Take the boat out of the water and take the skis out of the garage. Finland is getting ready for the other half of the year. There's no point in waiting inside for the snow to melt. That could take a while. There's plenty to do outside, for fitness or for fun.

Let's start with the view from the top of the hill, at one of the ski resorts in northern Finland and Finnish Lapland. You have just come off the lift and you're getting ready for the first run of the day. The snow is a meter deep; low trees on both sides of the slope are bowed down with snow. As you look out over the lower hills and frozen lakes, the land and sky come together in a blue haze in the distance. Start with an easy run to get warmed up, or start right in on something steeper.

Now let's get down into the forest. Strap on your cross-country skis and let's go. There are trails marked out with huts along the way where you can stop for a steaming cup of coffee or cocoa. If you're here in midwinter, you'll find that most towns and resorts have many kilometers of floodlit trails.

If you've been skiing or snowboarding for a few days, you might prefer to let someone or something else do the work. Sit astride a snowmobile and zip over the hills and across the frozen lakes. Or perhaps you'd prefer the natural power of a team of huskies or a reindeer, bells jingling merrily. Try some even more exotic forms of transportation, such as an icebreaker on the frozen Baltic.

When night comes, you'll have earned your rest. Whether you are in a snug hotel room, an igloo, a Lapp hut, or a hotel made entirely of ice, you are sure to get a good night's sleep.