TRIPPING THROUGH THE TUNDRA IN FINNMARK

The people you run into at the top of the world!

On the plus side, the Gulf Stream ensures there is no hard freeze in the North Cape at the top of Europe - but the weather still makes its presence felt.  Sunny skies, cold mist, strong winds, snow, hail and rain come and go at will - and this is during summer-long daylight.  We shuddered to think of 24 hours of darkness during the depths of winter.

Driving from the port of Honningsvag to 71 degrees north at North Cape we found ourselves on the northern tip of the European continent.  This sparse, treeless landscape still had plenty of snow. Reindeer grazed on the exposed grasslands, their horns discarded for the summer. 

The Northernmost tip of Europe -
over our shoulders the North Pole

The view from the craggy rock face at lands end gave us a sense of the history of the waters beyond the Cape.  During World War II the North Cape area saw a lot of action during the attacks on Arctic convoys to Russia and the Murmansk front.

The main occupation of this region is fishing, and cod hung drying just about everywhere on extensive wooden drying racks.  Sleepy fishing villages with weather beaten houses overlooked protected harbours, their colourful boats bobbing on the incoming tide.  Life must be hard here but the rugged beauty attracts many visitors - campers and cyclists were at the Cape in force.

Colourful homes brighten the stark landscape

The next morning we were greeting in Alta by a howling blizzard, large snowflakes flying in all directions.  Our excursion to Statkraft’s Alta River dam in the Finnmarksvidda region, and home of the indigenous Sami people, had lost some of its appeal but we need not have worried.  The weather’s manic behaviour continued - snow gave way to hail and rain before the cloud cover lifted and sunshine forced its way through. 

The drive to the Alta River canyon took us through lush farmlands and as we climbed from the valley the landscape changed dramatically.  Trees were smaller and many were stunted, large quantities of slate lay on either side of the road, and torrents of water rushed by in overflowing streams, bloated by the Spring melt.  The sun cast an attractive glow over the landscape which bore a generous dusting from the morning’s snowstorm.

The Alta River Canyon

The Alta River canyon is stunning.  A river rich in salmon, prospective fishers apply in a lottery for permission to fish.  The dam’s construction in this pristine environment was hugely controversial and there were vigorous demonstrations against its construction. A consensus was eventually reached and design modifications made that resulted in construction of a powerhouse that is mostly underground.  Water and fish management strategies sensitive to the local waters are strictly enforced.

Pull up a reindeer skin and gather round

Then a change of pace.  Entertained in a Sami Lavvu we sat cross-legged on reindeer skins around a crackling fire.  The wind had whipped up again but the tent was warm and cozy.  

Snacking on dried reindeer meat and maze cake we listened to stories of Sami history and culture from a father and son.  After some training we participated in the joik, Sami chant-like songs.  We weren’t very good but our Sami hosts were gracious.

I have a thousand head of reindeer to tend

Luckily I have a fully loaded Audi to help me

A Sami Lavvu - great protection from the elements

As we left the Lavvu, the sun had all but disappeared and before long blizzard conditions had returned.

We had to remind ourselves it was the middle of June.