From city life to the wilderness

Photo by @big.lake.media / Lykke Andersen

Lykke and Orest Andersen wanted to spend more time with each other and their two Borzois, Láska and Zarwoe. So they moved from the bustling but safe Copenhagen to a remote part of Sweden.

Now the family lives sustainably in the midst of Sweden's most beautiful landscapes, and they decide what time to get up in the morning. With 4 kilometres between them and their nearest neighbour, no regular source of electricity, 17 kilometres to the nearest grocery store and 6-7 months of winter every year, they live on nature's terms.

Orest worked as a geophysicist in Copenhagen, and Lykke was an artist and photographer. From their new home in Storsjö Kapell, the couple run a media agency, and they are planning to set up an artists' refuge in one of the houses on their property, where writers and artists who are looking for peace and quiet can stay.

A couple of years ago, you moved from busy Copenhagen to the Swedish wilderness with your two Borzois. What was the biggest change for you and the dogs?

 The reason we moved – which was also the biggest change – was that we wanted a life where we could spend more time with the dogs. Leaving dogs alone for hours every day goes against everything we stand for. We also wanted to give the dogs a life in a habitat that is very close to their native Russian origin. Where we live now, winter usually is the longest season. It's very cold and they love that. They feel uncomfortable in the heat. Our dream was to live somewhere where we could open the doors and they could just run out, and where we could walk in nature without a leash. In Denmark, we'd drive them to parks and woods every day so they could run around, but the dream was to have a life where they could be free and just run in areas that suited their nature. It's amazing to see how they use their senses and the joy they get from having nature in their backyard. One thing we do miss is their old 'play dates' with other dogs in town, so that's something they had to adjust to. On the other hand, they have each other here, they have peace of mind, and they are in tune with their senses in a different way than in a city.

Was there anything that surprised you, that you weren't prepared for?

At first we were a bit nervous about the area and the wildlife, as the dogs quickly activated some instincts that had more or less shut down when we lived in town. Dogs can tell when they are out in wild, harsh nature. They can sense that this is the real thing, and that has kept them on their toes, especially during the first month. Now it's normal to them and they know the area; it's their home. Another change was that the vet up here is 170 km away, compared to Copenhagen where the nearest vet or clinic was just around the corner. The first week we were here, Láska hurt her shoulder and was in a lot of pain, and it suddenly felt like the vet was very far away. But we got there, and her shoulder has healed nicely. Luckily, neither of them have had a scratch since.

 One thing that really surprised us was the reception we received from the local community. There is a closeness and a need to be open and share feelings, which we didn't expect. A funny example is that during hunting season, we text the hunters every day so we can be considerate of each other when we are out in the wild. It's a very different way of thinking of each other than we were used to.

What do you do, and how did you build your work life in this new environment?

We spent the first year choosing the place, getting established and figuring out what we were good at doing together. We decided quite quickly that we wanted to stay here and within a year, we had the opportunity to buy this fantastic place where we live now. It was a bit of a miracle that we got it. We fell in love with the property and its remote location the first time we saw it and we were so grateful that we could make it ours. We spent pretty much everything we had on buying the house, and we weren't working at that time, so it was all a bit frantic, but we've never regretted it. In the summer, we rent out one of the houses as a guest house for people travelling with or without dogs. It's great for our dogs to have playmates, and guests love to bring their dogs and watch them run around the grounds with these beautiful surroundings. Our dream is to open an artists' refuge and rent out the guesthouse for longer periods each year. I (Lykke) studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and I also work as an artist. We've also founded a media agency, www.biglakemedia.se, where we create package solutions for companies that need help in production visual content - photography, drone films and videos. We do a bit of everything, but basically we do what we're passionate about, and it's pretty amazing to be able to tie it all together.

You're so far away from friends and family – you must travel a lot. How do the dogs like your adventures?

The dogs love our adventures as long as we're together. They are so used to it, and they quickly choose the best bed when we arrive wherever we're staying. Of course, it can be a bit boring to drive long distances, so we have lots of breaks, about every hour and a half, so everyone can get out and stretch their legs. In the summer, we stop at lakes so the dogs can have a swim. So we make slow progress! On the other hand though, our dogs enjoy driving because we make it an adventure rather than just getting there quickly.

Do you have an indispensable travel trick to make your trips as good as possible?

It's very much about making the journey enjoyable. Láska just sleeps and Zarwoe looks out of the window. They have an orthopaedic mattress with enough room for both of them, but the many breaks and calm pace are what make the trip relaxing and enjoyable for everyone. When we choose places to stay, we choose hotels that make us feel welcome from the booking stage – even with two dogs – and places where we can go for a long walk before we have to leave. It's vital that they can have lots of exercise before we get in the car again.

How do you see the trend of taking dogs on holiday progressing in future?

We can clearly see that travelling with dogs is becoming an increasingly popular choice. It feels as though it's becoming more and more passé to get a dog for the kids to play with, or a dog that can just be out in the garden. The trend we're seeing is that having a dog is becoming more a way of life. People are doing sports with their dogs like never before, and taking dogs to work is also on the rise. We follow a Swedish Facebook page called 'Vandra med Hund' (Hiking with Dogs), whose membership has almost doubled in the past year, so it's clear that dogs are becoming an increasingly natural part of the family's activities and the trips we take. There are now multiple brands offering dog equipment, both for everyday and for active lifestyles, which shows that the market is growing in a different way than has been the case in the past.

What do you dream will become possible in terms of taking your dog with you on trips?

It would be great if public transport, including trains, and many more hotels would embrace this development and rethink their dog policies so that dogs aren't just squeezed in and a bit 'in the way'. That applies to ferries and planes, too – dog parents who bring their dogs with them would be willing to pay for the dogs to have a comfortable journey with their owners. They could expand their concept for dogs as guests or passengers – demand will only increase from here, so they might as well ride the wave.

All images by @big.lake.media / Lykke & Orest Andersen