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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
00:13beautiful 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.
00:35So I'm heading off to meet my neighbours on my very own Norwegian adventure.
00:41This is spectacular.
00:43This is a place where the landscape is in charge.
00:47Woo! That is a strong current, isn't it? Oh my God!
00:51Where myths come alive...
00:53If you kiss under one of the portals, it'll bring eternal luck and love.
00:58Oh!
00:59And where people and nature are as one.
01:03There's something really magical about whales, especially orcas.
01:07As I travel over a thousand miles up into the Arctic Circle...
01:11That is a massive cliff and we are very close.
01:16I'll experience a true Norwegian welcome.
01:22He wants to play.
01:24Embrace local traditions.
01:26Oh my God!
01:29Oh, look what I did! Look what I did!
01:33In a land full of wonder.
01:35What an extraordinary place.
01:40Oh jeez, I don't know why I'm getting so emotional, but that's special.
01:45And I'll fulfil a lifelong dream to see the Northern Lights.
01:49It is incredible!
01:53Here we go!
01:57So join me as I explore this land and meet the people we call this spectacular and wild place their
02:05home.
02:17I'm exploring Norway's rugged Lofoten Islands, a place where land and sea shape every part of life.
02:25It's a coastline peppered with traditional fishing villages on the shores of an ocean that's been fished since the Stone
02:33Age.
02:34Here, cod is king and the most important catch for thousands of years.
02:41Dried cod.
02:44This actually kept the Vikings going on their long sea voyages.
02:48They would take this with them.
02:50And you know what?
02:51They would have dried it exactly the same way that it's being done now.
02:55It's just the wind full of sea air left up here for about three months.
03:00And then it looks like that.
03:02At first it sort of looks like kind of dried leaves.
03:06You know how sometimes you see like tobacco plants and things like that hanging out?
03:11After being left to dry, this prized stockfish is shipped off to kitchens and restaurants around the world.
03:21I'm starting my journey in the Lufoten Islands on the tiny island of Skrova before sailing all the way up
03:28this Arctic coastline to the most northerly tip of Norway.
03:32The rich fishing grounds of the Lufthans brought the first settlers to Norway's coast some 11,000 years ago.
03:40It's a tradition that still thrives today.
03:43We know that the Vikings traded cod all over Europe and that trade is still really important today to the
03:51Norwegian economy.
03:52So I want to find out just how important it is.
03:55I've set myself a mission.
03:57I am going to catch my very own cod.
04:01I'm in one of Norway's oldest fishing villages to meet my skipper Geir, who's fished this ocean for decades.
04:08Hello.
04:09Hello.
04:10How are you?
04:11I'm good. How are you?
04:12Welcome on board.
04:14My name is the guide.
04:14Fantastic. I'm Levine and it's lovely to see you.
04:18Oh, this is gorgeous.
04:19This is Ben.
04:20Hi.
04:20Hi.
04:21Hello. Hello, Captain.
04:23To catch the infamous Norwegian cod, Geir's taking me into the fjords on the MS Simra, which was built to
04:31fish these waters more than a hundred years ago.
04:34So what are we looking for out there?
04:36Hopefully we get some nice codfish. Fishing is like hunting. You never know before you come.
04:41No, you don't. Right. Okay.
04:42Let's go.
04:43Let's go. Let's do it.
04:44Okay, Ben.
04:45This sea is home to the world's largest cod stock, so I'm hoping the odds are in my favour.
04:51How big can you be? Good by this?
04:54No. Oh, no. They can be like this.
04:56Oh, like this?
04:56Yeah.
04:57You know, the biggest Arctic codfish I ever saw was about your size.
05:00No.
05:01We have two types of codfish in Norway.
05:03Right.
05:03We have the coastal cod, which are here all year round.
05:05Yeah.
05:05So if you catch a cod today, it will be a coastal cod.
05:08But if you come back in the winter, you will get the Arctic cod.
05:11Right.
05:12The Arctic cod live far north in the Barents Sea.
05:14Except for one time every year, they come down here to reproduce.
05:17And they can be really big.
05:18They can be about this size and be up to 50 kilo.
05:21So they are huge.
05:30What you see out here now is the Westfjord.
05:32This is straight out in the Norwegian Sea.
05:34This is like proper seafaring.
05:36Do you know what I mean?
05:37Because it's in a wooden ship.
05:39They say that a boat like this has a soul, you know.
05:42Exactly.
05:43She's got a soul.
05:44Yeah.
05:44That's very true.
05:46For over a century, hand-cranked reels have been used to catch fish that swim up to
05:51100 metres below the surface.
05:53It's still the best way to catch a cod.
05:56Are we ready to try?
05:57I think so.
05:59Okay.
05:59Nice and easy.
06:00Let it slide down.
06:02Up to a thousand baited hooks can be used on a single line.
06:06We are starting with three.
06:08Just let the wheels spin all the way to the bottom.
06:10You see, I keep my finger here so it doesn't go too fast.
06:13Okay.
06:13When you hit the bottom, wind up like two, three, four rounds.
06:16So it's a little bit above the bottom.
06:18Hopefully we get something.
06:19Hopefully.
06:20This is the way they've been doing it for a long, long time, isn't it?
06:22This is very traditional.
06:23This is very traditional, yeah.
06:25Okay.
06:25Now we are at the bottom.
06:26One, two, three.
06:27And then fish like this.
06:29Yes.
06:29Up slowly down.
06:30I'm off to a good start, but I need luck and patience in equal measures.
