We’ve already had some awesome displays of the Northern Lights and clearly very happy customers. Here are a couple of our latest comments from clients fresh from their adventures in the North.

“We had a wonderful time. Thank you so much for arranging a perfect trip, we would not have changed a thing!” JL just back from his honeymoon in Tromso and Alta, Norway.

“We would just like to thank you for all of the help you have provided throughout the organisation of our trip. You have always responded to any requests made and provided accurate information.” S&T J who spent five days in Tromso, Norway.

“The arrangements were all fantastic and your attention to detail was very much appreciated. Everything went like clockwork! We would certainly recommend your services to others and we would certainly ask you to arrange things for us again!” CM who travelled to Tromso and the Lofoten Islands in search of the Aurora.

“We got back from our trip a few days ago and I just wanted to let you know that everything worked out really well.   The tours were all excellent.   We enjoyed all the guides and the activities.  The arrangements went flawlessly.” JR from the US who travelled to Alta with 11 friends and family members.

Next season

If you didn’t manage to book a holiday this year in search of the Northern Lights, we’d recommend booking early for the next winter season 2012/13! Demand is predicted to be high and to get the best deals and options, we always advise getting in touch as early as possible. Our first-class tailor-made service will ensure that your trip is one to remember. Email our consultants on arctic[ at]magneticnorthtravel.com

Don’t forget that we’ve been there, lived there and love it there. So our advice is trusted and reliable! 

Here’s to a great 2012 in the Magnetic North! 

A shot of the Northern Lights near to Tromso taken by one of our clients (CM)

Traditions and beliefs

24th of December is the most important day of the Christmas celebration in Scandinavia. On this date, people go to an early mass at the church (traditionally at 5 AM in Finland) and prepare the main meal for the evening. It is common to have a lunch of rice porridge or pudding with either sugar and cinnamon or “soup” made of fruits and juices. Traditionally, the person who prepares the porridge hides one whole almond in it. The member of the family, who finds the almond in his/her portion of porridge, receives a gift or good luck for the following year. Children all over Scandinavia get to open their Christmas presents on the evening of 24th of December, instead of next morning.

One of the Christmas traditions in the North is to light candles on Christmas Eve 24th of December. In the old days this habit reflected the idea of Christmas time being the time of the year when light starts to return to the “dark North”. In Sweden, churches glow in the light of the candles lit by people who attend the evening mass. In Finland, graveyards are covered in seas of candles as Finnish families pay respect to family members, friends and soldiers who have passed away.

Yuletide, filled with traditions related to warmth and light, such as burning the yule log, had an extreme importance in Scandinavia. It was said that at the time of the winter solstice, the fortunes for the coming year were determined and the dead (spirits) were believed to walk the earth.

God Jul! Glaedelig Jul! Gleðileg jól! Hyvää joulua!

The word ”Christmas” in Scandinavian countries derives from the word “Hjul”, which actually refers to a wheel or a cycle. (Danish, Swedish and Norwegian “jul”, Finnish “joulu”. Also British “yule”).

Norwegian Vikings used the skies to measure the time of the year and seasons, seeing the time frame from the beginning of the year until the end of the year as a cycle (=hjul). When the summer turned to late autumn and the darkness covered the Northern skies in black velvet earlier and earlier each day, the Vikings knew the winter would be coming soon and started to make their journey back home, trying to reach their harbours before the Northern seas would freeze over. Usually they would also bring gifts to people who had stayed home. Maybe their journey home was an inspiration for the saying the Western culture still uses today; “Hjem til jul”, Home for Christmas.

Christmas characters

Nowadays Santa Claus is one of the most important actors in Christmas, but what was there before Santa?

