Norway - Where Even The Dogs Social Distance!

Whether you want to stay in an ice hotel or ride the frozen wastelands of Tromsø, Norway is a country of contrasts as our somewhat chilly intrepid reporter CHRIS OWEN found out!

There is no supporting evidence that Norway’s huskies are in urgent need of the Oxford Covid Vaccine!

However, when you take a pack of dogs and line them up within a few metres of each other, it is immediately evident that ‘social distancing’ is vital within a breed whose members, left to their own devices, might end up taking a bite out of each other!

So, when I was given the opportunity to metaphorically ‘parachute’ into the northern hemisphere and the Arctic circle, for a few days, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to dust off my thermals and discover a little more about Norway, once officially dubbed the ‘happiest country’ in the world, even though temperatures do often fall below -40!

Landing at Tromsø airport, my ‘official’ journey began as we left customs and baggage collection well behind, and made for the town centre by bus.

It wasn’t long before we were passing huge snow drifts and traversing a number of well-lit tunnels and several bridges, all of which contribute to making up the 20 routes and roads that help form the Nasjonale Turistveger (National Tourist Routes).

It was late but, eventually, we pulled up outside Tromsø’s Clarion Hotel The Edge... which sits majestically alongside Tromsø Fjord, and somehow convinced staff to provide a few snacks despite the late hour. Outside, the Arctic night had a magical glow to it as a white haze beamed from the tip of the Lyngen Alps, creating the perfect photographic backdrop.

I had only been there a matter of hours but, like a schoolboy lighting his first fire at Scouts, I already knew that a new adventure was firmly on the horizon with the promise of frozen mountains, fjords, glaciers, dog sleds and even the novelty of a hot chocolate in sub-zero temperatures! But, towering above all of these, was the prospect of meeting Norway’s indigenous people, the Sámi, and, of course, witnessing the Northern Lights described by early storytellers as the “Guovssahas” or ‘the light which can be heard.’

Norway, apart from being crammed full of picture postcard scenes...was dubbed the happiest place on earth as part of the 2017 ‘World Happiness Report’ released by the United Nations.

So, it was not surprise to discover that Tromsø, with its wide choice of hotels, motels, lodges and restaurants, was not only friendly and lively, but also the perfect place from which to begin a wider exploration of Norway.The following morning after a sumptuous breakfast of cold meats and every muesli known to man ...we spent time sightseeing around Tromsø taking in a spectacular exhibition of ice carvings and the city’s wonderful architecture.

Everything was very pricy so purchases were kept to a respectable minimum as we took in enough sustenance for our late-night adventure just a few hours later: the search for the Northern Lights!As the evening began to draw in we hit the road once more, heading for an area famed for its ‘dark skies’, the best place to see the Aurora Borealis, however, as our guide explained on more than one occasion, the Northern Lights was a fickle mistress and could not be taken for granted! “They are as much a natural phenomenon as the weather itself and appearance and intensity is controlled by the sun’s activity with eventual appearance dependent on the earth’s magnetic field,” he said. Needless to say, we just kept looking skyward, keeping warm in tipis......hoping for the best and occasionally running frantically on the spot in a vain bid to keep the -10C freezing temperatures at bay!

Sadly, the Northern Lights were to elude us that evening although we had three remaining nights in which to make the ultimate sighting.Next morning we began the 180 mile journey north east to Alta which lies well above the Arctic Circle at 70 degrees north latitude, also the perfect location from which to explore the vast wilderness of Finnmark County.

And, it was there, that we visited the 90-dog Holmen Husky Lodge, six miles outside the town centre.We received a hearty welcome but, instead of strong Norwegian accents, our host Phil, complete with broad Hartlepool accent, soon had everybody smiling and laughing out loud at an amazing adventure that had seen him abandon life in the north east for an even colder existence in the Arctic!But, despite the collective laughter of visiting tourists, nothing could drown out the huskies’ frantic yapping and mournful howls as they waited, tethered to their sleds, for the next batch of victims! We deposited our overnight bags in the tipis which would become our home for the night, before heading over to our three-person sleds: one driver and two passengers.With the crack of a whip – and staggered starts – a series of eight-dog sleds were soon whistling through the early evening darkness like the White Witch of Narnia from CS Lewis’ The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe!

