By Sports Tourism Media co-editor Ramy Salameh
Copenhagen aims to become carbon-neutral by 2025 – an impressive and challenging goal for any destination.
However, when one hears about some of the latest innovations taking place in the city, you come to understand how likely it is for that goal to be met.
The Danish capital is fuelling its reputation as one of the greenest cities on the planet through a growing portfolio of green initiatives and projects changing the urban landscape for the better.
One example is CopenHill – an urban ski slope and epicentre for urban mountain sports which opened in October 2019.
It’s located on Copenhagen’s peninsula of Refshaleøen, an old industrial area transformed into one of the city’s newest neighbourhoods with a trendy vibe.
The area is developing sustainable design, a gastronomic reputation and economy with organic street food markets and also offers start-ups the right ecosystem for innovation and creativity.
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What are the activities on CopenHill?
In short, CopenHill is an urban ski resort or “urban mountain”. This may sound cool enough already but it also sits on on top of a state-of-the-art waste-to-energy incineration plant, the Amager Ressource Center (ARC).
The plant produces environmentally-friendly energy utilising the newest technology by burning waste and turning the exhaust into energy. This annually provides the city of Copenhagen with electricity for 30,000 households and central heating for 72,000 households, with the figures expected to more than double in the future.
Having negotiated one’s way to the apex of the building on four ski-lifts, the distinctive artificial green matting will help skiers and snowboarders head down a 450m-long ski slope right down to the bottom of the building.
Advanced level and beginner skiers are well catered for. Between the top and bottom, the slope becomes flatter, enabling the young generation to get to grips with the sport at the foot of the building.
Urban mountain
Incredible city vistas are also part of the whole CopenHill experience, with other activities available on this urban mountain.
Directly next to the slope there is a 490m-long hiking and running trail offering panoramic views over Copenhagen.
Also, it incorporates the world’s highest climbing wall at 85m available for certified climbers to test their skills.
The associated infrastructure also includes a sports shop, ski school, ski rental, après ski bar, restaurant and café.
Healthy mind-set
CopenHill is making “green fun” and creating “hedonistic sustainability” as philosophised by its architect Bjarke Ingels.
It is one of many eco-friendly choices for visitors to Copenhagen. Just a couple of years ago I had the chance to visit the Kurhotel Skodsborg and stepped into the Danish mind-set of health and wellbeing within the hospitality sector.
The Danes are often voted as the happiest people on the planet. So it should come as no surprise, that the Kurhotel Skodsborg, just 20 minutes outside central Copenhagen, has fused the age-old principles of exercise, nutrition, nature, light, air and overall wellbeing, alongside luxury hospitality.
The hotel sits between the ocean and forest “Dyrehaven” – the former royal deer hunting grounds became a Unesco World Heritage site in 2015 – allowing guests to swim, cycle, run, walk or simply enjoy the hotel’s duo of top floor decks; one used for yoga above the spa and fitness centre and the other atop the hotel, ideal for relaxing with a cocktail.
If there is one thing not to be missed, it is a fitness and cooking workshop with the hotel’s functional lifestyle mentor Thomas Rode.
The Michelin-starred chef-cum-health guru (innovator and observer of the Paleo diet) encapsulates the hotel’s modern focus towards meetings, fitness and nutrition.
Following in the footsteps of his weekly group of high powered executives benefitting from Rode’s techniques, I walked into the cold ocean waters carrying 12kg kettle bell weights and a stand-up paddleboard.
The water’s resistance against the bells, mixed with swimming and push-ups balanced on the boards, works up a hearty appetite. Rode then helped me cook a hearty, healthy and Paleo-orientated dish, providing key knowledge of how to sustain this lifestyle beyond my stay.
Both these sites are part of Copenhagen’s strategy to fuse ecology, economy and social responsibility for the benefit of citizens and be on track to be carbon neutral by 2025.
And if anyone needs a reminder of this, then CopenHill’s huge chimney emits a smoke ring every time 250kilos of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, a visual nod towards acting sustainably.
Main image: Max Mestour/Amelie Louys