06:35Having Gears skill and experience is a definite bonus.
06:39You feel?
06:40It's official.
06:41Is it?
06:42Yeah.
06:42Is it?
06:42Yeah.
06:43Is it real?
06:43Oh!
06:44You feel it pulling?
06:45Are you sure?
06:46Oh my goodness.
06:46So what do I do?
06:47You wind up like this.
06:49Right.
06:49Okay.
06:49Okay.
06:50Just let the line go.
06:51Oh!
06:52Oh my goodness.
06:54Look at that.
06:54There's a fishy on it.
06:55Nice and steady.
06:56Nice and steady.
06:57And I just find a hook.
06:58If it's a big one, you see the hook.
07:00Oh, I hope it's not a tiddler.
07:01That would be embarrassing.
07:04Yeah.
07:05It's important always when you're getting closer, you look over the side.
07:09Oh, easy.
07:10Can you see it?
07:11Yeah.
07:11Stop, stop, stop.
07:13You lift it up.
07:14A little bit more.
07:14A bit more?
07:15Yeah, a little bit more.
07:16Stop.
07:18Oh, look at that.
07:20It's actually big.
07:22Oh, look what I did.
07:24Look what I did.
07:26Oh my goodness.
07:28Can't believe it.
07:28Yeah.
07:29Come on, we pal.
07:30Right.
07:31What's important when I take the fish on board is the fish well first.
07:35So you mean that you have to kill it right away.
07:37Right.
07:37Yeah.
07:38So I'll do that and then they try another one.
07:39I'll let you do that.
07:40I like this way of fishing.
07:42There you go.
07:43First time.
07:44First time got a fish.
07:46That is so cool.
07:47Instead of trawlers with big nets, small boats with traditional reels are a priority here,
07:53protecting this highly sustainable fishery.
07:56I'm hoping there are still a few more fish out there for me.
08:00It's hard work being a salty sea dog.
08:05Oh, I think there's something on that.
08:07Yeah, you hit a lot of fish again.
08:09That's a big one.
08:10Is that a really big one?
08:11Is it?
08:12Yeah.
08:12Yeah, that's good.
08:13That's perfect.
08:14Is that all right?
08:15Here you come.
08:16Stop.
08:17Stop.
08:21One little guy.
08:23Okay.
08:26It's a huge swamp.
08:29Two.
08:30Wow.
08:32Wow.
08:33Two.
08:36This is even bigger.
08:38Oh.
08:38Wow.
08:40Crikey.
08:41Can I see this guy?
08:42Yeah.
08:44Look at this.
08:45We caught three.
08:47Three fish at one time.
08:49They're either teaming with fish or I am a fantastic fisher person.
08:53Do you think it's me?
08:54You are doing a perfect job.
08:56Wow.
08:56Look at that.
08:57Amazing.
08:58I honestly didn't think I'd catch any longer.
09:06It's hard to stop on a winning streak, but it's time to cook or catch, the seafarers
09:12way, right here on the water.
09:15Geera is over there, preparing the fish.
09:18I mean, that's the freshest fish that you'll ever get in your whole life, certainly that
09:21I've ever had.
09:22I can't wait.
09:22I'm starving all this hard working fresh air.
09:25Okay.
09:26Are you ready to taste the catch of the day?
09:29This is a typical way of eating in Northern Norway.
09:31Yeah.
09:32So it's sour cream, butter, dry bread, and some fresh fish.
09:35Is this the fish that I caught?
09:37That's the fish you caught 15 minutes ago, as fresh as it can be.
09:41Mmm.
09:43Oh, that's good.
09:44It's beautiful.
09:46Mmm.
09:47It just tastes like sea.
09:48Mmm.
09:49So good.
09:50And just to be here, take it easy, enjoy the nature, sitting here like you and me are
09:56now, that's something for the soul, you know.
09:58Oh, it is.
09:58I love it.
09:59A day like this is one of my favourite days.
10:02It is.
10:02Me too.
10:03Yeah.
10:03Thank you for sharing it with us.
10:05Thanks.
10:05What a lovely special time.
10:07Mmm.
10:13I used to go fishing with my dad, sort of off the Ayrshire coast, and we would go out
10:18in a boat with hand lines and we'd use mackerel for bait back then, but very rarely caught
10:24anything and if you did, it was a wee tiny thing.
10:26Look at this.
10:27First time.
10:29Big fish.
10:31Huge.
10:32No, they were...
10:33They were big.
10:34I'm very proud of myself.
10:36It's great fun.
10:39Oh, that's pretty, isn't it?
10:57It's summer in Norway, and at this time of the year, the midnight sun shines 24 hours
11:04a day.
11:04It's warmth brings the landscape to life, sparking creativity and innovation across the Arctic.
11:11The little red houses and the bridges and it's so green, obviously.
11:18Just glorious.
11:20I'm keen to discover how this endless light shapes the people, their work and the industries
11:25that thrive here.
11:27You've got so many people that actually live here and have carved out a wonderful life for
11:31themselves.
11:33I'm travelling to the far western tip of the Lufthin archipelago, to the sleepy fishing
11:39village of Victon.
11:41It was here 50 years ago that a local fisherman introduced a new trade to the region.
11:48Hello.
11:49Oh, hi.
11:50Hello.
11:51Wow, it's so hot.
11:53Anders Tangrand and his brother Robert come from generations of fishermen, but learnt the
11:59art of glass blowing from their father.
12:02How long have you been doing this?
12:04All my life, more or less.
12:05My dad, he was a fisherman actually in the early 70s, a really creative fisherman.
