Håkan Erikssons Icekarting

In Uppsälje, near the large ski resort of Sälen, in the mountains of Dalarna, Håkan Erikssons Icekarting offers something different: ice karting, in the depths of winter. The track is laid on a frozen lake, and you drive petrol-engined Polaris karts of six hundred cubic centimetres, with sensations close to a rally car sliding on a snowy road. It is an original winter activity, a world away from asphalt karting.

Karting stays open to everyone, no licence needed: a briefing, a helmet, and off you go taming the slide. Driving on ice means feathering the throttle and reading the slides ahead, which makes every lap playful and a little unpredictable, to the delight of thrill-seekers. The track regularly hosts competitions, mostly at weekends, and as the activity depends on the weather and the state of the ice, it is best to check the hours before coming.

Uppsälje lies at the gateway to Sälen, Sweden's largest cluster of ski resorts and the starting point of the Vasaloppet, the famous cross-country ski race. The mountain region of Dalarna unfolds its forests, rounded summits and wide snowy expanses for much of the year, a paradise for winter sports. Sälen is reached by road from Mora, or by seasonal links to the small local airport, deep in the wild north-west of Dalarna.