Tysfjorden, Norway
After a calm night in the northern Norwegian fjords, where the only hint of night was the dusky shadows cast by the towering mountains flanking the fjords we arrived in Hellemobotn in the Tysfjord complex. Norway is a country with high standards when it comes to scenic splendor, yet once again we had managed to pick an outstanding location in which to spend the morning.
While some cruised by Zodiac or explored the fjord in kayaks, others landed at the head of the fjord and proceeded to explore the area on foot, passing through a small Sami village as we made our way into the surrounding hills. The Sami (or Lapps) are indigenous people with a population of about 50,000 spread throughout northern and central Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia. Adept on both land and sea, they have a nomadic lifestyle moving seasonally between the coasts and the mountains to exploit the rich fish stocks of the fjords or graze their reindeer.
As the path wound its way towards Sweden – a mere 10 kilometers away - the floor of the birch, pine and aspen woods were a riot of color. The white blooms of dwarf cornel, the pink of Arctic bramble and the yellow wood violets all competed with the vivid greens of numerous fern species. Redwings whistled and bramblings wheezed as we walked alongside cold, clear, streams and tumbling waterfalls. Soon it was time to leave and resume our exploration of this exceptional land from the comfort of the Endeavour, away from the clouds of midges and mosquitoes that had accompanied us through the woods.
Remaining within the Tysfjorden area, in the afternoon we headed the short distance to Stefjordbotn, the location of Stetinden. This 1,396-meter mountain was recently voted as the ‘National Mountain of Norway’. Sadly, low clouds shrouded the slopes of Stetinden obscuring her grandeur. We spent the afternoon hiking, paddling kayaks and cruising in Zodiacs in the fjord before once more weighing anchor and steaming through the night to Tromsø.
After a calm night in the northern Norwegian fjords, where the only hint of night was the dusky shadows cast by the towering mountains flanking the fjords we arrived in Hellemobotn in the Tysfjord complex. Norway is a country with high standards when it comes to scenic splendor, yet once again we had managed to pick an outstanding location in which to spend the morning.
While some cruised by Zodiac or explored the fjord in kayaks, others landed at the head of the fjord and proceeded to explore the area on foot, passing through a small Sami village as we made our way into the surrounding hills. The Sami (or Lapps) are indigenous people with a population of about 50,000 spread throughout northern and central Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia. Adept on both land and sea, they have a nomadic lifestyle moving seasonally between the coasts and the mountains to exploit the rich fish stocks of the fjords or graze their reindeer.
As the path wound its way towards Sweden – a mere 10 kilometers away - the floor of the birch, pine and aspen woods were a riot of color. The white blooms of dwarf cornel, the pink of Arctic bramble and the yellow wood violets all competed with the vivid greens of numerous fern species. Redwings whistled and bramblings wheezed as we walked alongside cold, clear, streams and tumbling waterfalls. Soon it was time to leave and resume our exploration of this exceptional land from the comfort of the Endeavour, away from the clouds of midges and mosquitoes that had accompanied us through the woods.
Remaining within the Tysfjorden area, in the afternoon we headed the short distance to Stefjordbotn, the location of Stetinden. This 1,396-meter mountain was recently voted as the ‘National Mountain of Norway’. Sadly, low clouds shrouded the slopes of Stetinden obscuring her grandeur. We spent the afternoon hiking, paddling kayaks and cruising in Zodiacs in the fjord before once more weighing anchor and steaming through the night to Tromsø.