12:11Mmm.
12:11And he started melting glass in 75.
12:14Anders' dad, Osvar, melted down colourful glass fishing floats to create stunning artworks,
12:21and found his calling.
12:22The iconic symbol of the Lufthans was his creation, celebrating the connection between man and
12:28fish.
12:29Anders and Robert are continuing the tradition with pieces that reflect their surroundings.
12:35So tell me, where do you get all your inspiration from?
12:38From make colour from the sea, from the grey sky, from the fog, from the Lufthans nature.
12:46The glass is made from sand, ash and limestone, with colours from the local landscape.
12:53The quartz, the stone we put in the glass came from a cliff in the mountain in Lufthans.
12:59So these are actually pieces of the mountain inside the glass.
13:04Blowing glass by hand makes each piece unique.
13:08Gosh.
13:08How long does it take you to get really good at this?
13:11Because that looks very intricate and...
13:14No.
13:14I have tried the whole life and I'm not very good.
13:17You are very good. Behave!
13:20You want to try glass blowing?
13:22Yes, I'll have a go. Why not? As long as you help me.
13:26We will help you.
13:28Don't leave me to my own devices.
13:31You can touch down here, but not here. It's the danger zone.
13:35This is the danger zone.
13:36Hospital zone.
13:37Hospital zone!
13:42Did that do anything?
13:44A little bit.
13:45That's rubbish, right?
13:48You can say it's rubbish, but it's rubbish.
13:50Try again. Try again.
13:50OK. I've not got any puff.
13:55Did that do anything?
13:57No.
13:59I'm rubbish, you say.
14:03Oh, my God, look!
14:09That's quite good.
14:10That's quite good, look what I did.
14:12It's like...
14:13Oh!
14:13Oh!
14:14She blew too hard.
14:15I blew too hard.
14:17I think I'm going to leave it to the professionals.
14:19I can see how glass blowing can take a lifetime to master.
14:23And the guys are keen that I remember my time here...
14:26Oh, you're making eyes!
14:27...in a region made famous by cod.
14:31So what is that?
14:32Is that just a bit of glass?
14:33Black glass.
14:36Then that just comes off.
14:37Huh!
14:38Look at that!
14:41Lorraine, can you help me put the beard on the cod?
14:45We need a little beard.
14:46OK.
14:48Cold need there.
14:50Ooh!
14:51Lift a bit.
14:52OK.
14:52Come on.
14:54Yay!
14:55I did something!
14:56I think we've done a very good job, frankly.
14:59Yes.
14:59It's really good.
14:59That sounds like it's my beard.
15:01Ah!
15:02Ta-da!
15:04That was really good.
15:05You're doing it.
15:06That was great.
15:07We're hot and we're sweaty, but we're happy.
15:09Very happy.
15:10Yes.
15:11Very happy.
15:12It's absolutely mesmerising to watch Anders and Robert at work.
15:17It all began with their father years ago, and they're carrying on this incredible craft.
15:23You can really feel the skill and the patience and the passion that goes into every creation.
15:29So there we are.
15:30I've caught a real fish and made a glass fish.
15:38In northern Norway, there can be almost two months of constant daylight during the summer,
15:44creating lush pastures that are ideal for grazing livestock.
15:50By the waters of the Stjørfjord and under the midnight sun, Ragnald Lee breeds Old Norse sheep
15:57to produce yarn and traditional knitwear.
16:02Hello there.
16:04Hi.
16:04It's lovely to see you.
16:06Hi.
16:06Oh, look.
16:07What a great place you've got here.
16:09And these sheep are very special, aren't they?
16:12Yes.
16:12They're Old Norse sheep.
16:14Yeah.
16:14So if you check the DNA, it's pretty similar to the Viking sheep, and has a very rich genetic
16:21variety.
16:22So you can tell it's all different colours and all different looks.
16:25Some have horns, some don't.
16:27I feel as if I've seen these sheep before, though, when I've been up in Orkney and Shetland
16:32and St Kilda.
16:33Yeah, for sure.
16:33Is it the same?
16:34Yes, for sure.
16:35They are the cousins of my sheep here.
16:36You know, the Vikings brought them from Norway over to all the Western Isles.
16:40Old Norse sheep are one of Norway's oldest breeds, but after seeing their numbers fall
16:45sharply over several decades, Ragnhild decided to act.
16:51Come on, Dan.
16:52Why was it so important to you to make sure that, you know, that they didn't die out?
16:57Because they were in danger of doing that.
16:59So, you know, I think it's very important to keep the genes.
17:01From this, theoretically, you could breed any kind of sheep.
17:04You could choose the black ones, the white ones, the one with the horns.
17:08So they're a very rich variety of genes.
17:10And also this kind of wool is very special.
17:13The big industry says that this is not worth anything.
17:16You can't really make that much out of it.
17:18But you proved them wrong.
17:20Yes.
17:20So this is the winter coat and then the summer coat is coming underneath.
17:23So it is.
17:24You're very calm and patient, aren't you?
17:26We do actually shear them.
17:27They get sheared as well as kind of, but you can get wee bits off them.
17:31Yeah.
17:31Thanks to farmers like Ragnald, old Norse populations have bounced back.
17:37And there's a new member of the flock to meet.
17:39Hello.
17:40Hello, wee pal.
17:42Oh, you're so cute.
17:43If you want, you can name him because he's special.
17:46All the other lambs are scared.
17:49Oh, he is special.
17:50Yes.
17:51Could I name him after my granddaughter?
