- 7 hours ago
Lorraine Kelly’S Norwegian Odyssey - Season 1 Episode 2
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00:01This is Norway, a land of raw beauty, snow-capped mountains, crystal-clear fjords, and one of the wildest, most beautiful coastlines on Earth.
00:18Jesus Christ!
00:19I'm Lorraine Kelly and I have been dreaming of this adventure ever since I was a little girl.
00:25Growing up across the water, I was fascinated by tales of Viking maidens, mighty longboats, and Norse warriors.
00:34So I'm heading off to meet my neighbours on my very own Norwegian adventure.
00:40This is spectacular!
00:42This is a place where the landscape is in charge.
00:46Woo! That is a strong current, isn't it? Oh my God!
00:50Where myths come alive...
00:53If you kiss under one of the portals, it'll bring eternal luck and love.
00:57Oh!
00:58And where people and nature are as one.
01:02There's something really magical about whales, especially orcas.
01:06As I travel over a thousand miles up into the Arctic Circle...
01:11That is a massive cliff and we are very close.
01:16..I'll experience a true Norwegian welcome.
01:22He wants to play.
01:23..embrace local traditions...
01:25Oh my God!
01:27Oh, look what I did! Look what I did!
01:31..in a land full of wonder.
01:34What an extraordinary place.
01:37Oh jeez, I don't know why I'm getting so emotional, but that's, that's, um, that's special.
01:44And I'll fulfil a lifelong dream to see the Northern Lights.
01:48It is incredible!
01:52Here we go!
01:56So join me as I explore this land...
01:59..and meet the people we call this spectacular and wild place their home.
02:04They're home!
02:17I'm sailing up Norway's stunning West Coast.
02:22And as the towns and villages spread further apart...
02:26..the days grow longer.
02:28..I always thought the north of Scotland was remote.
02:34But now, we're heading to the Arctic Circle.
02:38And a whole new world of wild.
02:43In the winter, the sun never rises this far north.
02:47And in summer, it never dips below the horizon.
02:50Only one in ten Norwegians live in the Arctic.
02:59And as the population thins out, the wildlife gets richer.
03:07Now, the captain's just made an announcement to say...
03:11..that there's orcas, killer whales, on this side of the ship.
03:14During the summer months,
03:16this is one of the world's best destinations for whale-watching.
03:21Migrating herring attract humpback whales,
03:23sperm whales and even orca close to the coastline.
03:29Oh, come on wee, killer whale, come here.
03:33Come on wee, orca.
03:35Come and play.
03:38Where are you, baby?
03:40There, there.
03:41There, there.
03:42Oh! Oh!
03:43Oh, my God, look!
03:45Oh, wow, look!
03:48Oh, wow!
03:52Oh!
03:53Oh, my goodness.
03:56Oh, this is so beautiful.
04:00Orcas are highly intelligent and social.
04:03They live in hordes of around 50 whales
04:05and you can often find four generations of the same family
04:09all travelling together.
04:12There's something,
04:14something really magical about whales,
04:17especially orcas.
04:21That is magical.
04:23It's like the whale is wishing us a safe voyage.
04:26That voyage will begin on land in the wild Vesterålen region
04:36before I set sail again along one of the world's most beautiful archipelagos,
04:41the Lufartan Islands.
04:42Norway's invested heavily in bridges over the last 50 years to connect its remote islands,
04:52giving me a whole new perspective from the road.
04:55The mountains are reaching into the clouds.
04:57It's absolutely spectacular.
04:58In winter, temperatures here are well below zero, and with high winds and rugged mountain terrain,
05:07only the hardiest creatures survive.
05:10Reindeer have roamed the north for around 10,000 years,
05:14migrating with the seasons between grassy hills and a coastline rich in lichen.
05:21And they've always been cared for by an indigenous group of nomadic Scandinavian people,
05:27known as the Sami.
05:29I'm meeting Beirut.
05:32Hello! Hi!
05:34And this wonderful creature.
05:36Hello!
05:38This is Mushtor.
05:40Hello Mushtor, how are you?
05:41You are absolutely beautiful.
05:43The herd is on the mountains, but we have a few reindeers down here.
05:49Hello!
05:51He wants to play.
05:53Come on you, cheeky face.
05:55Beirut is one of around 3,000 Sami reindeer herders in northern Norway.
06:01Like many Sami, she crafts traditional textiles.
06:04But responsibility for the reindeer comes first, especially during migration.
06:10We follow the reindeer where they go.
06:13So when they want to move to a grazing area, then we follow after.
06:18For us, the reindeer, it's a teacher.
06:20We learn from them what we can eat, where we can walk, what the weather will be like.
06:26So we have lots of love for the reindeers.
06:29It's very close to our hearts.
06:31The story goes that long, long ago, reindeer could speak, and a sacred oath was sworn.
06:38The Sami would protect them from wolves and eagles, and in return, when they died,
06:42the reindeer would offer their bones for tools, hides for clothing, and meat for food.