People all over Scandinavia share a belief in elves and gnomes, who still play an important role in the Scandinavian Christmas customs. The Norwegian believe in Nisse, a gnome or an elf guarding the animals. Traditionally he lives in the farm with the family in a barn or an animal shed and helps the family to take care of their animals. Children have bowls of porridge ready for him on Christmas Eve – if they didn’t, he might get upset and play pranks on them. The Norwegian version of Santa Claus, Julenisse, wears a traditional Norwegian sweater, knee breeches, hand-knitted stockings, a homespun jacket and a heavy fur coat, because it gets cold in Norway in winter. He visits the houses on Christmas Eve, bringing gifts to the children. Some families even today set an extra place on the dinner table just for Julenisse and leave it there until the next morning in case the gnome wants his share of the Christmas delicacies.

The Danish also believe in Nisse, but their version of the gnome is more mischievous. Unlike his Norwegian cousin, the Danish Nisse wears grey woollen clothes, red bonnet and stockings and white clogs. In Denmark also, people leave bowls of rice pudding or porridge outside for Nisse, to make him friendlier and keep his pranks within limits. It is also said that Nisse can control people’s fortunes – staying friends with this mythical creature might bring you luck!

The Swedes believe in a creature called Tomte. He looks a bit like the Santa Claus we know today, though originally wears grey clothing. Tomte is always watchful, living near on the farm or in the woods nearby, but you can only meet him during Christmas time. While he hands out the presents to children, he does funny rhymes.

The Icelandic believe in no less than 13 jólasveinar, “Yuletide Lads”, who come to town bearing gifts and candy and might play a prank or two as well. The first jólasveinn appears 13 days before Christmas, next one coming the day after, until the last one arrives exactly on Christmas Eve. After Christmas, they leave one by one, making the Christmas season in Iceland last 26 days.

Special Christmas characters have not always been gracious, jovial creatures. Especially the Finnish and Norwegians believed in a goat-like creature that had big horns and a thick fur and would come to the Christmas celebration unannounced and bring trouble with him. The idea of the Christmas Buck is a very old one and was most likely known by the Vikings. In Finland, there was an evil goat-like creature, who according to an old saying took the Christmas away. In pagan celebrations, the creature with horns meant good fertility, but was soon associated with the devil by the Christians. The creature was then feared by the children, parents telling them scary stories about the goat-like creature snatching children from their homes and eating them, unless they behaved themselves.

Although the feared creature is in the past, its memory lives in the Scandinavian traditions. For example Santa Claus in Finnish is “joulupukki” and in Norwegian “julebukk”, both meaning “Christmas Buck”. Also, a traditional Scandinavian Christmas decoration is a goat-figure made of straw.

By Noora-Maria Niemelä and Kirsi Jokela

In Finnish language the aurora borealis has many names. One of them is revontulet which literally translated means “Fox’s Fire” (repo = a fox, tuli = fire).  This is due to the old Lappish belief that Northern Lights were created by a red fox that came from the East. As it ran through the fells its whisking tail created sparks that danced on the winter sky. A magic fox that created the aurora borealis would bring a lot of luck to its catcher.

In the Finnish epic, Kalevala, where most of the tales take place in Eastern Finland a place called Pohjola is mentioned several times (pohjoinen = north). Pohjola was a forever cold place where the Mistress of the North, called Louhi, would rule. In Kalevala Louhi is a wicked witch of great power. It was also believed that diseases and frost also originated from Pohjola – The only reason to travel to Pohjola was for young men who wished to woo the Daughters of the North who were exceptionally beautiful and bewitching.  Those who dared to enter Pohjola could see The Glowing Gates of the North from miles away. The shining gates would rise from the frozen ground to the sky like a giant fiery snake. One of the names used in Finnish for the Northern Lights is pohjanpalo: the blaze of the North.

In some parts of Finland women would cover their heads because the Northern Lights could grab them from the hair and pull them to the upper world where the energies and souls of the departed travelled. In Scandinavia and North America it was also believed that one could summon the Northern Lights by whistling, but it was terribly dangerous to do so. The worst mistake one could do was to point at them and laugh which was the worst mockery towards their divine nature.  The fear of the phenomena was more common in the areas where they were a rare sight. The Greeks thought that the aurora borealis was an omen of war, disasters and plagues. The phenomenon was often referred to as a vengeful force – the souls of the enemies who had died in battle.