17:53Because her name is Billy.
17:55Yes.
17:55Which is like for a girl or a boy.
17:57Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:57So you can be Billy the Lamb.
18:01Just like the Vikings, Ragnald dyes her wool using materials found in the fields around her farm.
18:08Madder for red, tansy for yellow, birch for green and woad for blue.
18:14And there's no yarn without a bit of spinning.
18:17The thing is that the wheel should go this way.
18:19Always this way.
18:21So if I'm pedaling, hold this very fine and you'll see the twist is coming.
18:26And then I'm putting it in.
18:28You have to be quite gentle.
18:29Yeah.
18:30Yeah, yeah.
18:30Oh, okay.
18:31Just let it in.
18:33Hold your finger there and you put it in and then you let the twist come a little bit to
18:39this part.
18:40Release and move your arm.
18:43Oh, it's actually...
18:45Oh, it's coming to an end.
18:46Oh.
18:47What do we do to make, like, if it breaks like that?
18:49It's very easy.
18:50We just do like this.
18:51Uh-huh.
18:53And then you don't need to make any knots.
18:55Right.
18:56Backwards.
18:57Just don't want it to break.
18:58It's quite delicate and you can't be in a hurry, really.
19:02No, it's, you know, once you get into this, it's very...
19:04Quite relaxing.
19:05In a strange way.
19:06Mind you, you're doing half of it.
19:08You want to do the petals as well?
19:09Well, I'll try.
19:10Okay.
19:11Give it the hard...
19:13There's too much going on.
19:14Yeah, I can do this.
19:15You do this, I'll do this.
19:16I'll do this.
19:16You know when you try to sort of rub your belly and pat your head at the same time?
19:19Mm.
19:20It's a wee bit like that.
19:21Mm.
19:22I can understand why people though would sing while they did this.
19:25Yeah, exactly.
19:26Because you get da, da, da, da, da.
19:27So would you sing if you were doing this?
19:30No, there was a time when we were playing like really heavy, like hard heavy rock.
19:35I love it.
19:37Like...
19:37Black Sabbath.
19:39That's not really what I expected you to sing.
19:41Aussie Osborne is very good with this.
19:43Aussie Osborne, right?
19:44I was thinking like in a traditional fiddle song.
19:47You could do that, of course, as well.
19:48Why not?
19:49Whatever works.
19:53I love it.
19:54That's brilliant.
19:55There's so much skill that runs through each and every thread here.
19:59And thanks to locals like Ragnald, this tradition is once again part of Norway's rich culture.
20:08Traveling through the islands, I can see the deep connection between people and their surroundings.
20:14Arctic life is shaped by the rhythm of the sun.
20:18In winter, it barely rises above the horizon.
20:22In summer, the midnight sun bathes the landscape in daylight, allowing crops to grow around the clock.
20:28Microfarmers, Gisla and Oshel are taking full advantage, cultivating extraordinary herbs, plants and flowers that garnish dishes across Norway's kitchens.
20:42We have a lot of edible flowers.
20:44Yeah.
20:45These are ready.
20:47They're beautiful.
20:48Chefs love these, don't they?
20:50They do, yeah.
20:50I mean, they're edible, right?
20:52They're edible, but they make it look so beautiful.
20:55Okay.
20:56So, like for example, we pick, and you have to go all the way down to the stem, because if
21:02you just cut it here, then the plant is going to concentrate on giving this energy.
21:07Okay.
21:08So, you have to be a bit mindful of that when you're picking.
21:12These flowers are quite amazing, because when I pick this now, it's just going to come again and again and
21:17again.
21:18And the more you pick it, the more it's going to come.
21:20The more it grows.
21:20Yeah, yeah, yeah.
21:21You want to try?
21:22Sure.
21:22That's a lovely one, isn't it?
21:24That's beautiful.
21:24But we have to go down.
21:26Yeah, see if you can find where the stem is coming from.
21:28Right.
21:29So, like this.
21:30Yeah, and before you put it in the box, you just do like that.
21:32Just this one here.
21:34Yeah.
21:34There we go.
21:35And also, we have the midnight sun.
21:37Yes.
21:37So, we have like double.
21:39Double the sunshine.
21:40Maybe double them.
21:41So, double the flowers.
21:42And the season is amazingly long.
21:44That'll end up on someone's plate and look so beautiful.
21:47It's all maybe on yours.
21:48We'll see.
21:51As well as help from the midnight sun, friends and family all lend a hand on the farm.
21:57Oh, the dog is, the dog is getting very excited.
21:59I've been invited to join them for dinner, to share the fruits of our labour.
22:04Look at this.
22:05And there's a salad with your flowers.
22:08Flowers.
22:09Fantastic.
22:10Go to have some of that.
22:11Especially with the flowers.
22:13What's your accent?
22:14Is it?
22:14I'm from Scotland.
22:15Scotland, yeah.
22:16Yeah, from Glasgow.
22:17I like it.
22:18Do you like it?
22:19Do you?
22:19Oh, that's good.
22:20I'm glad.
22:20It sounds exotic to me, you know.
22:24First time I think I've ever been called exotic.
22:26I'll take it.
22:27I will take it very happily.
22:29You know, up here is very similar to Scotland.
22:31Yeah, the highlands.
22:32Yeah, really similar.
22:34I mean, your mountains are higher and all of that, but...
22:37It's deeper.
22:38Yeah.
22:38But I think we've got quite a lot of similarities.
22:41You know, there's this...
22:42Yeah.
