They call Finland the land of 1000 lakes, and within minutes of arriving I had fallen into a green, sparkling one, which I realised, as the water seeped into my jeans, was also ice-cold. This is the Barösund region on the Finnish south coast, a stunning archipelago one hour’s drive from Helsinki.
We’d only just checked in at The Barö (thebaro.fi), a chic rural collection of 18 stilt-raised charcoal-hued cabins. With a floor-to-ceiling glass wall looking out onto the surrounding pine forest, my kids (aged nine, seven and four) were immediately drawn from our treehouse’s view to run out to pick wild blueberries and visit the lake. It was while I gingerly followed, stepping onto a moss-covered stone to cool my toes, that I tumbled into the crystal-clear lake.