In Sami languages there are many names for the Northern Lights. One of them is Guovssahas, meaning a light that can be heard.  The sound has most often been described as crackling and snapping.  The sound is also related to the belief of the red fox running in the fells. That is most likely due to the static that can occur in the animal’s fur.

The connection between the Sun and the Northern Lights has been known for only a little over hundred years which is why there are many different stories and explanations for the phenomenon. Let the time lapse shot in Finnish Lapland this year make you see the Aurora Borealis through the eyes of the ancients.

Aurora Borealis in Finnish Lapland 2011 from Flatlight Films on Vimeo.

Next stop was the factory of wool garment producer Devold which is also a visitor museum. Worn by Norwegians for 150 years, including many polar explorers, the group picked up a number of products from Devold, Ecco, Aclima, Helsport and TentTipi. After a briefing and meal we spent our first night in the Sami kata-inspired TentTipi’. We then boarded a charter boat and headed down the Hjornflorden to Urke.

Packs on we headed off climbing up to set up our base camp next to the Patchell Hut situated at the foot of the local peak Mount Slogen.  Stopping along the way, our guides checked our orienteering skills and supplied locally caught and cured Wild Salmon and Venison sausages and steaks. Tents pitched on the edge of the snow line, we woke the next morning, donned our gaiters and headed up Slogen (1500m).  That evening, to celebrate the officially opening the newly renovated Patchell hut, we shared corn beer and sour cream mash.

After breaking camp we trekked down to Øye where the Union Hotel sits. The hotel is a time capsule. As you enter, a suit of armour, reindeer horns and a hushed reverberation of a bygone era when British climbers like Patchell and Silsbury first visited the area and introduced the innovative idea of climbing peaks for leisure. The hotel still contains ancient climbing books. From Øye the tour took in the stunning Geirangerfjord before heading into the lush valleys of Valdar (Norway’s key strawberry growing area). Here melting snow made for an excellent rafting adventure on the river followed by more pancakes, local strawberries and coffee brewed on an open fire.

The last part of the tour took us along the National Tourist route, the Trollstigen. Recent investment has helped to create new architecture and design structures that promote a new enmeshment between human-made architecture and natural landscape.  Nowhere exemplifies this more than the Juvet Café and the Juvet Landscape Hotel. Relaxing in the sauna and hot-tub, or canyoning down the river, skiing in winter season, or enjoying locally sourced food in the lodge, Juvet is a unique way to round off a trip to Sunnmore. For details of our short break tailored packages, click here.

With Ålesund as your gateway, Sunnmore as your natural playground, world class sights of Geirangerfjord, Stroflossen, Trollstigen and unique architecture of the national tourist route and Juvet Landscape Hotel and café this is ideal for those searching for the less travelled paths into the beauty of the Norwegian Alps.

If you are interested in a holiday package that combines the outdoors with the fantastic design and architecture routes and stunning hotel accommodation, get in touch with Magnetic North Travel, and we’ll create your own tailored tour. To find out more about staying at the Landscape Hotel click here. To see the full set of photos from this trip, visit our Facebook page.

To find out more about the Scandinavian Outdoor Group, visit www.scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com.

As the Norwegian people try to come to terms with these events, we can only hope that the evil of one man does not destroy the peaceful nature of so many. We are reeling from the shock of what has happened and desperately hope that Norway will pick itself up, step back and apply its instinctive nature to remain calm, stoic and self-reflective. We hope that the world will not impose its own view of how they should live and work, but rather let the Norwegian people make the journey with their own sense of what is right.

When cities are bombed or man takes arms against innocent victims, it is easy to look for retaliation and ‘solutions’ that demonstrate resilience not through human spirit but through force. Human spirit is not found in ammunition, surveillance and fear, but through acts of selflessness, concern and bravery. These qualities helped many people to escape the gunman on Friday and will remain a flame of hope when the world tries to persuade Norway to ‘armour up’.

