Chasing the Northern Lights
Published in Woman's Weekly magazine 22nd November 2011
Published in Woman's Weekly magazine 22nd November 2011
Chasing the Northern Lights
I blame Joanna Lumley for reigniting my desire to see the Northern Lights. She popped up on a BBC 1 television documentary that followed her absolutely fabulous trip to track down the greatest light show on the earth – greater than the Blackpool illuminations and I was hooked.
The Northern Lights, or to give them their proper scientific name, aurora borealis, are a natural phenomenon that occur most frequently in the winter months above the Artic and sub-Artic regions. Famed for their beauty and mystical qualities, I had been hoping to capture the celestial display with my camera for some years but fate and unfavourable weather conditions had always hindered my ambition.
I’d just about resigned myself to a life without the “tricky lady’, as the Northern Lights are popularly known when I was invited to sail across the Artic Circle onboard the Norwegian Hurtigruten vessel, MS Nordlys on one of their themed voyages. I was thrilled as the Hurtigruten (meaning “fast route”) is a famous Norwegian passenger and freight line running along Norway’s coast and has been described as the “Worlds most beautiful sea voyage”. For tourists, the Hurtigruten cruise offers the chance to admire the dramatic weather beaten coastal scenery mixed with fjords, lighthouses, fishing villages and islands. While the locals appreciate how the Hurtigruten service plays an intricate part in the public transportation system that provides a vital lifeline to settlements that would otherwise remain isolated during the winter months.
“The Ice-Breakers” was our theme for the tour as we sailed in the wake of the Norwegian polar explorers, Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen to discover how these artic pioneers confronted the elements to achieve incredible feats of exploration. Suddenly, childhood memories of reading the gripping account of the epic race to the South Pole between Amundsen and Britain’s Captain Scott came flooding back to me. Tales of heroism, bravery and sacrifice filled my thoughts and I was keen to discover more.
With the arrival of the first snow flakes of winter I joined the ship in the medieval city of Trondheim, which was once known as “the Jerusalem of the North” due to the thousands of pilgrims who came to be blessed at the tomb of the Norwegian King, Saint Olav. Today’s’ visitors still enjoy the sights of the gloriously restored cathedral although music loving pilgrims tend to flock to the recently opened Rockheim museum dedicated to the history of Norwegian rock and pop music (I kid you not). It’s actually rather fun and full of interactive displays that will keep any young or old rocker entertained for hours.
I thought of this museum as we set sail from Trondheim and promptly passed the tiny islet of Munkholmen, which once housed a monastery of unruly monks who led the rock star life style of heavy drinking and womanizing. I would like to think that these monks of the C11th would have approved of Trondheim’s rock and pop museum although I doubt the former archbishop would have been in favour, after dealing with so many complaints from the public about his less than angelic flock.
By morning we had crossed the Artic Circle at 66º33" north, the most southerly point where the sun shines for 24 hours on at least one day of the year. I began to feel confident that my hunt for the northern lights was close at hand. The weather was set fine and spirits were high onboard after the captain had organised a light-hearted Artic Circle baptism to commemorate our crossing. With Njord, ruler of the Seven Seas presiding we all went on deck to receive a generous measure of schnapps but little did we realise that the nearby buckets of ice were not intended for our drinks but formed part of the initiation ceremony when crew members poured ice cubes down the back of our necks! I was told it brought good luck and happiness and I kept my fingers crossed for a successful Northern Lights search.
The excitement continued after lunch when we docked in the coastal town of Bodø and I took the opportunity to join an inflatable boat safari to see the magnificent sea eagles that reside along the Saltstraumen, the world’s strongest tidal current. The boat ride itself was exhilarating as we bounced across icy waters decked in our wind and waterproof flotation suits but the shear size of these birds of prey took everyone’s breath away.
By the following day we had arrived at Tromsø, gateway to the Artic and the effective capital of Northern Norway. I decided to jump ship to explore this city, which had once been christened the “Paris of the North” due to its thriving arts and intellectual scene in the C19th. It was also renowned as the point of departure for a string of historic Artic expeditions including the explorer Roald Amundsen who sourced both his crew and supplies here. I particularly enjoyed visiting the quaint old wooden wharf side museum of Polar history, although there was nothing sweet inside as the extensive collection of artefacts from the early settlers and beyond showed what a tough life these people led.
I would love to end this article by recounting tales of an extraordinary sighting of the Northern Lights on my final evening in Norway but unfortunately, unlike Joanna Lumley it just didn’t happen for me. I was left with no alternative other than to drown my sorrows in a pint of beer at the splendid settings of Ølhallen, Tromsø’s oldest pub and hope that one day the “tricky lady” will look kindly on me.
Fact Box
The voyage on 14 October costs from £817 per person including six night’s full board on the ship and the lectures etc. Flights are extra and can be booked by Hurtigruten if required. Price based on two sharing.
Excursions are extra and cost as follows:
Trondheim
“Trondheim with Nidaros Cathedral”
Normally sightseeing by bus (we had a walking tour because I have ordered it)
Duration: 2 hours
Costs: £35pp
Bodø
“RIB Safari, Saltstraumen
Duration: 2 hours
Costs: £86pp
Stamsund/Svolvær
“Lofotr Viking feast”
Duration: 3 hours
Costs: £79pp
Tromsø
Polar history walk
Duration: 3 hours (including 1 beer/mineral water at Ølhallen)
Costs: £33pp
For more information call Hurtigruten – 0844 448 7601
www.hurtigruten.co.uk
I blame Joanna Lumley for reigniting my desire to see the Northern Lights. She popped up on a BBC 1 television documentary that followed her absolutely fabulous trip to track down the greatest light show on the earth – greater than the Blackpool illuminations and I was hooked.