06:49I got my first reindeer when I was like two or three years old.
06:55His name was Kalpenjunni.
06:57I used to talk with Kalpenjunni when we were walking.
07:00At the springtime, it was so quiet, we didn't hear anything else.
07:04Only the reindeer walking.
07:05That's very special for a young girl, a young child.
07:09That's an incredible connection.
07:11Yeah.
07:13When you're born into a reindeer herding family, you're also born into this love.
07:19It's a very strong experience to see.
07:23It's like they're family. It's family, right?
07:25You can say that.
07:27The reindeers are a family.
07:29The Sami people have fought hard to protect their culture.
07:34In an attempt to Norwegianise the country in the 19th century,
07:39their language and religion were banned, their land was taken,
07:43and their children removed from their homes.
07:45It's incredible that you have managed to hang on to your culture,
07:50because it was against all the odds, wasn't it?
07:55It's remarkable. It really is a real testament to you.
07:57That's what makes us who we are.
08:00Of course.
08:01The knowledge of our ancestors.
08:02Of course it does.
08:03Of course it does.
08:05I can't believe he's sitting there and living us just standing talking.
08:10He's just chilling out.
08:12You coming? Come on.
08:14Come on, me pal.
08:16Mushtar and Birut are taking me to see something very special.
08:21I can see the wee baby.
08:23Oh, it's gorgeous.
08:28That's a little baby calf.
08:30Right.
08:31It was born three days ago.
08:33Wow. So new.
08:35So new.
08:37So the calf is called Gabba.
08:40Gabba means white reindeer.
08:42A pure white reindeer is extremely rare here.
08:46A little bit magical, said to be a sign of positive change coming into the world.
08:51Hi baby.
08:53Hello.
08:54Hello baby.
08:56So beautiful.
08:57Sit down.
08:59Hi little wee one.
09:00Hi.
09:01Hi mama.
09:04What a treat to see a wee baby reindeer.
09:07Fantastic.
09:09Sammy herders follow the reindeer for days on end as they migrate across the region's wild terrain.
09:15We go to the lavou and then we make some food.
09:19Sheltering each night in a traditional tent called a lavou.
09:26There's just something so lovely about a fire like this, isn't there?
09:30Yeah.
09:31So now we can make some reindeer meat on the open fire.
09:36This is the ribs of the reindeer.
09:38So you can just put like that.
09:41Cooking reindeer meat just minutes after meeting a newborn calf might feel uncomfortable for some.
09:48But for the Sammy people, it's an integral part of their intertwined relationship with the herd.
09:54We use every part of the reindeer.
09:56We don't throw anything.
09:58It's about the respect for the animal.
10:01Birit learnt at a young age to make tools and clothes from hides, antlers and bones.
10:07Even her sewing kit is made of reindeer.
10:11So this is made of reindeer bone and this is a piece of an antler.
10:16Right.
10:17And then we have the leather.
10:19And inside here we have needles.
10:22That's really clever.
10:24The Sammy people also practice a unique form of traditional singing called yoiking
10:29to honour the spirit of a person, plant or animal.
10:33which she might think of an animal for a man.
10:34Or animal.
10:35Whoa, Dally!
10:46Guess what animal it belongs to.
10:48Is that animal maybe a reindeer?
10:52No.
10:53A goat?
10:54No.
10:58It's a dog.
10:59It's a dog.
11:00Oh, I love that.
11:01It's absolutely brilliant.
11:08I think this is done now.
11:10So we can take this smoked reindeer meat.
11:13I have to say this is my first inside barbecue.
11:16Yeah.
11:17I think it's the way forward.
11:20Oh.
11:21That is really good.
11:24That is fantastic.
11:27So tender.
11:28Yeah.
11:30Listen, this has been brilliant.
11:32The way that you are in touch with nature is wonderful.
11:36And it's so, so heartening that you're never going to lose that
11:41and you're going to pass it on.
11:43Thank you so, so much for talking to us
11:45and sharing your culture with us.
11:47It's been an absolute honour.
11:50I think I really learned today
11:52that the bond between the Sami people and reindeer
11:55is so very spiritual
11:57and it means so much to both of them.
12:00I'm so glad that they've managed to keep that culture
12:03and that tradition and pass it on
12:06because it's really, really special.
12:09Really special.
12:10I'm in the far north of Norway, travelling through some of the
12:40most spectacular countryside I've ever seen.
12:45I didn't expect the Arctic Circle to be like this.
12:48I thought it'd be really barren and there'd be nothing here, but it's so green.
12:54People have been farming this land ever since the Iron Age, working together with nature
12:59to survive in the cold climate.
13:02I'm on my way to a world-renowned farm called Kvitnesgaard that's home to one of Norway's
13:08top chefs, Halvar Ellingson.
13:12Hi!
13:13Hello.
13:14Hello.
13:15It's so nice to meet you.