Please don’t get me wrong. Norway has not been a peaceful utopia until now. There is plenty to suggest throughout its history that struggles and social upheaval have affected the population like any other. However, the space and time has been made to equip people with ways to deal with the contradictions and afflictions of contemporary life. One of the most important is found outdoors among the vast landscapes that have remained a jewel for Norway’s existence – for its people and for people who come to experience it.

As we know, nature lives on when man descends to deeper levels of depravity. But it will take time for people to remove the image of a peaceful island that descended into hell through the acts of one man. We cannot allow that image to stay. For if it does, the Norwegian people will lose the ability to seek comfort in their surroundings at a time when they need it most.  Fear should not reside here.  Extremes are not needed here either – whether these are warped views of the world or simply the desire to conquer all – man and nature.

As the Norwegian academic Odd Gåsdel said about people and the outdoors, or the notion of friluftsliv in Norwegian:

“Private outdoor recreation or friluftsliv offers an opportunity to become master over one’s time and body, to reflect over one’s own social trajectory, and, hence, to gain a sense of spiritual and physical wholeness and control in the midst of social turmoil.”

May the Norwegian people and its friends continue to seek wholeness in Norway’s outdoors to overcome difficult times and to stay balanced of body, spirit and mind. Meanwhile we remember the victims and their families and stand behind Norway as defiantly as ever before.

 (Left)

“We thoroughly enjoyed the whole break and everything from you helping me select what to do and all the advice you provided getting us the right break for us, right through to the hotel and activities were truly magnificent – so thank you very much. Everyone we met in Finland was extremely helpful and on the activities we got a lot of attention with being in very small groups.” GS, Surrey, February 2011

A postcard from two happy clients who spent a week in Finland

“Thank you so much for organising our holiday. We had the most fantastic time- and even saw the Northern Lights on three nights; an amazing experience.” HH, Netherlands, February 2011

“We had a wonderful time in Norway on our Arctic Honeymoon!  Norway was beautiful and all the places we stayed or eat at were fab.  The activities were good fun and each of the guides very nice people who made the activities all the more enjoyable and interesting.” IW, Nottinghamshire, December 2010

“Just to say thank you for the organisation. We had a wonderful time and the northern lights welcomed us on our first night!” LR, Worcestershire, February 2011

“Thank you so much for all your personal hard work and attention to detail that helped make our Honeymoon absolutely incredible and unforgettable. We will definitely want to explore Norway more in the future and will have Magnetic North in mind when we book again!  We would also recommend your skills and professionalism to all our friends and family. We cannot thank you enough for all that you have done to help make our Honeymoon exactly what it should be, a trip of a lifetime!” NS, Devon, December 2010

An angry Samojedi puppy

 We’ve just added a new dog-sledding trip to Finnish Lapland. Mushing with the local expert, a lady named Tinja, you’ll learn about these impressive creatures at their home in Inari, Finland. Tinja has the affectionate nickname of ‘Siberian Husky Lady’ locally and there is little she doesn’t know about the dogs. 

We just love these pictures of Tinja and her dogs, kindly supplied to us. The puppies are truely adorable – so round, white and fluffy. It’s amazing to think that they grow into lean, hardy dogs capable of carrying a person and their gear by sled. Originating in Eastern Siberia, the dogs are used to extreme cold and have evolved with the ability to carry heavy loads. They are so eager to get going when they’re harnessed up to the sleds, that you have to hold on tightly to the breaks until it’s time to go. 

The Siberian Huskies are symbolic of the North as their influence has stretched right around the globe, from Siberia, to Scandinavia to Alaska. The name stems from the word ‘Esky’ – a diminutive of Eskimo and a long-standing companion of this group of people. The appearance of Siberian Huskies reminds me of wolves – with their thick double coated fur and sickle-shaped tails. They also have pert triangular ears which have a funny habit of bending backwards when they are pulling the sleds at full tilt. 