22:42Same sort of sense of humour, same sort of people.
22:45Yeah, it's good.
22:46It's really good.
22:47What do you think is so special about here, about this land?
22:51I was going to stay for one year when I came here.
22:54And now I've stayed for 35 years.
22:57And it is much the landscape, but it's also the people.
23:02Lofoten grow.
23:03It has for many, many, many hundreds of years.
23:07Ahem!
23:08Ahem!
23:09Yeah, yeah.
23:10I would love to propose a toast for Lorraine.
23:15So nice to have you here.
23:17And to all of you, helping out there and making this possible, this farm.
23:23Cheers!
23:23And, yeah, and thank you so much to have you here.
23:25Cheers!
23:26Oh, thank you.
23:27Oh, it's wonderful.
23:28Thank you so, so much for your hospitality.
23:31Cheers!
23:31Cheers!
23:33Cheers!
23:36Being in a place like this, which goes back to Viking times, you know,
23:40people were farming here back then.
23:42I've really learned this connection that Norwegians have with the land.
23:48Downstairs, the party's still going on, and it's three generations,
23:52and they'll keep passing it on to their children, grandchildren,
23:56and beyond, hopefully.
23:57And there's something to be learned from that, for sure.
24:16Wow!
24:17There's a rainbow dancing on the spray from the waves!
24:22I have never seen anything like that in my life!
24:26I'm sailing through the spectacular Finnmark region,
24:29heading towards Norway's North Cape,
24:32the northernmost point of mainland Europe.
24:36We're so far north, and yet there's all these thriving communities
24:40and tiny little houses scattered around, and it's wild!
24:46It's been six months since I started my journey up this epic coastline,
24:50and I've returned in winter to a place known as the Gateway to the Aurora Borealis.
24:57I want to see the northern lights.
24:59I've tried so often all over Scandinavia and the north of Scotland
25:03and never, ever seen them before.
25:05But in Tromsø, this is the heart of what's called the Auroral Oval.
25:11Basically, that means it's your best chance of seeing the northern lights,
25:14so I am very hopeful.
25:16It's also where those incredible polar explorers set off in their adventures.
25:22People like Nansen, people like Amundsen.
25:25And it's also absolutely spectacular.
25:29Tromsø sits at 69 degrees north,
25:32and its polar museum pays tribute to Norway's most famous explorer,
25:37Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole in 1911.
25:43I've had to wear these white gloves because I'm about to handle something really precious
25:49and something I never thought I would have the chance to do.
25:52This is pure history. Look at this.
25:54It's the sledge compass that was used in that incredible expedition to the South Pole
26:00with Amundsen and his men.
26:02And when you think about the preparation that was made,
26:06he was so organised and logical, sorted everything out.
26:10The clothing was just right.
26:12You know, he listened to Inuits who knew how to dress properly for the cold.
26:17He really was a remarkable man.
26:19I mean, that sort of level of organisation and just knowing your goal,
26:24setting out for it and getting it, that's very Norwegian.
26:27And I think that spirit really exists today.
26:30This is just quite, I can't believe I'm holding this in my hands.
26:33It's absolutely wonderful.
26:36It still works.
26:38I'll put it back.
26:40Wow.
26:42Incredible.
26:49Above Tromsa is a mountain camp that's home to an iconic symbol of Arctic life.
26:57These huskies are close relatives of the dogs that towed supplies for Amundsen
27:02and other explorers to the poles.
27:05Oh, I can hear them.
27:07I can hear the dogs. They're Alaskan huskies.
27:11Oh, look. This is brilliant.
27:13They look so well behaved.
27:16They're all waiting for me.
27:18Vivi and her team breed and look after more than 150 Alaskan huskies.
27:23Lovely to see you.
27:24Hi. Nice to meet you.
27:24Great to see you and these beautiful, beautiful dogs.
27:28Tell me about them. They're Alaskan huskies, I believe.
27:30They're Alaskan huskies, yes.
27:32The Alaskan huskies were bred and selected for long distance racing,
27:35so they are super, super endurance.
27:37They are always happy to run.
27:38They are going to take us on an adventure today.
27:40Oh, fantastic.
27:41How would you describe these dogs?
27:43Apart from the fact that they're gorgeous.
27:45Hello.
27:46They all have very different personalities.
27:49Alaskan huskies are usually very social.
27:51They are never aggressive with people.
27:52In the morning, we say hi to them, then they're super happy.
27:56Then we feed them.
27:57Of course, that's also the best part of the day.
28:00And when they see the equipment, then they are just super happy, super excited.
28:03So they are basically professional athletes and we handle them like professional athletes.
28:08You're a professional athlete?
28:10Yeah.
28:10Yes, you are.
28:11This little lady here is Celia.
28:13She's one of our smallest dogs.
28:14She's tiny but mighty.
28:15Tiny but mighty?
28:17She's very, very smart.
28:18She's one of our best lead dogs.
28:19Ah, tiny but mighty.
28:21Vivi and her dogs compete in the cross-country endurance sport of dog sledding or mushing.
28:27So, look at this majestic dog.
28:30He's one of our bigger males.
28:32His name is Shloben and he ran Eiditero.
28:34That's a thousand mile race.
28:36And then he ran Yukon Quest the same year.
28:38Sled teams can cover a hundred miles a day with dogs running up to 15 miles an hour.
28:44Each dog can pull twice its body weight, racing in temperatures as low as minus 40.
28:49And here in Norway, we have the Femarts race, the longest race.
28:53That's 1,200 kilometers.
