bucket list item of theirs to visit the Arctic Circle in winter and to see the Northern Lights, meet a reindeer up close, have a go on a snowmobile and much more.

After months of preparing their tow car and Bailey Pegasus Grande SE Palermo caravan, the family of three, plus their two cats, set off on their Arctic Circle caravanning trip in December 2022.

But how did they cope with sub-zero temperatures, snow and icy driving conditions and what adventures did they have?

“As we left the UK on the Eurotunnel we drove 2,000 miles north through France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Sweden all the way up to Finnish Lapland,” said James.

“As we entered Denmark we found snow-lined trees and fields, much earlier than we’d planned. We ended up chasing a “snow bomb” from Denmark, which saw one metre of snow fall in just four days!”

Once they reached Skellefteå on the Baltic coast in Sweden, the snow was falling heavily and temperatures were dropping.

“We found that Skellefteå Camping was open and they made us a pitch in the snow,” said James. “The temperature was now down to -22C outside but the caravan was lovely and warm at +20C inside. So, we decided to sit out the cold and snowy roads and stayed for two nights, exploring the pretty city for a day.”

It was then time to move north again but not without an overnight service stop opposite Santa Claus village, the home of Santa himself in Finland!

“The next day we wanted to reach Ivalo,” explained James. “It’s a place that looked to have so much to offer, from the northern lights, to husky tours and snowmobiling. But by now the roads were icy and snowy and we’d not seen a snowplough for a while. Driving was getting treacherous without studded tyres. Fifty miles into the 200-mile journey we decided it was too dangerous to go any further that day and we turned around to head back to Santa Claus village.”

But on their return journey, they passed a lorry which threw up powder snow and a car travelling behind the Butlers misjudged where they were in the “snow fog” and collided with the back of their caravan.

The emergency services went to the scene of the accident but thankfully nobody was injured and despite damage to the rear panel of their caravan the Finnish Police allowed them to carry on back to Rovaniemi as planned.

“A call was made to Caravan Guard and their friendly staff called back over the next few days to check we were okay and to get the caravan insurance claims process rolling,” said James. “I doubt many of their customers are up a ski slope at -11c when they call!”

James also contacted Bailey for their advice on the structural safety of the caravan and it was deemed okay to continue to travel.

“We spent a week by Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, which pleased our daughter as we could visit Santa and go skiing at the local slopes,” said James. “An evening activity was to rewire the lights on the back of the caravan that had been sliced through in the impact of the accident.”

With a new tow bar fitted to the car and temporary repairs to the caravan, the Butlers had planned to travel further north to go to the Levi Ski Resort, where they had a reindeer experience booked and lots of skiing planned.

“But when speaking to the locals, the roads to Levi were worse and the hills steeper than those to Ivalo,” explained James. “We made the decision to head south back to Skellefteå Camping in Sweden. We knew they had snow, a ski slope, and a fantastic toilet block with kitchen and sauna. What more could we want!?

“Sledging with the locals on Christmas Day was a highlight of the holiday. It was an incredible atmosphere, seeing children trying out their new sledges and skis, and adults going as fast as they could down the main ski slope was superb. Such a buzz in the air.”

A day out took them north 80 miles to Luleå where the Baltic Sea is at its furthest northern point and freezes first. Each year, the city council make ice paths on the frozen sea so people can cycle, walk, and skate on to get around the side of the city.

“When we visited the paths were open,” said James. “It felt very wrong walking on the ice but perfectly safe as little covered quad bikes were nipping about clearing more snow for more paths.”

The Butlers remained in Skellefteå for New Year’s Eve and enjoyed lots of fireworks.

“The sun never really rose and it was dark by 1:30 pm on a clear day,” explained James. “The early dark skies meant private fireworks started early and went on for most of the afternoon and into the “night”.”

As they headed further south, a day earlier than planned, they took a detour to look around Gothenburg and its pretty Christmas light displays.

“Their tram tickets can also be used on buses and water buses, so a lovely afternoon was spent on a water bus looking at the islands. A nice piece of cake each in the boat’s café topped the boat trip off nicely!”

A final night in Sweden, and then it was then homeward bound via the spectacular Øresund Bridge into Denmark and back onto the Eurotunnel at Calais to cross the channel as their Arctic Circle caravanning trip came to an end.

Arctic Circle caravanning trip highlights

• 4,300 miles driven
• 2,000 miles towing a caravan on snow- and ice-covered road
• Coldest temperature was -22C
• The cats liked to sit by the blown air heating outlets

• Didn’t fill the water system in four weeks
• The Butler’s five-year-old daughter learnt how to use T bar ski lifts by herself and even enjoyed ski jumps
• Christmas Day skiing

• Spotting a wild reindeer
• Skiing in two locations
• Wild camping and waking up to see the view
• A new found love of Swedish meatballs!

So, despite the accident and needing to get the car and caravan repaired, the Butler’s Arctic Circle caravanning trip was a success and they’d definitely go again – although later in the season when the snow has finished falling to make travelling easier.

They have unfinished business as they had to cancel their reindeer experience and snowmobiling trip, they didn’t make it to two campsites in Finland and the Northern Lights were illusive!

“Our time caravanning in the Arctic Circle isn’t over yet!”

Now they’ve renewed their caravan insurance, best start planning another trip…!