Your pack of Siberian Husky dogs

We organise many husky-sled trips for our clients – from one hour experiences to 5 day expeditions. Choosing between the different adventures is tough, but we’re here to help! We can also tailor the trips so you can include other activities.

The longer expeditions are great for hardy souls – you’ll enjoy an adventure to remember. You’ll have your own team of husky dogs and you’ll help to feed them in the evening as well as help getting the sauna going. It’s hands-on, but oh so enjoyable. Nothing but the sound of the dogs over the snow and miles of white snowy landscapes. If you like the sound of this get in touch and we’ll send you some more information. Trips are available in Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Our new tour with Tinja is a perfect introduction to mushing starting in the village of Inari in Northern Finland. The trip gives you the chance to drive your own sled as well as to spot the elusive Northern Lights! To find out more click on this link.

Design House Idoli is hidden in the forests of the Lake Inari region of Northern Finland. Its founders and hosts are duo Hanneli and Pekka Sillfors. After a long period in the creative sector in Helsinki, they decided to pack up their things and move to the north of the country. Their vision was to create an atelier for Finnish design which paid homage to its natural surroundings whilst exhibiting the artistry and dedication of their selected design idols. The small timber framed log house is perfectly in step with its forested surrounds, whilst showcasing the pieces of design that Hanneli and Pekka have selected. I enjoyed exploring the works of Finnish textile designer Ritva Puotila – the co-founder of Woodnotes and one of the ‘Idols’. Using recycled textile materials, the Woodnotes pieces are a natural addition to any home (and I simply love my new table mats purchase).

A visit to the House is a learning experience combined with a private viewing opportunity. Their knowledge of design and passion for the works inspires listeners with awe. They are quick to point out that the design pieces value function as much as form. And so we’re presented with perfectly moulded dishes, well balanced furniture and warm, cosy rugs. All of which shout care and dedication, and all of which can become part of your collection after your visit. But before sales are even contemplated, Hanneli and Pekka will invite you outside again to experience the quietness of Ukonjärvi – the southernmost cove of the Lake Inari. At the edge of the lake, a glass igloo awaits its small audience – a perfect spot to talk about the pieces and to share a glass of something fizzy in an Iittala champagne flute. Perhaps the Northern Lights will appear above if you’re lucky.

The experience at Design House Idoli emphasises the closeness of nature and human beings. It wills us to think about not only ways of preserving our natural surrounds, but living positively within them. The designers are skillful at using the materials and form to guard the beauty of nature, rather than to seek to dominate it. A visit to the House is a must for fans of Scandinavian Design and viewings can be arranged as part of your holiday in Finland.

For more information about itineraries in this area of Finland, click here or get in touch to organise your tailor made trip.

LG

My aim was to get from the Arctic city of Tromsø to the Arctic village of Båtsfjord. This is a part of the world where villages really do have airports and runways. OK, by airport, I mean anything from a wooden shack (Vådso is a shining example) to a bunker at the end of a strip. Functional, and often a friendly face somewhere within. Just a little quiet, I guess.

So anyway, I was waiting in Tromsø airport for my flight to Batsfjord, slowly realising that the small group of passangers waiting at the gate just wasn’t going to get any bigger, and the propeller plane waiting for us outside wasn’t either. So we marched out onto the plane and found our seats snuggly nestled on the 48-seater plane. The immaculately turned out air stewardess sat amongst us at the front and when she wasn’t serving strong coffee or pointing out the emergency exits, she chatted and lauged with the passengers. I realised that I soon forgot about the smallness of the plane and enjoyed observing locals chatting to each other as we ascended and descended a number of times making stops along the way before reaching our destination.

