The best alternative winter snowholidayssports

Choosing a winter sport to enjoy has never been easier. Take Hannah Carolan's cue and try one or two of these alternative fun sports this season.

Snow golf, Greenland

Snow golf is the ultimate sport for avid golf players in the off-season. In snow golf, the traditional “greens" are called "whites" and have a maintained snow or ice surface. Brightly coloured balls are used to help players keep a track of them in the white snow, so no shouts of “fore!” are required here!

Held in Greenland since 1997, the annual World Ice Golf Championship has been held on the world's northernmost golf course on the shelf ice near Uummannaq, Greenland. Temperatures have been known to fall below 50°C so make sure you pack plenty of tees and wrap up warm.

Ice fishing, Scandinavia

Cross-country skiing, South America

Whilst cross-country skiing might sound very similar to its more traditional alpine/downhill skiing sibling, crosscountry skiing is far more physical! Instead of going downhill you are now going across and uphill, admittedly with the occasional downhill section, however it is all off the typical beaten ski track.

Whilst you can experience this sport at some of your more traditional snowy destinations such as Swedish Lapland or the French Alps, we take you somewhere a little more exciting – Chile. Here you will spend your time traversing from volcano to volcano, taking in some of the most spectacular landscapes this sport can provide. In the evenings you can relax in some of the natural hot springs after a hard day’s skiing.

Ice climbing, Alaska

Not for the faint of heart, ice climbing as suggested by its name involves climbing up various formations of ice; typically, glaciers and frozen waterfalls. This technical sport involves the use of various equipment including ropes, crampons (a spiked iron plate worn on boots or shoes) and ice axes.

Ice climbing requires a particularly cold climate which is why we recommend the most northerly state in the USA, Alaska. Frequently named the best destination in the USA for ice climbing, Alaska boasts an endless array of breathtaking scenery and icy obstacles to get your crampons and ice axes in to. The best climbing locations are Mineral Creek, Solomon Gulch and the Keystone Canyon.

For those fishing aficionados out there, why not take a trip to Scandinavia? With more than 450,000 lakes you’ll be sure to find a spot that suits you. For longer, warmer days fishing you are better off going in the early spring, particularly in March and April, when you can expect to catch an abundance of fish including perch, trout, char, whitefish and burbot.

In order to go ice fishing, you will need to consider some less that ordinary fishing equipment, namely an ice drill. In the town of Gjøvik at Norway's largest lake, Mjøsa, you can rent an ice drill at the tourist office. As well as an ice drill you will want to bring snacks, a well-insulated mat or reindeer skins to sit on and of course safety ice spikes to place around your neck, should you fall in!