13:16Welcome.
13:17Oh, what a place you've got here.
13:20It's absolutely fantastic.
13:21It's so beautiful.
13:24Halvar made his name in Michelin-starred kitchens in Oslo.
13:28But five years ago, he returned home to Kvitnesgaard, built by his great-great-grandfather on the
13:34edge of the beautiful Sortland Sound.
13:37And he's turned it into a world-famous farm-to-table dining destination.
13:43You were working in Oslo.
13:44Yeah.
13:45In the city.
13:46What pulled you back here then?
13:48I'm cooking in Oslo.
13:49I've been there for 10 years.
13:50I was just trying to be as good chef as possible.
13:53So it's really nice moving back home and have something more in life.
13:58Halvar has one rule.
14:00He only uses ingredients that are produced within the Arctic Circle.
14:05We're showcasing the Arctic.
14:07So, yeah, it pushes us to be something else than a regular restaurant.
14:13Can we just try some of your fruit?
14:15I'm so looking forward to it.
14:17Halvar's ancestors had to make do with whatever ingredients were available locally,
14:23before the discovery of oil transformed the nation's wealth and access to produce.
14:28Halvar's cuisine is rooted in the region's old traditions,
14:33with ingredients like scallops that can be harvested locally all year round.
14:38Well, this is as fresh as it gets, isn't it?
14:40Yep.
14:41And stored at the end of the garden, perfectly fresh.
14:44Ooh, look at all of...
14:45Oh, gosh, look, it's like a treasure chest.
14:47Is it there?
14:48Yeah.
14:49Oh, wow.
14:50Gee, look at the size of them.
14:53What are you doing, Miss?
14:56So, it's quite easy.
14:58Is it?
14:59Pulling it like this.
15:00Yeah.
15:01And then we're...
15:02And then just cutting them.
15:04Halvar's scallops are gathered by hand in cold Arctic water that slows their growth,
15:09giving them time to develop dense, flavoursome meat.
15:13It's not opening, though, but...
15:15And the fresher they are, the tougher they are to prise open.
15:19See, you've got to have the gnat.
15:22See, I don't have the...
15:23Ah, the twist.
15:24Right.
15:25Oh, that's a good one, right?
15:26Yep.
15:27Let's bring these back to the kitchen now.
15:29Sustainable Arctic scallops successfully harvested.
15:33Fantastic.
15:34Look at that.
15:35We've got our tea.
15:36But before I taste Halvar's award-winning food,
15:39I want to discover more about life and one of the harshest environments on Earth.
15:44Hello!
15:47Hey!
15:48It's early spring, and long days mean long schedules.
15:52How are you?
15:53I was just about to start feeding the animals.
15:56If you want to help me out with that, that would be great.
15:58I would love to.
15:59Yeah, yeah.
16:00I would love to.
16:01Yeah.
16:02While Halvar focuses on the cooking, Catherine Torreson leads on the farm,
16:07braving the Arctic conditions to produce vegetables, herbs and meat.
16:12Oh, they're so cute. How old are these ones?
16:18I think the oldest is now four weeks.
16:21Four weeks?
16:22The sheep here dine on herbs, moss and seaweed,
16:26with extra protein when they're home from their wild pasture.
16:29Okay, this is a big fight.
16:33Take two of this, tilt it a little bit.
16:37Like you're feeding a baby?
16:38Yeah.
16:39Oh!
16:40Oh, guys!
16:41Guys!
16:42No!
16:43No, no, no!
16:44Are you skipping the queue?
16:45You're all going to catch.
16:46No fighting.
16:47Hang on.
16:48That's it.
16:49Well done!
16:50So we have to give the milk at least the first six weeks of their life,
16:56and then gradually they will start to eat grass.
16:59God, they're guzzling, aren't they?
17:00It's just like feeding a baby.
17:02There you go.
17:03That's you.
17:04All gone.
17:05Well, feeding like a really eager baby, so.
17:07Yeah.
17:08Yeah.
17:09I know.
17:10You've already had some.
17:12Aye.
17:15Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
17:17Everybody should hug a baby lamb.
17:22There are no shortage of young mouths to feed.
17:26We have now nine baby goats.
17:29Nine baby goats.
17:30Yes.
17:31Hello.
17:32And now, oh.
17:33These Norwegian goats supply milk, help clear the land, and have some unexpected skills.
17:39And give me the best massage in the world.
17:42Oh, that's nice.
17:44Very good.
17:46That's very relaxing.
17:48Yeah.
17:49Oh, that's good.
17:50That's good.
17:51Right in that spot there.
17:52That's good.
17:53Right there.
17:54I never thought I would be getting a baby goat massage in the Arctic Circle.
18:04The team at Kvitnesgaard use only natural fertilisers and pesticides, and there's a use for absolutely everything.
18:13We have some food scraps left over from yesterday.
18:17Uh-huh.
18:18So we'll feed this to the pigs.
18:19So everything gets used.
