With this year’s displays set to be especially spectacular, Lucy Miller ventured to the Vesterålen Islands in search of the aurora borealisWith this year’s displays set to be especially spectacular, Lucy Miller ventured to the Vesterålen Islands in search of the aurora borealis.
I’ m lying on a frozen lake in northern Norway, as snug as a bug in a sleep suit (imagine a sleeping bag with legs). Above me, the northern lights are dancing around the sky like a green trail of smoke. I’m speechless – the spectacle is extraordinary. A few days before, we’d landed on the Vesterålen Islands, deep within the Arctic Circle and, minutes after arriving at The Sortland Hotel, our guides whisked us off and up to the dark, snowy mountains for our first glimpse of the lights. The phenomenon is famously elusive, but how lucky were we? Our first night here and the aurora borealis were on display. Actually, anyone hoping to see the northern lights over the next year would be particularly unlucky to come home’ m lying on a frozen lake in northern Norway, as snug as a bug in a sleep suit (imagine a sleeping bag with legs).
NORWAY’S HEAVENLY LIGHT SHOW Photo Gallery
Above me, the northern lights are dancing around the sky like a green trail of smoke. I’m speechless – the spectacle is extraordinary. A few days before, we’d landed on the Vesterålen Islands, deep within the Arctic Circle and, minutes after arriving at The Sortland Hotel, our guides whisked us off and up to the dark, snowy mountains for our first glimpse of the lights. The phenomenon is famously elusive, but how lucky were we? Our first night here and the aurora borealis were on display. Actually, anyone hoping to see the northern lights over the next year would be particularly unlucky to come home disappointed. The aurora borealis forms when solar particles react with the earth’s magnetic field and, right now, solar activity is at a high. So it’s a great time to go aurora hunting – and experts say 2013’s displays will be the brightest for 50 years.disappointed. The aurora borealis forms when solar particles react with the earth’s magnetic field and, right now, solar activity is at a high. So it’s a great time to go aurora hunting – and experts say 2013’s displays will be the brightest for 50 years.
Why go to the Vesterålen Islands?
Sortland, on the Vesterålen Islands, is one of the world’s best – and most expensive – places to see the lights. It’s fair to say that with £7 sandwiches and £40 bottles of wine it’s not the budget traveller’s destination of choice, but with Exodus (exodus.co.uk), your breakfast and lunch is included, soSortland, on the Vesterålen Islands, is one of the world’s best – and most expensive – places to see the lights. It’s fair to say that with £7 sandwiches and £40 bottles of wine it’s not the budget traveller’s destination of choice, but with Exodus (exodus.co.uk), your breakfast and lunch is included, so there isn’t much paying out to do.
And the stunning location certainly makes up for the expense. This place is pure exhilaration. The landscape is so clean and untouched, and the absence of light pollution makes this a fantastic place to see the lights That said, if the skies aren’t clear, there is no guarantee you’ll see the lights. You could have all the money in the world and still leave without managing to see them. Which is why this eight-day adventure isn’t just all about the aurora borealis.there isn’t much paying out to do. And the stunning location certainly makes up for the expense. This place is pure exhilaration. The landscape is so clean and untouched, and the absence of light pollution makes this a fantastic place to see the lights That said, if the skies aren’t clear, there is no guarantee you’ll see the lights. You could have all the money in the world and still leave without managing to see them. Which is why this eight-day adventure isn’t just all about the aurora borealis.
Beyond the lights
There’s a lot more to see on the Vesterålen Islands than the northern lights – and that’s how I find myself hopping from foot to foot in the mountains, wearing snowshoes. As the ground crunches beneath my feet, I strip off layers of clothes as I get hot, despite the freezing conditions. As suggested by our guides, we all have backpacks to carry the essentials, plus we have Kyla, a husky dog, with us too, to carry our water on her back. Snowshoeing is easy to get the hang of. The big, wide surfaces of the snowshoes attached to your boots help distribute your weight, so you don’t sink into the snow as you hike. It’s not easy on the cardiovascular system though, especially in deep snow. I feel my legs and hip flexors getting a great workout, while the poles work my shoulder and back muscles. I estimate I’m burning around 600 calories an hour, so when we arrive at a small lodge in the forest, I’m grateful for the moose and vegetables cooking for us over an open fire.
