More Oomph Than a Ferrari by Clive Tully

It feels as if I am the last man on earth as I mush my team of six race-trained Siberian huskies along the frozen lake Kuttijärvi. In the pitch black, the dim pool of light from my head torch picks out the four nearest dogs. Disappearing into the gloom are lead dogs Beef and Oz, following the trail blazed by my guide Vesa, somewhere ahead of me with his dog team.

In the far distance, I can see the twinkling lights of our destination, the beautiful Karelian village of Vuokkiniemi, and above, a faint shimmering blue glow of Northern Lights. All you can hear is the swishing of the sled runners across the snow, the pitter-patter of the dogs' feet, and my own breathing as I puff through a scarf that's matted with ice crystals.

The stark beauty of the scene doesn't come without a price. I have been dogsledding in Finland and Russia in the middle of a cold snap, and instead of the January average of minus 15, it's minus 30. At this temperature, any exposed flesh is at severe risk of freezing. My body is well insulated, but despite hefty mitts and inner gloves, I can feel my hands stiffening and my nose has lost all feeling.

Occasionally I give my dogs some words of encouragement. I even sing to them. Siberian huskies, I am told, want to do just three things in life - eat, make baby huskies, and run.

The mere fact that I'm here and having fun is the biggest surprise to me, given that my affinity with dogs is on a par with your average postman. But these huskies are different. They have their own characters, and you can't help but fall for the entrancing beauty of their eyes, sometimes different colours on the same animal.

Getting the dogs into their harnesses for the day's outing is as good as saying "Walkies!" The excitement rises to fever pitch. The yaps and yowls are almost deafening, and as other sleds depart, your dogs go absolutely mental, tugging on their leads and jumping forwards. Release the slip knot which has kept the sled anchored to a tree, and the adrenaline rush is as good as you'd get flooring the accelerator in a Ferrari.

From now on, there's only one thing you really need remember - don't let go! Fall off, and your dogs don't drop into neutral like a jet ski - they simply keep on running.

Husky sledding in Finland is relatively commonplace but crossing into neighbouring Russia isn't. The border has moved several times, the last time when a slice of Karelia was handed over to Russia at the end of the Second World War. With no buffer satellite state between Russia and the West, it was one of the hottest sectors of the Iron Curtain.

The border crossing at Vartius is simply hilarious. More used to the steady flow of heavy trucks laden with timber, the Russian border guards haven't seen anything like this before. My fellow mushers have followed Vesa into one of two lanes through the border post and a guard waves me into the adjacent lane. However a dogsled isn't like a car. My lead dogs have been trained to follow the dogs in front. I shrug my shoulders and smile as the Russian watches five sleds and 30 dogs all end up in the same lane.

Vuokkiniemi is a real step back in time. Rustic timber buildings abound and my evening becomes one to remember as I'm the first Englishman to order a pint in Vassily's Bar. A couple of the locals have dressed up to meet us. Although the communication is tortuous, I am left with the abiding impression that the Karelian identity is far more important to them than being Russian.

You don't need to be superhuman to go husky sledding, but a reasonable level of fitness helps. The hour-long process of harnessing your dogs can be tiring. And keeping balance on your sled will have you feeling you've rediscovered long-forgotten muscles - never mind the extra running involved if you fall off.

Specialist clothing and footwear is provided, but you do need to come equipped with a good set of thermals, hat, socks and gloves. Accommodation varies from small hotel to bunkhouse.

There's no shortage of those wonderful saunas and there's simply no better way to soothe away any aches and pains. And paws for thought.