18:20It's very eco-friendly.
18:21Yeah, it does.
18:22It does.
18:23That circular farm ethos means the entire animal will feature on the menu, from nose to tail.
18:30Hello.
18:31Hiya, piggy piggy.
18:32Piggy piggy.
18:33She just got piglets three weeks ago.
18:35Yeah.
18:36Oh, look at them.
18:37Yeah.
18:38Oh, no.
18:39So cute.
18:40They haven't had food for some hours, so if you just want to...
18:44Hello.
18:45Yeah.
18:46Before they're injecting the pants, just take the box and just spread it a little bit.
18:49Oh, right.
18:50Okay.
18:51Yes.
18:52Hey, guys.
18:53Pigs in the Arctic can carry almost twice as much body fat as those in warmer climates,
18:58keeping their meat tender with a richer flavour.
19:00They are happy as pigs in shit, essentially.
19:04Yeah.
19:05I've never done this before.
19:06I've never been down on a farm.
19:08Clearly, I was supposed to in another life.
19:11So it's really good fun.
19:17With the animals all fed, I've earned my own supper.
19:23Halvar has won a string of prestigious awards and been crowned Norway's youngest ever chef
19:29of the year.
19:30His menus change with the seasons, designed to bring his beautiful Arctic surroundings
19:35straight onto the plate.
19:40Beautiful scallops.
19:41Look at those.
19:42This is the one we cleaned earlier.
19:43Yeah.
19:44We're going to pan fry them.
19:45Right.
19:46Halvar's ethos is to use only the finest local ingredients and let the quality shine through.
19:54Only scallops, butter and a bit of salt.
19:58That's it?
19:59Yeah.
20:00Oh, the ingredients are so good.
20:01You don't need to add anything else.
20:02Look.
20:03While I baste them with butter from a small local farm, Halvar whips up a light scallop broth
20:09to intensify the flavour.
20:13Oh, look at that.
20:14Smells fantastic.
20:15Creamy and buttery and lovely.
20:17Mmm.
20:20Oh.
20:21You will never get like this fresh scallops in any restaurants.
20:24That is just so wonderful.
20:26It's like the sea.
20:27Yeah.
20:28But with cream.
20:30And food always tastes best in the kitchen.
20:35Halvar uses the techniques of his great-great-grandparents era, smoking, preserving, pickling and fermenting
20:43to create future ingredients.
20:45Zero waste is a guiding principle, so this next dish is designed to use up every last bit of lamb.
20:53This is lamb's neck.
20:54A cut of the meat that's usually not used that much.
20:57Right.
20:58We're going to dip it in sourdough.
20:59Right.
21:00And fennel seeds.
21:01And we're going to deep fry it.
21:02It's like that lollipop with bone.
21:03Yeah.
21:07Once coated, the lamb lollipops are fried until golden.
21:11Eek, eek, eek.
21:12And Halvar adds a final kick of flavour.
21:15We're going to season them with powder that are made out of pickled onions.
21:21Get it all around.
21:22Get it all around you.
21:23Presentation is key to Halvar.
21:25A bed of charred lamb bones reminds his guests exactly where their food has come from
21:30and honours the animal's sacrifice.
21:33So let's taste them.
21:34Yeah, little lamb lollipops.
21:36Mmm.
21:38Mmm.
21:40On the outside so lovely crunchy and on the inside really soft and...
21:44Yeah, it's almost like a paté.
21:46There's brilliant flavours there.
21:48Mmm.
21:49Halvar's tasting menus are normally 23 courses long,
21:53but I've got the rest of Norway to explore, so I'm skipping straight to dessert.
21:57No.
21:58Oh, look.
21:59And it's a sweet, savoury treat that combines traditional home cooking
22:03with an inspired creative twist.
22:06So this is a blood pancake made out of reindeer blood.
22:10Blueberries that my mother picked.
22:12Ice cream on the stick is made out of goat yoghurt.
22:14Wow.
22:15And then salted leg of lamb.
22:16Wow.
22:21Oh, that's gorgeous.
22:22It's so sweet.
22:23I don't expect it to be sweet.
22:24Oh, but then you can taste the sort of meat coming through, but in a really good way.
22:31Wow, this is so clever.
22:33Halvar has an extraordinary gift, taking everything the land offers him to create dishes that people travel from all over the world to enjoy.
22:41You've got a beautiful, beautiful way of life here.
22:46You know, you're doing what you love to do, but in a place that you love as well.
22:50It's just wonderful.
22:51And there is this thing that I've found, you know, what I've discovered, Norwegians have got this closeness to the land, you know, closeness to the outdoors.
23:00Yeah, we try.
23:01It's great.
23:02It's wonderful.
23:03Love it.
23:04You know, Halvar and the whole team have created something unique.
23:09They're so in touch with the land.
23:12They're grounded.
23:13It reminds me very much of parts of Scotland, especially Orkney, Shetland and the islands.