Next day, we go cross-country skiing, which is also exhausting – but then the breathtaking scenery makes the effort worthwhile.There’s a lot more to see on the Vesterålen Islands than the northern lights – and that’s how I find myself hopping from foot to foot in the mountains, wearing snowshoes. As the ground crunches beneath my feet, I strip off layers of clothes as I get hot, despite the freezing conditions. As suggested by our guides, we all have backpacks to carry the essentials, plus we have Kyla, a husky dog, with us too, to carry our water on her back. Snowshoeing is easy to get the hang of. The big, wide surfaces of the snowshoes attached to your boots help distribute your weight, so you don’t sink into the snow as you hike. It’s not easy on the cardiovascular system though, especially in deep snow. I feel my legs and hip flexors getting a great workout, while the poles work my shoulder and back muscles. I estimate I’m burning around 600 calories an hour, so when we arrive at a small lodge in the forest, I’m grateful for the moose and vegetables cooking for us over an open fire. Next day, we
go cross-country skiing, which is also exhausting – but then the breathtaking scenery makes the effort worthwhile.
Dog sledding-every girl’s dream ?
Our next adventure is on solid ground, travelling at speed through the wilds of Vik. We’re husky dog sledding – which I’ve dreamed of doing since I was a girl. We hear the dogs before we see them, yowling and yapping eagerly. They are smaller than your usual husky dogs, but tougher than they look. With 10 dogs to each sled of three adults, we learn that these doughty creatures often tour for 500 miles at a time, with the most intelligent dogs at the front, responding to every command from the driver. We spend the next few hours ploughing through snow-filled forests before tethering the dogs and enjoying a hot drink in the lavo – a tepee-type building used by the people of northern Scandinavia. The whole day was every bit as magical as I’d hoped it would be.
Reindeer, anyone?
It would be a shame to visit these islands and not see a local Sami reindeer farm. The Sami are Norway’s indigenous people, and here we learn about the culture of reindeer-herding, before embarking on a reindeer and moose safari, in search of the roaming animals. We then warm up around a roaring fire in a lavo, with a bowl of steaming hot reindeer soup, a delicacy which tastes somewhere between beef and lamb. Our guides say it’s rich in antioxidants and has a high vitamin and mineral content because the reindeer eat only lichen, heather, herbs and berries. All very well,
but I can’t say this makes me a fan – the thought of eating Rudolph leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. My trip to the fascinating Vesterålen Islands is something I won’t forget. With so much to do in the day and the excitement of chasing the lights by night, Norway is now one of my favourite places, thanks to the scenery, the wildlife, the welcoming people – and of course, the aurora borealis. One final tip though: if you meet a Sami, don’t ask him how many reindeer he has – it’s like asking someone how much money they have in the bank. Oops!It would be a shame to visit these islands and not see a local Sami reindeer farm. The Sami are Norway’s indigenous people, and here we learn about the culture of reindeer-herding, before embarking on a reindeer and moose safari, in search of the roaming animals. We then warm up around a roaring fire in a lavo, with a bowl of steaming hot reindeer soup, a delicacy which tastes somewhere between beef and lamb. Our guides say it’s rich in antioxidants and has a high vitamin and mineral content because the reindeer eat only lichen, heather, herbs and berries. All very well, but I can’t say this makes me a fan – the thought of eating Rudolph leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. My trip to the fascinating Vesterålen Islands is something I won’t forget. With so much to do in the day and the excitement of chasing the lights by night, Norway is now one of my favourite places, thanks to the scenery, the wildlife, the welcoming people – and of course, the aurora borealis. One final tip though: if you meet a Sami, don’t ask him how many reindeer he has – it’s like asking someone how much money they have in the bank. Oops!
