Norway Holidays 

Norway Holidays

Finnmark is the northernmost county in Norway. It boasts the northernmost point in Europe. In fact, the term ‘northernmost’ is one you’ll hear used liberally by the locals and with great gusto! It is a region with a fascinating and dramatic history, strongly influenced by the countries that border it.

From the end of November to around the middle of April, snow is plentiful all over the region – there is a lot of winter in Finnmark! Because of this, snowy activities abound and visitors have the opportunity to try a variety of excursions including fast-paced fun on a snowmobile, learning about life as a Sami, an exhilarating husky sledge adventure and ice fishing, cooking the catch al fresco afterwards. However, if you prefer a more relaxing way of spending your time, who could resist a soak in an outdoor hot tub under the awesome northern lights? Although an appearance of nature’s own light show can never be completely guaranteed, Finnmark, in particular Alta and the North Cape, has an enviable sightings record.

It is thanks to the Gulf Stream that Finnmark has ice-free harbours year round. And, as many parts of the region are mountainous and sheltered from icy winds, winters although snowy, are often milder than you would expect this far north. The county is so large and the population so widely dispersed, that visitors experience a true sense of the wilderness around them - there are 73,000 inhabitants and around 170,000 reindeer. However, the populated areas are by no means lacking in modern facilities. Hotels are of a high standard, providing superb quality food and excellent service.

A little-known fact for visitors new to Finnmark is how much of an impact World War II had, and still has on the region. When the Germans retreated to avoid the Soviet forces in the autumn of 1944, a ‘scorched-earth policy’ meant more than 10,000 homes, schools, churches and hospitals were raised to the ground and much of the fishing fleet sunk. Although architectural and cultural heritage was almost wiped out, as two thirds of the population had been forcibly evacuated south, loss of life was minimal by comparison. Most returned after the war and began the task of rebuilding their lives. Times were extremely hard for the few hundred or so who remained, hiding out in the mountains and very few remnants of pre-wartime life remain – old photographs especially, a poignant reminder. A fascinating insight into this period of modern history is on show at the Alta Museum and stories from this time are often recounted on the tourist trail.

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