23:19You know, people have got that same sense of identity.
23:22And let's be honest, you don't ever forget your first goat massage.
23:27I'm sure it'll be a thing, it'll catch on.
23:36For the next leg of my journey, I'm sailing through one of the world's most beautiful archipelagos, the Lufartan Islands.
23:43A 100 mile chain of rugged mountains rising from the sea.
23:49Here, the Vikings believed there was only a thin veil between the natural world and the realm of the gods.
23:58On my journey west through the Lufartans, my first stop will be one of Norway's most famous natural wonders.
24:06The very beautiful, very narrow, Thrallfjord.
24:09Easy to get into, but quite the challenge to get out of.
24:13Our ship has to execute a perfect three point turn in a narrow channel flanked by towering rock.
24:26And that's Captain Larsh's job up here on the bridge.
24:29How narrow is it?
24:30It's 200 meters wide and two and a half kilometer long.
24:35Okay, and what about this ship?
24:36It's 125 meters.
24:38125 meters, and you're going into something that's 200 meters.
24:43That's not a lot of room to maneuver.
24:46No, there's not so much space.
24:49Not so much space.
24:51That's an understatement.
24:52If the wind and currents is strong, that could be difficult.
24:58Captain Larsh has a job for me too.
25:02It's me.
25:04Right, this is quite serious.
25:05I'm now the lookout's first mate, making sure we don't veer too close to the rocks.
25:11Watch your steps.
25:12And as difficult as this maneuver will be,
25:15Aha!
25:16I can see why they take the risk.
25:24This is spectacular, isn't it? Look at this.
25:29When I think of Norway, I think of this kind of thing.
25:32You've got the cliffs looming right up.
25:36And it's very, very narrow.
25:38It's actually a really difficult maneuver.
25:41I wouldn't even like to do it in a smart car, never mind a big ship like this.
25:46I'll be helping able sea woman Veronica keep watch at the bow,
25:50ready to drop the anchor in an emergency.
25:54It's really narrow, eh?
25:55Yes, it's not much room, it's only a few meters.
25:58A few meters? Yes.
26:00Wow.
26:01Do you ever get used to how beautiful this is?
26:03No.
26:04Definitely not.
26:06It's thought the monzonite in these cliffs was formed three and a half billion years ago.
26:12So this could be Norway's oldest rock.
26:15Fjords are usually shaped by ancient glaciers,
26:18slowly carving a deep gorge through the mountain, but not the Trollfjord.
26:24They say that many, many years ago there were two trolls fighting over this land.
26:30And one of the trolls, it lost his balance and fell, and then his axe fell out of his hand and he made the Trollfjord.
26:38I know the geologist will tell us all about, you know, the history, but I prefer to think that a troll made this with his axe.
26:46Yes.
26:47When he was really, really, really annoyed.
26:48Definitely.
26:49It's the big moment for Captain Larch, and he's got an audience to add to the pressure.
27:00Oh God, it is tight, isn't it?
27:03The ship has four giant thruster engines to help it turn, each with a thousand horsepower.
27:11But this is about precision, not power.
27:15It's very hard to manoeuvre here, so they have to be very, very concentrated at the bridge.
27:21With such a small margin for error, the captain has to bring the ship's nose right up to the wall to give its rear end room to swing round.
27:29Well, this is a big ship, and that is a massive cliff, and we are very close.
27:49Norway's stunning Lufferton archipelago is a remote wilderness of rugged mountain islands.
27:55We've sailed into the Trollfjord, a narrow inlet famed for its raw beauty.
28:02But to leave, the ship must execute a tight 180-degree turn flanked with towering, unforgiving rock.
28:11We are getting pretty close.
28:13Yes.
28:15I feel as if I'm going to be able to touch the ball in a minute.
28:17In such a narrow space, there's no room for error.
28:21Captain Larch must perform the manoeuvre with surgical precision.
28:26It's getting very close.
28:30Squeaky bum time.
28:32I think a little bit more.
28:34A little bit more.
28:35Yeah.
28:37Spectacular.
28:39It's a triumph for the captain, turning the ship with just metres to spare.
28:45Veronica, we made it. I never had any doubts.
28:48After all that, a little something to soothe the nerves.
28:54Hello.
28:56Hi.
28:58Where we Scots have whisky, the Norwegians have aquavit, or aquavita, the water of life.
29:05It's basically made from potatoes, infused with herbs and spices.
29:09And it's always got caraway in it. That's the main spice.
29:13The aquavit has been matured in sherry oak casks on a sea voyage across the equator.
29:18And it packs a punch.
29:21Oh, that is strong.
29:22That'll put hairs on your chest.
29:23Oy yi yi yi yi.
29:26You should really say skull.
29:29To the troll.
29:30For making that fantastic fjord with his axe.
29:33Cheers, troll.
29:37Mmm.
29:39Freaky.
29:40We're heading to the Lufthans' unofficial capital, Svalvir, which translates as Chilli Fishing Village.