These are the real airbuses. Forget 1000s of passengers, the little Widerøe planes shimmy about the Arctic North delivering their cargo and passengers about the high latitudes, quietly getting on with their job and providing an excellent service to boot. With few roads and practically no train services to speak of, the people of the North come to rely on the Widerøe network that criss-crosses the north of Norway and even leaves the shores for more ‘tropical’ climes of Aberdeen and Copenhagen. I chatted away to one lady who uses the service between Tromsø and Båtsfjord every single week to get to a regular hospital appointment. For her it was essential and she knew a good number of people on board too.

Perhaps the reason why it’s so well-loved is the punctuality of the planes. Despite having to land and take off in Arctic conditions, the airline was named as the most punctual airline in the world by Flight Stats.com. That’s a real bonus for us at Magnetic North Travel as many of our clients use Widerøe for their holidays transporting them to all manner of destinations from Kirkenes to Bergen and beyond.
Visit the website of Widerøe here:  www.wideroe.no 

LG

Nasjonalgalleriet
The National Gallery contains an excellent collection of pre-war art. Many of Norway’s most famous paintings are on permanent display here, such as Tidemand and Gude’s ‘Brudeferd i Hardanger’ and several paintings by Munch, including The Scream (known as Skrik) and Madonna. Admission is free. In addition to the permanent collection the museum arranges regular temporary exhibitions for an admission fee as well as seminars and guided tours.

Emanuel Vigeland Museum
The former studio of sculptor Gustav Vigeland’s lesser-known brother, Emanuel, is now a combined museum and mausoleum. The windowless, church-like room plays tricks on your eyes when you enter, but after a few minutes an impressive mural covering the walls and ceiling will appear.

Munch Museet
Edvard Munch’s works were donated to the city of Oslo after his death in 1944 and the museum was purpose-built in 1963. The collection contains half of Munch’s paintings as well as several graphics, all his surviving etchings and a few biographical items. In the basement, an exhibition of letters, photographs and other mementos gives you a brilliant insight into the painter’s life. Guided tours are given every Sunday at 1pm.

Vikingskipshuset – Viking Ship Museum
This museum was built after ancient ships were discovered at Tune, Gokstad, Oseberg and Borre. As you enter the museum, you walk past the Oseberg ship in order to reach the centre of the museum. The mezzanine floor holds thematic exhibitions. In addition to the 900-year-old ship, they have viking artifacts and a burial chamber with entire skeletons intact.

Akershus Festning
Originally built as a castle in 1299, Akershus Festning was later developed into a city fortress. Standing on the walls and ramparts you can get great views of the Oslo fjord and the city. The original Akershus Castle is located inside the fortress. At the Information Centre, there is an exhibition on the history of the fortress, and guided tours depart from here each day between May and September. Admission is free.

Vigeland Sculpture Park
The Sculpture Park forms part of Frogner Park in Oslo, 3 km northwest of the city centre. The park covers 80 acres and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland. Vigeland sculpted every figure out of clay and individual craftsmen were contracted to fabricate the pieces into what they are today. Many of the statues depict people engaging in various human pursuits. Vigeland park is a well known picnic area, popular in the summer for sunbathing, games and relaxation.

Nordmarka forest
Families can take the metro 20 minutes out of Oslo to the Nordmarka Forest. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do here all year round. Children will enjoy going cycling, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, dog sledding, tobogganing and swimming in the forest.

Frognerbadet Open-Air Public Bath
A popular outdoor swimming pool next to the  Vigeland Sculpture Park, Frognerbadet is open during summertime. There are 3 open-air pools for all ages (min. 25 degr. C), a divers’ pool, water slides and a cafeteria. You can gain free entrance with the Oslo Pass.

Ekeberg Minigolf Park
The Park is 3 km (10 minutes) from the city centre. The two courses of 18 holes have cascades, rivers, bridges, activity games and music. There is also a café and free parking.

Jegstad Farm
Jegstad is a traditional farm with animals, a museum, a café, shop and activities for children. It is only open for individual visitors on a few Sundays before Christmas and during the summer school holidays. The farm is located 40 km outside of Oslo and there are plenty of activities for children: a nature trail, track riding, arts and crafts, a community centre, and a museum.