Phil drove my sled and, for 10 miles, somehow managed to inform us about the life of a dogsled driver, or a ‘musher’ as they’re known locally.

We completed the circuit in about an hour, though it felt like a mere blink before we were returning to base and the myriad of outdoor kennels. Occasionally our ‘born to run’ dogs snarled at one another, however, they were by and large well behaved, proving that healthy social distancing, encouraged by strategically placed pulling reins, always delivers results!

After a hearty meal of rustic bread, moose steak and a few beers, we retreated to our individual tipis, each a wooden tetrahedron almost hidden by a sheath of snow, but designed to resemble a Sámi goahti (turf home) with a chimney protruding from the centre of each one.The compact interior was a glamper’s dream and all I needed was a bag of marshmallows for use with the internal stove, to transport me back to my Scouting days! However, far from having to suffer the plummeting temperatures of Norway, an electric blanket guaranteed me all the comfort I could have hoped for and I mused to myself how one of the world’s greatest living explorers Sir Ranulph Fiennes, might have benefited from such a modern appliance!

Before sleeping I took a quick look outside and, to my amazement, dancing in the sky were the Northern Lights. Quick as a flash I grabbed my camera and got a handful of shots before the ‘fickle lady’ disappeared after a brief performance.

I woke the following morning feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and elated: I had seen the Northern Lights, albeit in a very unplanned way!After spending a few days sight-seeing in Alta, we made the long journey to Hinnøya to visit a working ‘Sámi’ family.

We eventually arrived at a small family-run business - the ‘Inga Sámi Siida’ - located on Norway’s fourth largest island, Hinnøya, and a working reindeer farm set up to give visitors a real feel for Sámi life.

The Inga family had been herding reindeer for more than 150 years and as the family matriarch, Mrs Laila Inga, proudly informed us, she was part of a small tribe of indigenous people still allowed to herd reindeer in modern Norway.One of the highlights of our trip was feeding the reindeer and of course taking lots of pictures although Mrs Inga insisted on keeping Rudolph’s identity an enduring secret! There was a well-stocked store with lots of traditional Sámi costumes and jewellery for sale, along with reindeer steaks and other trinkets.

Norway is a fascinating country and if the United Nations once dubbed it the happiest country in the world, then I am not surprised. More to the point, I am delighted to have partaken of this stunning, albeit cold, country which left me feeling uplifted, glowing and yes, happy!Like most tourist destinations and attractions, Norway is still very much open for business but to limit the spread of the coronavirus, attractions may be experiencing partial closure. Please consult government travel advisories before booking. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is closely monitoring the coronavirus and more information can be found at the link below:

Read more about The 10 Best Tromsø Fjords Tours & Tickets 2021 | Viator - https://www.viator.com/Tromso-attractions/Tromso-Fjords/d4362-a15776?mcid=56757

Getting there:
International flights
You can fly from Manchester Airport with Lufthansa CityLine to Frankfurt and from Frankfurt to Tromsø also using Lufthansa CityLine. However, you may need to lay over in Frankfurt. Details: www.lufthansa.com

Other Flight Options (faster route)
Leeds to Amsterdam with KLM City Hopper, then Amsterdam to Oslo with KLM. Details: www.klm.com. Finally, Oslo to Tromsø by Norwegian Air Sweden AB. Details: www.norwegian.com

Train
Trains from Stockholm and Kiruna connect to Narvik, from where there are bus connections to Tromsø. Details: www.sj.se.

Clarion Hotel The Edge
Featuring a sky bar and rooftop terrace on the 11th-floor, this central Tromsø hotel is located at the harbour, overlooking Tromsø Sound and the Arctic Cathedral. It features free WiFi, a lounge and on-site dining. Address: Kaigata 6, 9008 Tromsø, Norway. Details: https://clarion-hotel-edge-tromso.h-rez.com/. Phone: +47 77 66 84 00

‘Inga Sámi Siida’
www.ingasamisiida.no/whoweare

Holmen Husky Lodge
https://holmenhusky.no/getting-to-holmen-husky

Alta Ice Hotel
https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/northern-norway/alta/

The Northern Lights Experience
https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/northern-norway/tromso/northern-lights/