29:55Beautiful statue.
29:57The fisherman's wife stands watch over the harbour, looking out to sea, hoping for the return of her husband and sons.
30:05It reminds you of what prices paid when the fishermen go out. They don't know whether they're coming back.
30:10Fishing has been the Lufthans' main industry for millennia.
30:15Look how clear the sea is.
30:17And the waters here are still great providers.
30:20But I'm visiting a thriving business where there's not a fish in sight.
30:25Hello.
30:27Hi.
30:29Really good to meet you.
30:30Angelita and Tamara have built an empire from harvesting seaweed straight from the ocean floor.
30:38Northern Norway has some of the world's most extreme underwater currents that bring cold, nutrient-rich water up to the surface, creating perfect conditions for seaweed, the ocean's superfood.
30:51Who knew you could do so much with seaweed?
30:56We didn't until a few years ago.
30:58So tell me, how did it all start?
31:00I'm born and bred in this fishing village.
31:02My father's a fisherman.
31:03I was working with him, cutting fish tongues, baiting long lines, stacking stock fish.
31:09But seaweed was never on the menu and no one talked about it.
31:13Angelita called on her university friend Tamara, whose Japanese mother served seaweed with most of her meals.
31:20You had seaweed in your lunchbox when you grew up.
31:24Of course.
31:25It wasn't so strange for me to hear these questions about seaweed and of course we can eat it and of course it tastes good.
31:32Now the two have made seaweed their lives, harvesting for top chefs across Norway and making seaweed soaps and snacks.
31:39We are going harvesting today.
31:42So are you going to join us?
31:43Absolutely.
31:44Get suited up.
31:45Of course.
31:46Jump into the Arctic Ocean.
31:47I shall.
31:48And after that we'll make some salad.
31:51Arctic waters demand some thermal protection.
31:54I think I might need a...
31:56Oh my gosh.
31:58Okay.
31:59So I feel like a wee seal.
32:01Let's go for a swim.
32:02Let's go for a swim.
32:03Okay, let's go.
32:05Angelita and Tamara harvest from several local beaches where seaweed thrives in the powerful Napsdrauman current.
32:13So I'm all set to go harvesting.
32:17The only thing is, it's going to be really cold and also apparently these are the strongest currents in the world.
32:27So I'm slightly apprehensive, but you know, I've got all my tools in here.
32:33I've got my big knife.
32:34To cut the seaweed.
32:35So, erm, yeah, here we go.
32:39The girls have done this before.
32:42It'll be fine.
32:46The rocks are slippery.
32:47The water is around seven degrees.
32:50And the currents are fierce.
32:52Ooh.
32:54That is a strong current, isn't it?
32:55It is.
32:56Wow.
32:57Way more.
32:58Way more.
33:04Angelita and Tamara braved these waters all year round, whatever the conditions, to harvest a broad range of seaweed and kelp.
33:13We harvest by hand, we don't troll and rip off everything.
33:17So we cut above the growth zone.
33:20So, see, we can continue to grow.
33:22Oh, so you take it.
33:23Yes.
33:24And then it's like cutting, like, the grass and it continues to grow.
33:27Yes.
33:28So it's a very sustainable way.
33:30So I can show you a little bit how we do it.
33:32Easy.
33:33Yeah.
33:35I'll just find it.
33:36Oh, that's a good bit.
33:37Yeah.
33:38See, I can find the end and then I cut.
33:42That's a good big bit.
33:44That's a great bit.
33:45Look at that.
33:46There's a hidden forest under the water.
33:49This wakami seaweed can reach up to three metres long and grows back rapidly.
33:55If you cut it just right.
33:58Here's your knife.
33:59Okay.
34:00Can you find that?
34:01Yeah.
34:02Yes.
34:03And then you just peel it and then you cut.
34:05Yep.
34:06Woo.
34:07Perfect.
34:08Great.
34:09Okay.
34:10That's good.
34:11The rich nutrients that nourish the seaweed also feed plankton,
34:15critical for all marine life, from crustaceans to fish and seabirds.
34:20And even those beautiful whales I spotted earlier.
34:24More than 400 varieties of seaweed grow in Norway and some of the flavours are quite unexpected.
34:30This is the truffle seaweed.
34:31Yeah.
34:32And you can actually taste a little bit just fresh.
34:36You only need a tiny wee bit.
34:37Tiny wee bit.
34:38Yep.
34:39Oh, there we go.
34:40I've got it.
34:41I've got it.
34:42You've got it.
34:43And...
34:44That tastes like truffle.
34:45Yep.
34:46Oh my goodness.
34:47That just burst in your mouth.
34:48Yep.
34:49You can also eat these.
34:50And these are like the texture of a caper.
34:51It's got that sort of brainy, vinegary.
34:54Mmm.
34:55Fantastic.
34:56This one here.
