Welcome to the Arctic Circle

 

Waiting in Shetland for a weather window to cross the North sea to Norway was no  chore. The bird life there is just stunning. I have bought some small binoculars and become a bit of a twitcher. The close up encounter with some puffins on the island of Noss was just magical.

We eventually found an opportunity to cross to Norway, which we did in three and half days, making land fall inside the Arctic Circle in a town called Bodø. 

The first thing you notice about Norway are the snow-topped mountains. They are the landscape and after two weeks here, I'm still not used to seeing them. However, the place is not barren - there are lush green slopes and white sandy beaches. 

We have been cruising up Lofoten towards Tromsø. The settlements have a Norwegian style to them, with painted buildings, grass roofs and fish drying racks.

Reine, on one Lofoten's islands, has been voted by Norwegians as the most beautiful settlement in Norway. Whilst I'm not sure I agree with this label, the views from the top of the 448m mountain were spectacular. The path up to the top is also famous, as it is constructed of 1978 steps laid by Sherpas, and finished in 2021. These steps are each individually quite tall. I found the way down more challenging than the way up. 

The midnight sun is another bonus of summer in the Arctic Circle.  

We are looking forward to exploring Tromsø, once nicknamed the Paris of the North, before turning around and heading back south.