I am a nearly 60-year-old outdoor enthusiast. My happiest place is out in the woods by a fire. The Snufkin from Tove Jansson’s Moomin stories is one of my greatest inspirations. In Swedish he is called Snusmumriken. And since I am a woman, I have changed it to Mumrikan.

Snufkin is a philosophical adventurer, a vagabond who appreciates the simple things in life, such as fishing and wandering alone at night. He is a free spirit and possessions do not interest him much. He values his independence but always returns to spend time with his friends. Snufkin has many admirers, especially among the small and shy creatures. They look up to his calm confidence and quiet self-assurance.

Many see Snufkin as a loner, but you can always count on him to help when someone is in trouble. Freedom is most important to him, but he cares about others and takes his responsibilities seriously. He knows his friends miss him terribly when he goes away, so he always leaves a letter assuring them that he’ll be back.

Snufkin carries the few belongings he needs in his backpack and lives in his tent, which has “that green summer colour that makes you think there’s sunshine outside”.

(adapted from moomin.com)