The Northern Lights, or to give them their proper scientific name, aurora borealis, are a natural phenomenon that occur most frequently in the winter months above the Artic and sub-Artic regions. Famed for their beauty and mystical qualities, I had been hoping to capture the celestial display with my camera for some years but fate and unfavourable weather conditions had always hindered my ambition.
I’d just about resigned myself to a life without the “tricky lady’, as the Northern Lights are popularly known when I was invited to sail across the Artic Circle onboard the Norwegian Hurtigruten vessel, MS Nordlys on one of their themed voyages. I was thrilled as the Hurtigruten (meaning “fast route”) is a famous Norwegian passenger and freight line running along Norway’s coast and has been described as the “Worlds most beautiful sea voyage”. For tourists, the Hurtigruten cruise offers the chance to admire the dramatic weather beaten coastal scenery mixed with fjords, lighthouses, fishing villages and islands. While the locals appreciate how the Hurtigruten service plays an intricate part in the public transportation system that provides a vital lifeline to settlements that would otherwise remain isolated during the winter months.
“The Ice-Breakers” was our theme for the tour as we sailed in the wake of the Norwegian polar explorers, Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen to discover how these artic pioneers confronted the elements to achieve incredible feats of exploration. Suddenly, childhood memories of reading the gripping account of the epic race to the South Pole between Amundsen and Britain’s Captain Scott came flooding back to me. Tales of heroism, bravery and sacrifice filled my thoughts and I was keen to discover more.
With the arrival of the first snow flakes of winter I joined the ship in the medieval city of Trondheim, which was once known as “the Jerusalem of the North” due to the thousands of pilgrims who came to be blessed at the tomb of the Norwegian King, Saint Olav. Today’s’ visitors still enjoy the sights of the gloriously restored cathedral although music loving pilgrims tend to flock to the recently opened Rockheim museum dedicated to the history of Norwegian rock and pop music (I kid you not). It’s actually rather fun and full of interactive displays that will keep any young or old rocker entertained for hours.
I thought of this museum as we set sail from Trondheim and promptly passed the tiny islet of Munkholmen, which once housed a monastery of unruly monks who led the rock star life style of heavy drinking and womanizing. I would like to think that these monks of the C11th would have approved of Trondheim’s rock and pop museum although I doubt the former archbishop would have been in favour, after dealing with so many complaints from the public about his less than angelic flock.
By morning we had crossed the Artic Circle at 66º33" north, the most southerly point where the sun shines for 24 hours on at least one day of the year. I began to feel confident that my hunt for the northern lights was close at hand. The weather was set fine and spirits were high onboard after the captain had organised a light-hearted Artic Circle baptism to commemorate our crossing. With Njord, ruler of the Seven Seas presiding we all went on deck to receive a generous measure of schnapps but little did we realise that the nearby buckets of ice were not intended for our drinks but formed part of the initiation ceremony when crew members poured ice cubes down the back of our necks! I was told it brought good luck and happiness and I kept my fingers crossed for a successful Northern Lights search.
The excitement continued after lunch when we docked in the coastal town of Bodø and I took the opportunity to join an inflatable boat safari to see the magnificent sea eagles that reside along the Saltstraumen, the world’s strongest tidal current. The boat ride itself was exhilarating as we bounced across icy waters decked in our wind and waterproof flotation suits but the shear size of these birds of prey took everyone’s breath away.
By the following day we had arrived at Tromsø, gateway to the Artic and the effective capital of Northern Norway. I decided to jump ship to explore this city, which had once been christened the “Paris of the North” due to its thriving arts and intellectual scene in the C19th. It was also renowned as the point of departure for a string of historic Artic expeditions including the explorer Roald Amundsen who sourced both his crew and supplies here. I particularly enjoyed visiting the quaint old wooden wharf side museum of Polar history, although there was nothing sweet inside as the extensive collection of artefacts from the early settlers and beyond showed what a tough life these people led.
I would love to end this article by recounting tales of an extraordinary sighting of the Northern Lights on my final evening in Norway but unfortunately, unlike Joanna Lumley it just didn’t happen for me. I was left with no alternative other than to drown my sorrows in a pint of beer at the splendid settings of Ølhallen, Tromsø’s oldest pub and hope that one day the “tricky lady” will look kindly on me.
Fact Box
The voyage on 14 October costs from £817 per person including six night’s full board on the ship and the lectures etc. Flights are extra and can be booked by Hurtigruten if required. Price based on two sharing.
Excursions are extra and cost as follows:
Trondheim
“Trondheim with Nidaros Cathedral”
Normally sightseeing by bus (we had a walking tour because I have ordered it)
Duration: 2 hours
Costs: £35pp
Bodø
“RIB Safari, Saltstraumen
Duration: 2 hours
Costs: £86pp
Stamsund/Svolvær
“Lofotr Viking feast”
Duration: 3 hours
Costs: £79pp
Tromsø
Polar history walk
Duration: 3 hours (including 1 beer/mineral water at Ølhallen)
Costs: £33pp
For more information call Hurtigruten – 0844 448 7601
www.hurtigruten.co.uk