28:55You can just run incredible distances.
28:57This is a really good dog.
28:59He's a fabulous, fantastic dog.
29:01Yes.
29:01I'm keen to experience the life of a musher, but with no snow on the ground,
29:06our transport is four wheels and eight dogs.
29:09And none of the Huskies want to be left behind.
29:12Oh, we get a concert.
29:15Oh!
29:17Oh!
29:20Oh!
29:22Oh!
29:22Oh!
29:23Oh!
29:23I don't know what I did.
29:25I don't know what I did.
29:27Oh!
29:28Oh!
29:29I like it though.
29:30It's the dog chorus.
29:32150 fantastic dogs all going, oh!
29:35Like that.
29:36Okay.
29:38Hey, hey, hey.
29:39What was all that about?
29:40Do they just do that now and again, just for fun?
29:42So, April is going to join us.
29:44April, you're going to join us.
29:45Good.
29:45See you in a minute.
29:47Time for an adventure.
29:49And it's not just me who's excited.
29:53It's bedlam.
29:55Absolute bedlam, because they all want to come and be in the gang and go for a big run.
30:01It's okay.
30:03It's okay.
30:04It's okay.
30:05It's okay.
30:06It's okay.
30:07Go, go, go, go, okay.
30:08Woo!
30:09Woo!
30:10Woo!
30:11Oh my God.
30:12Vance!
30:13Vance!
30:13Vance!
30:14Yeah.
30:17They're happy now.
30:18Yes.
30:18Happy now that they're running.
30:20It's a nice try.
30:22Our lead dog on the left, Nala.
30:24She's one of our oldest lead dog.
30:27She's absolutely brilliant dog.
30:29Vance?
30:30Yeah.
30:31And she's all business.
30:33When we're running, she's just focusing on the job.
30:36Yeah.
30:36But as soon as we stop working, she turns into a little sweetheart and then she wants all
30:40the cuddles and kisses.
30:41Oh my God.
30:44Hey!
30:44Excuse me!
30:46She want to go that way?
30:48Yes.
30:48Try to jump over.
30:49Sometimes they want to go the way they want to go.
30:50Of course.
30:51They have their little own agenda and we have to course correct.
30:56In a matter of weeks, this landscape will be covered in snow.
31:01So just imagine everything with a metre, one and a half metre snow around here.
31:06Beautiful!
31:07It would just be like winter wonderland.
31:09Yes.
31:09Would you?
31:10Yes.
31:12Stoo!
31:14Okay, so I'm going to have a go.
31:16Yes.
31:17Yeah.
31:17Let's roll.
31:18And just like that, the success of our expedition lies in my hands.
31:24So you control the speed with these two, it's the front and the rear brake.
31:28Okay.
31:28So basically, this is the brake.
31:30I'm going to tell them the comments to turn left or right.
31:32Okay, good.
31:34Okay.
31:34I mean, I'm slightly apprehensive, but at the same time excited.
31:39Which is good.
31:41We can go.
31:41We can go?
31:42Clara.
31:43Right.
31:43Oh God.
31:44Oh God.
31:46Just like...
31:46Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
31:50oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
31:51Okay.
31:52It's okay.
31:53It's okay.
31:54Just try to steer out.
31:56Try to steer out.
31:57Okay.
31:57Yes.
31:57And just let the brakes very lightly go.
32:00Oh, oh, oh, oh.
32:01And just slower.
32:02Like slower.
32:02Slowly, slowly.
32:03Okay, slowly, slowly.
32:04Okay.
32:05Yes.
32:06Good job.
32:07Okay.
32:07Good doggies.
32:08I'm so sorry.
32:09You're doing super well.
32:11Uh-oh.
32:13Uh-oh.
32:14Okay, this way.
32:15More.
32:16More, more, more, more.
32:17Oh God.
32:18Oh God.
32:18Okay.
32:19Yep, yep.
32:20Up, yep.
32:21There we are.
32:22Oh, that's nice.
32:23Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
32:26There we go.
32:27Yeah, I'm hopeless.
32:28I can't drive a car.
32:31Well, I can, but I mean, I'm really not very good.
32:34And I can't cycle.
32:36And I can't do, I'm not very good at things like that.
32:40So this is great.
32:41This is good for my confidence.
32:43Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
32:44There we go.
32:48Oh, they're fantastic doggies.
32:50I love dogs.
32:52I love dogs.
32:52I'm obsessed.
32:53I mean, if I didn't have my husband, I would have about, I would have eight dogs.
32:57I would have enough dogs so that when I was in bed, it would be like a doggy blanket.
33:02Okay, that sounds good.
33:04Oh, and the light is so beautiful.
33:06Everything is gorgeous.
33:10And you're doing a good job.
33:12Oh.
33:15Ah, this is great fun.
33:17I didn't think I'd be able to do it, to be honest.
33:19I was very worried, especially when I crashed into a tree after the first 20 seconds.
33:24But now, I sort of think I've got the hang of it a little bit.
33:29Looking as a team.
33:30There we are.
33:32Good.
33:35Yay!
33:37Careful!
33:46Well, that was exhilarating.
33:48I absolutely loved it.
33:49And no wonder the Norwegian Exploders used wee dogs.
33:54No wonder they did, because that was the way ahead, wasn't it?
33:56Are you going to do that when you're big?
33:58Yeah.
33:59Yeah.
34:00You'll be great.
34:01You're gorgeous, aren't you?
34:03Yes, you are.
34:21Tough terrain and cold, dark winters mean few people live in the North Norwegian mountains.
