We share our latest cabin trip and our love for Swedish ‘friluftsliv’ (open-air life) from the book There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda McGurk. Staying in the mountains of Pennsylvania, in the adorable Gypsy Spring PATC cabin, we unplugged and got outdoors in Scandinavian Style – no matter what the weather!
SWEDISH FRILUFTSLIV (OPEN-AIR LIFE)
One of our viewers recommend this book, There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Akeson McGurk, thank you! It’s written by a Swedish parent who moves back to her home country with her two children after living in the USA.
She compares Swedish outdoor culture to what she had experienced in the USA and why they seem like two different worlds. Backed with data she discusses Swedish environmentalism and gives practical tips on how to encourage children to get outdoors to connect with nature.
One of the best terms I’ve learned from the book is Swedish ‘friluftsliv’ which can be translated to open-air life or outdoor living.
“The Scandinavian zest do fresh air is maybe best summed up by the word for ‘outdoor recreation’ in Swedish and Norwegian – friluftsliv. The term was first used in print by famed Norwegian playwright and poet Henrik Ibsen in 1859, and describes a culture and way of life that heavily revolve around exploring and enjoying nature.” – Linda Akeson McGurk
The beauty of Swedish ‘friluftsliv’ is that it can be practiced anywhere. In a park, on your balcony, or on a stroll through town.
But, there is something about being fully disconnected from the internet, TV, cell phones, and the like. It frees you up to let nature in. (We were even surprised how little we photographed and filmed this trip because we got lost in our adventures!)
FRILUFTSLIV ON A CABIN TRIP
That break is why we travel to cabins at least once a year. To completely detox and allow ourselves to soak in the natural beauty around us.
The cabin we stayed at here is part of the Potomac Applacian Trail Club, which we have been a member of for many many years. Their cabins range from modern with plumbing, electricity and easy drive up access, to primitive which include an outhouse, gathering water from a nearby spring, and sometimes a hike-in of at least a mile.
We hit a whole range of weather on our trip. We arrived to a snow covered cabin and after unpacking our gear, we set out for a snowy evening walk. With flashlights in tow we searched for animal footprints in the snow.
The next morning we built the biggest snowman possible with any leftover snow that had not yet melted. It was a beautiful sunny day. We visited the nearby reservoir (and tested out the new drone!).
In the evening we made an outdoor fire and had campfire classic s’mores.
The last morning was rainy but we didn’t let that stop us! We put on our waterproof gear and headed out for a hike. (These Tuffo Coveralls are great for younger kids.) After all…there’s no such thing as bad weather!
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