Educational winter travel combines the exhilaration of winter sports with new places and cultures. Become educated not only on the methods of winter sports but also on the traditions and heritage of landscapes. Swap the winter woes at home for an adventure that’s sure to keep everyone smiling. 

Publisher's note: we LOVE the amazing articles from our US Fish and Wildlife Service about our natural world. Here's one about tracks in the snow!

Who goes there? Winter is a great time to find out. The snow tells secrets about the natural world.

In woods and plains and less trafficked city streets, the movements of many shy creatures can be revealed in a fresh cover of snow.

The dreaded commute can be bad enough with ever-increasing traffic, but as we creep closer to winter, there’s also a lot to consider in regards to your personal safety over the colder period. According to a study developed by automotive company Ford, the average EU commute is 37.5 minutes per day, whereas the average commute in the UK is 54 minutes.

It’s the perfect winter celebration: outdoor sports; a restaurant crawl and a pancake breakfast; concerts and art shows; kids’ activities, tours and open houses, ice carving and much more will be featured during Norfolk’s first WINter Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, February 24 and 25. What’s even better, most of the events are free.

Follow me on a two hour drive around Andøya Island, northern Norway last week. It is the island where I grew up.

I've been working on a new book project over the past couple of months. I've looked at hundreds of images, all from my ski touring adventures. So with all that snow and beauty on my mind, I created a series of 5x7 greeting cards highlighting some of my favourite photographs.

You know how you find a photographer, and then click through their ENTIRE Instagram, liking each one? Or heading to their website to discover more? When we find such a creative artist that speaks to us, it’s both a lucky occurrence (finding them in the millions of people online) and a life-enhancing moment. From now on, our lives will be enriched by their talent, view, artistry, and sharing of their worldview.

From the mountain last night. My city, Sortland. Taken from mountain «urtind», just a couple of hours walk on the snow from my house. Wonderful, isn`t it? 

‘Pointless’ might be something you would expect when I tell you what it’s like to visit a beach town in winter. When a town makes its living during the summer months of tourists visiting its sandy beaches and Lake Huron shores, it’s easy to pretend that the town doesn’t exist in the winter months.

Even the words European Christmas markets bring a smile to my face, and a head full of travel plans. I get dreamy, thinking of wandering the paths between rows of booths twinkling with lights, a mug of steaming hot yumminess in my hands, surrounded by the fresh scent of pine and roasted chestnuts, and the crisp night air nipping at my cheeks.