34:27And where the roads end, small ferries cross icy waters connecting communities.
34:35This is Oldsford.
34:37It's a massive big fjord.
34:38And we can see over there the Lingan Mountains.
34:42They're known as the Alps of the North.
34:44Really imposing and atmospheric and very wild.
34:48This really is a wild north.
34:50At this latitude, I'm deep in the land of the Northern Lights.
34:55When darkness arrives, I'm hoping to witness a night sky spectacle.
34:59But while the sun's up, I'm meeting an entrepreneur whose craft feels deeply connected to Scotland.
35:07The more you travel around here, the more spectacular it becomes around every corner.
35:12There's views like this.
35:13Look at the mountains and the fjords and the colours.
35:16Look at these amazing colours.
35:21It's just brilliant.
35:28Aha!
35:29You must be Tor!
35:31Hello!
35:32Hi, hi.
35:32So good to meet you.
35:33Welcome to the Arctic.
35:35Ah, the Arctic.
35:36Yes.
35:36I thought it would be a lot colder.
35:37But it's actually okay.
35:38Well, be careful what you wish for.
35:40You might just get it.
35:41I know, I know.
35:41So tell me what you do here.
35:43We are the northernmost distillery in the world.
35:45You are?
35:46Yes.
35:47Tor is harnessing the unique Arctic environment to craft a whisky with a distinctly Norwegian
35:54character.
35:55We've got some advantages here.
35:56We've got really good water.
35:59It comes from, actually, that glacier up there.
36:01The water is very soft, which is very good for distillation and for blending.
36:05What about the barley, though?
36:06Do you have to get that in, or what do you do with that?
36:08Most of the barley we get in, some from Scotland, some from Norway.
36:11But the most interesting barley is the one we get from local farmers.
36:15This is the northernmost barley in the world.
36:16You cannot physically produce barley any further north.
36:20You heard about the angels' share, right?
36:21Angel's share?
36:22That's right.
36:23It's like the evaporation.
36:24Yes.
36:24And the angels have the whisky.
36:26Yeah, the angels fly over and they sniff up the whisky.
36:30Here we call it Odin's share.
36:32Odin's.
36:32Because Odin is our angel up there.
36:34Of course.
36:35And in Scotland you would have an angel's share or evaporation of whisky of 2%.
36:40Here we have between 0.5% and 1%.
36:43Which is so much lower.
36:44So very little evaporation.
36:45And why is that then?
36:46Because of the cold.
36:48Winter temperatures here are rarely above zero.
36:53But Tor has the perfect remedy for the cold.
36:56Charring the barrels unlocks the wood's natural sugars and flavours, giving the whisky its rich colour and warmth.
37:04Okay.
37:05This is super cool.
37:06I love making fires.
37:09Anytime we go camping, I'm the one to make the fire.
37:12But this is so cool.
37:15Brilliant.
37:16I never thought I'd get to but go with this.
37:18Whoa!
37:20Woo!
37:22I think my fringe might have got a little bit singed.
37:25Once the barrels are charred, they need to cool slowly in the crisp Arctic air.
37:33Okay, I have to roll this barrel up the hill to get it into storage.
37:38So, it's a bit wibbly wobbly, but they do about 200 of these every year here.
37:46And about 70% of all the whisky that we produce is actually exported.
37:58So, one day, oh, in a few years from now, in fact, maybe there'll be somebody sitting in New Zealand,
38:03having a wee dram from the whisky barrel that I charred, and then rolled up the hill.
38:11Yeah.
38:11What you have to do so that people can have a wee drink.
38:18Ah, we're nearly there, look.
38:21The whiskies here take their names from ancient Norse mythology,
38:25and now my barrel's been topped up, there's just one more job to do.
38:29Look at that beautiful colour.
38:31Oh, it's lovely.
38:32Yeah.
38:32Let me smell it.
38:34Yeah.
38:34This is made from Arctic barley.
38:36Well, this is a cask, like the one you burn.
38:39Oh, yes.
38:39So, it's been on for five years now, actually.
38:43It smells so good.
38:44And it's really fruity and a little bit grassy.
38:47Yeah, it is.
38:47It's strong, you're right, there is really fruity.
38:49It is strong.
38:49It would be between 56-57% ABV.
38:56Oh, jeez.
38:58Oh, that is a fine drop.
39:00The name of the whisky is important, isn't it?
39:03Oh, yeah.
39:03Yes.
39:04Our brand name is Bivrost.
39:06Bivrost.
39:07Yeah, it means the shaking bridge.
39:09The Vikings believed that the Northern Lights, they called that Bivrost.
39:13Northern Lights was considered a path from Midgard, where the humans lived, over to Asgard, where the gods lived.
39:19Right.
39:20And in Norse mythology, there are so many gods.
39:23There are so many worlds.
39:25There are so many stories.
39:26It's a plethora to choose from.
39:29So, we're picking these thousand-year-old stories and putting them into the naming of our whisky.
39:34Mmm.
39:36Mmm.
39:36So, it all ties in, doesn't it, with the Northern Lights?
39:39It does.
39:39So, maybe it will bring me some luck to actually see them.
39:41Do you think I've got a good chance?
39:43Oh, well, you have to say cheers in the old Norse language, like we did do it.
39:47Of course.
39:48Skål.
39:49Here's to the Northern Lights, and here's to your fine dram.
39:54Fantastic.
39:55Mmm.
39:56Oh, that'll put hairs on your chest.
