Latitude: 69° north
Weather: -4, ☃️ Sunrise: – Sunset: – (polar night)
We emerged through the clouds from Heathrow this morning into a glorious, golden sunrise – the last we’ll see until the new year. Clouds below broke and gave way to endless views of snowy mountains and frozen fjords. As we moved north, the light warmed once more as we caught the tail end of another sunrise. By the time we were circling over Tromsø waiting for a weather window, that light had died to the smallest hint of pink on the horizon – the colours of an approaching sunrise that won’t fully arrive here until mid January.
We’ll gloss over the landing into Tromsø, save to say that the pilot was loving the arctic blizzard so much, he decided to treat us some extra time enjoying it, with two attempts at the landing. If there was ever any doubt about the wildness of arctic Norway, a first view of Tromsø in a snowstorm dispelled them. The brief twilight hours had disappeared by the time we left the airport, emerging into a world of driving, swirling snow contrasted against ink-black skies.
We’ve visited Tromsø before and loved it. It’s a lovely buzzy little city surrounded by snowy hills and deep fjords. The cosiness factor was set to 11 today, Christmas lights still hanging in windows and sparkling lights strung above the pedestrian streets. Cafes and bars lit by candles, Christmas trees on porch steps.
We walked snowy streets by the port in our new (successful!) Yaktrax crampons, and retreated into a cosy wine bar when the blizzard returned. I beat Tim at Connect4 over a glass of Glogg (mulled wine) while watching people outside battling the high winds and driving snow. We made it down to the bridge in a short weather window, to look across the fjord to the stunning Arctic Cathedral, its geometric lights standing firm against the dark mountain behind.
Tromsø is a port city, but the weather wasn’t allowing ships in or out today. The Hurtigruten ferry was moored in harbour and the whale-watching boats were empty, crew on board shovelling off the snow. Town was busy and lively – full of people looking for city entertainment instead of the aurora tours they’d probably hoped for. We walked, ate dinner by candlelight and sat outside a bar under a heater in a hailstorm for a final nightcap.
An early start on day 2 gave us time for a peaceful walk around quiet snowy streets watching Tromsø wake up and head to work. One final, candle-lit coffee and we’re on the 100 bus heading for Narvik, in search of a train line.
Tromsø has been a fantastic, wild, snowy start to our adventure. We came looking for winter: we’ve certainly found it!