34:57You put it in a bath and you get all this sort of jelly, gooey substance out of it and
35:02it's amazing for your skin.
35:03You get that in all the posh.
35:04Yep.
35:05It's from the seaweed.
35:06Yep.
35:07Seaweed drops, seaweed barks.
35:08Yep.
35:09So that's where it comes from.
35:11It's incredible that you harvest all this from the sea.
35:14And you know the great thing about seaweed is you don't need fresh water for it to grow.
35:20Unlike most vegetables that we farm on land.
35:23And you don't need any fertiliser, you don't need pesticides.
35:27All it grows off is sunlight and nutrients in the water.
35:32So it really is a super food.
35:34You've just got to come in and get it.
35:36Yeah, we did it.
35:37We did it.
35:38Yes.
35:39I think we've actually got enough of the salad at least.
35:41I think we have.
35:42So maybe we start making our way in.
35:44So you harvested in some wild conditions.
35:46Yeah, it was wild, wasn't it?
35:48Yeah, I think you're part of our harvest team now.
35:50Yay, part of the harvest team.
35:51So if you ever want a summer job, you made it through harvesting school.
35:58I did.
35:59It was like harvesting school.
36:00We were like three mermaids.
36:02Look at us.
36:04After the foraging comes the feast.
36:07In Norway seaweed has been served up for at least a thousand years.
36:12If you look all the way back to the Viking age, we found traces that they used seaweed as part of their diet.
36:19So they had it as a beer snack, actually.
36:22Okay.
36:23But they also took it on their long journeys.
36:25And how did they travel so far without any fresh fruit?
36:28So they used the seaweed contained so much vitamin C that they avoided scurvy.
36:32Now that's interesting, isn't it?
36:35Yeah.
36:36We're making something more civilised than a beer snack.
36:39A warm wakami salad, starting with a seaweed magic trick.
36:43So, this water is boiling.
36:44Mm-hmm.
36:45And we're just going to pop some seaweed in here.
36:46Have a look at the colour.
36:47Ah, look at that.
36:48The brown pigments dissolve at high temperatures, leaving behind bright green chlorophyll full of antioxidants.
37:02Beautiful.
37:03Isn't that great?
37:04It's like emerald, isn't it?
37:05Yeah.
37:06It's lovely.
37:07And then with this, I think we're just going to chop this up nicely into salad-sized pieces.
37:11Right.
37:12So, if you want to chop it.
37:14To complement the seaweed's umami taste, Tamara's adding noodles, salted cucumbers and fresh local prawns.
37:23So we're just going to mix these all together.
37:26Adding a dressing of soy, sugar and vinegar.
37:30Smells so fresh.
37:31Mmm.
37:32That briny sort of brine smell.
37:34Yes.
37:35I like that.
37:36From sea to bowl in under an hour.
37:39Look how pretty that is.
37:40Sorry.
37:41So I'm going to have a go.
37:42Mm-hmm.
37:47That's good.
37:48Yeah.
37:49That's really good.
37:50Yep.
37:51Norwegians do seem to have unlocked the secrets of taking nourishment from nature while looking after it.
37:59There's something so satisfying about eating and cooking food that you've just harvested.
38:06And it tastes so fresh.
38:08It tastes of the sea.
38:09Mmm.
38:10I'm a convert.
38:11This is really good.
38:12Seaweed is a bit forward.
38:13This is really good.
38:14Seaweed is a bit forward.
38:15This is really good.
38:16Seaweed is a bit forward.
38:17a bit forward.
38:18Norway's stunning Luftheteng archipelago is made up of around 80 islands linked by dozens of bridges.
38:36Just glorious.
38:39And the incredible coastal views make this one of the world's most scenic drives.
38:45I love all the wee villages here.
38:48So full of character.
38:50Everybody lives so close to the water.
38:52There's some lovely wee fishing boats down there.
38:56Fishing has always been the lifeblood of the Luthitans.
39:00Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the sea here never freezes.
39:03And the plentiful fish have long attracted a creature I've wanted to meet face to face my entire life.
39:12Well, I am so excited.
39:13We are going on an excursion to see sea eagles.
39:17Now, I've seen sea eagles in Scotland.
39:19Mighty, mighty birds of prey.
39:21But never up close.
39:23And I know there's no guarantee, but I've got my fingers crossed.
39:27Right.
39:28Ah, hello.
39:30Hello, Nia.
39:31How are you?
39:31I'm hoping Trygve can unlock the secrets of the sea eagles.
39:35I'm a little bit excited.
39:37Yeah, but that's good.
39:38It's a good start.
39:39We need some extra clothing.
39:41Well, this is a serious bit of kit.
39:44I need a thermal suit to protect against the Arctic air.
39:48And a fast rib to get around remote rocky outcrops.
39:51The hunting grounds of the elusive sea eagles.
39:55Here we go.
39:55Here we go.
40:01This is amazing.
40:06It's blowing all the cobwebs away.
40:11This is the way to wake up.