39:59Clouds are forming above the distillery, but with my Bivrost blessing, I'm heading out
40:04to sea in search of clearer skies and the elusive aurora borealis.
40:09Well, it's been my lifelong ambition to see the Northern Lights, so I thought it'd be a good
40:14idea to get on a ship, to get out to sea, so there's no light pollution, so I can have
40:19the best
40:20possible view.
40:21Wish me luck.
40:27There's no way I'll witness the spectacle of the lights unless the clouds disperse.
40:32I'm hoping aurora chaser Tom Kers can use science to predict our best chance of success
40:39in the coming hours.
40:40So, what is going on up there?
40:43A lot of things.
40:45The Northern Lights are the end of a bunch of physical processes we just can't see.
40:50And it begins all the way with our star, the sun.
40:52The sun is filling our solar system with this amazing material that we call solar wind.
40:57We can't see the solar wind, but it's like a big electric current in space.
41:00And when the Earth's magnetic field catches and focuses that electric current around the
41:05North Pole and the South Pole, it can become so powerful that it causes the gases in the air
41:10above our heads to glow.
41:13The great thing is that right now, the data here is showing us the sun is producing very interesting
41:18solar wind, courtesy of this dark region here.
41:21And the graphs up here, which are showing us what is happening with the solar wind and what is happening
41:25with the
41:25Earth's magnetic field, are giving us an indication that everything's been quite active for the past few hours.
41:30OK.
41:31We know the science of it now, but hundreds of years ago, thousands of years ago, when people
41:36were looking up at the sky and seeing this display, what are some of the stories that they would tell?
41:42I think the diversity and beauty of the stories reflects the strange and quite unique nature of the Northern Lights.
41:50Coming from places, for example, like in the Mediterranean, where the Northern Lights were very seldom seen.
41:55So when they did occur, they were seen as ill portent, a sign of something terrible to come, like a
42:01war maybe, a bad omen.
42:02But from this region, the legends tend to be really beautiful, often connected to animals like foxes or whales or
42:09fish in the sea.
42:10And I think that holding onto those stories is important as we experience the lights.
42:15Because they do put us in touch with ancient people, the people who came before us and struggled to understand
42:20what they were seeing,
42:22putting perhaps something of themselves or the natural world, things that they found were important, into that phenomenon.
42:27It was really special to them.
42:29Really special. And also the colours. You know, I have seen images of them, many of them you've taken.
42:35And there's red in there. You know, there's green, but there's purples and all sorts of different colours.
42:41And that's because the aurora sort of mixes. And as we look through multiple curtains, our eyes perceive this incredible
42:47array of colours.
42:48And no photo can ever give you the sense of just how much the aurora can fill the sky, how
42:54small it will make you feel.
42:56But at the same time, how much it will lift you up into that phenomenon.
42:59It's thought the Vikings saw the Northern Lights as reflections of the Valkyries guiding female warriors to Valhalla.
43:07And they're just starting to appear.
43:09If you look with your eye, you see this bright patch of the sky here.
43:13Yep.
43:13And that is auroral light.
43:15Wow.
43:16It's not the kind of aurora that you imagine from the photos. It's not dancing yet.
43:19This is just pure auroral energy radiating into the sky.
43:23Once we get away from these clouds, if the aurora starts to pick up, we're going to see it dancing,
43:27coming overhead.
43:28Oh, wow.
43:28And it's going to be much more exciting.
43:30If we could shift this cloud, there's every chance we could see something really spectacular.
43:33That's what I can feel coming.
43:35Good.
43:35So just stay tuned.
43:36Okay.
43:39I've tried so many times to see this amazing spectacle.
43:43It's something I've wanted to do since I was a kid.
43:46Since I was five years old and got my first telescope.
43:49Never had the chance.
43:50So now all I have to do is just wait and hope.
43:59Heading further into the Norwegian Sea, the clouds are thinning
44:03and the Northern Lights are finally coming to life.
44:12Look, look, look, look down.
44:14Oh, wow.
44:18Oh, the colours.
44:20And it's like a big bridge.
44:25Gosh, no wonder there's so many legends and stories.
44:33Before it was like ribbons and then it was like streaks.
44:36And now it's like really bright, bright lights.
44:40It's like something you would see on another planet, isn't it?
44:49So, so well worth waiting for.
44:51I can't believe I'm actually seeing them.
44:53Wow, look at the sky.
44:58It's amazing.
45:00Absolutely extraordinary.
45:04Oh, so beautiful.
45:07Finally, finally, I've seen the Northern Lights.
45:22Northern Lights, a Northern welcome and the warmth of an Arctic nation.
45:27Make this a journey I'll never forget.
45:31Oh, my goodness.
45:34After a thousand miles of stunning Norwegian coastline, my voyage must come to an end.
45:40You know, I've learned so much, discovered so much about this country.
45:45And I feel very at home here.
45:47I was searching for more information about, well, my Northern cousins.
45:53The flowers.
45:55And I really do think there is a deep affinity.
45:58And that's been so satisfying.
46:00Oh, the fresh air.
46:02And the sunshine.
46:04And the noise of the sea.
46:06I'll take away some terrific memories.
46:12Norway really is so very special.
46:15It's a beautiful, beautiful country.
46:37A house that's packed deep with memories, even down to a light switch.
46:42It's an emotional start.
46:43A new series of George Clark's building home begins next Thursday at 8.
46:47Freeze drying and cloning cats.
46:50Plus, David Baddiel gets a tattoo of his, making him Cat Man once and for all.
46:54Stream or watch the last in the series tomorrow at 8.
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