40:12I really feel as if I'm in the Arctic properly.
40:28The air is so pure and so fresh.
40:32And the scenery.
40:33Great.
40:34Wow, look at it.
40:35Amazing.
40:38Makes you feel about this size.
40:42Sea eagles are territorial, seeking cause with tall mountains and good visibility.
40:47Like the Lufthans, or Orkney would have glimpsed them from afar.
40:51I keep looking up into the sky to see if I can see a sea eagle.
40:56Not yet, but I think we will.
40:59I hope we will.
41:00I hope we will.
41:01That'll be so special.
41:03We're heading out to a cluster of rocks to see if any eagles are hunting for prey.
41:08Yeah, isn't it?
41:10Oh, my God!
41:11And we're in luck.
41:13So, here they are.
41:15Wow!
41:19Oh!
41:19Look at that!
41:20Look, look, look, look!
41:21God, you really see how big they are, don't you?
41:24Sea eagles are one of the largest birds of prey in the world,
41:28with wingspans of up to two and a half metres.
41:32From here, you get a sense of how powerful they are.
41:35You know, with a beak and a massive talons.
41:38The eagles can live for up to 30 years, and they mate for life.
41:43They're probably a couple, do we think?
41:45They've had an argument.
41:47Look at them looking at us with disdain.
41:49Mm-hmm.
41:50Mm-hmm.
41:51The king!
41:52The king of birds!
41:55Half a century ago, the population was in real trouble,
41:59with eagles killed by hunters and farmers safeguarding their flocks.
42:03The sea eagles was protected in Norway in 1968, and before that, they were taken out by people
42:10afraid of the eagles that they would be able to take lambs and so on.
42:13It could take maybe a wee lamb, a very tiny, tiny lamb, could it?
42:18Yeah, we had one incident where a farmer got a call from his neighbour...
42:21Yeah?
42:22...saying that it just dropped the lamb from the sky, straight on the flat field.
42:26Jeez!
42:27And that was most likely an eagle.
42:30And the conservation efforts have worked.
42:33Today, there are more than 2,000 breeding pairs in Norway,
42:36and hundreds of chicks have been sent to repopulate other countries.
42:40It's likely these birds are related to the ones I've seen from afar in Orkney.
42:46We are very grateful to Norway because you gave us sea eagles to Scotland,
42:52because they were all wiped out.
42:54So the first export of sea eagles came during the 60s and 70s,
42:58and we have a strong population.
42:59They're thriving then, they're thriving here, which is really good.
43:03These sea eagles have been feasting on scraps from fishing boats for millennia.
43:08So the next question is, will they be hungry?
43:11So gifting a few extra fish has been approved by ecologists.
43:14We have this frozen herring, which will float.
43:17Okay.
43:18We can toss one over there.
43:19Oh, my God.
43:21Look at that.
43:41Look, look, look, look, look.
43:46See what she comes?
43:47Coming in.
43:47Oh, wow.
43:50Three, two, one.
43:54Oh, my goodness.
43:57I can see the white tail, which is very typical for an adult bird.
44:01Here she comes.
44:02Here she comes.
44:03Coming in there.
44:05Got it.
44:05We have another one.
44:06Hey, hey.
44:09Coming in.
44:10Coming in.
44:11Three, two, one.
44:13Oh, wow.
44:14Oh, my goodness.
44:15Look at that.
44:15In the old Norse myths, the god Odin could transform into a sea eagle.
44:24So whenever a Viking saw one, they were inspired to be even more fierce and brave.
44:29I cannot believe how close we are.
44:31I just, I honestly, this is, um, it's so special.
44:36When you've wanted to see something for so long, it's actually really emotional, to be honest.
44:40Oh, jeez.
44:44I don't know why I'm getting so emotional, but that's, that's, um, that's special.
44:50Oh, jeez.
44:52The more that I've been here, the more I've realised that people here have got that bond that I think we've lost a bit with nature.
44:59I mean, just to sit here and look at these magnificent birds, it's just so good to see them where they belong and doing so, so well.
45:14They're thriving, aren't they?
45:15Which is just wonderful.
45:16It's a magical end to an epic leg of my journey.
45:22These Arctic islands will stay with me forever.
45:26Oh, the fresh air and the sunshine and the noise of the sea.
45:32I think Norwegians have got a fantastic sense of contentment, and I feel contented, vastly underrated, and something that we all strive for.
45:47And I found it here, in Norway.
45:51I'm just going to lie here.
45:53I may be some time.
45:54I'm just going to lie here.
46:24I may be some time next week.
46:26Now, David Baddiel, don't dig dogs.
46:28He's well and truly a cat man.
46:30All things moggy tomorrow at eight.
46:32And for anyone that wants to see the cast of Patience trying to be interviewed in the middle of a cat cafe,
46:37well, it's on our For The Drama channel on YouTube right now.
46:40And, of course, Patience is next tonight in a brand new cat-free case.
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