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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.
00:26Growing 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.
00:42This is a place where the landscape is in charge.
00:47That 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.
00:59And 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.
01:31Look what I did.
01:33In a land full of wonder.
01:36What 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.
01:52Here we go.
01:57So join me as I explore this land and meet the people who call this spectacular and wild place their
02:05home.
02:17I'm sailing up Norway's stunning west coast.
02:23And as the towns and villages spread further apart, the days grow longer.
02:31I 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.
02:55Only one in ten Norwegians live in the Arctic.
02:59And as the population thins out, the wildlife gets richer.
03:08Now the captain's just made an announcement to say that there's orcas, killer whales, on this side of the ship.
03:18During the summer months, this is one of the world's best destinations for whale watching.
03:24Migrating herring attract humpback whales, sperm whales, and even orca close to the coastline.
03:32Oh, come on wee Keller whale, come here.
03:35Come on wee orca.
03:37Come and play.
03:39Who are you, baby?
03:42There, there.
03:43Oh, oh, oh my God, look!
03:45Oh, wow, look!
03:48Oh, wow!
03:50Ha, ha, ha, ha!
03:52Oh!
03:54Oh my goodness.
03:56Oh, that is so beautiful.
04:00Orcas are highly intelligent and social.
04:03They live in pods of around 50 whales.
04:06And you can often find four generations of the same family all travelling together.
04:12There's something, something really magical about whales, especially orcas.
04:22It's like the whale is wishing us a safe voyage.
04:31That voyage will begin on land in the wild Vesteråland region, before I set sail again along one of the
04:39world's most beautiful archipelagos, the Lufartan Islands.
04:45Norway's invested heavily in bridges over the last 50 years to connect its remote islands, giving me a whole new
04:53perspective from the road.
04:55The mountains are reaching into the clouds.
04:57It's absolutely spectacular.
05:00In winter, temperatures here are well below zero, and with high winds and rugged mountain terrain, only the hardiest creatures
05:09survive.
05:11Reindeer have roamed the north for around 10,000 years, migrating with the seasons, between grassy hills and a coastline
05:19rich in lichen.
05:21And they've always been cared for by an indigenous group of nomadic Scandinavian people, known as the Sami.
05:30I'm meeting Birit.
05:32Hello!
05:33Hi!
05:33Hi!
05:34And this wonderful creature.
05:36Hello!
05:38This is Muster.
05:39Hello Muster, how are you?
05:41You are absolutely beautiful.
05:43The herd is on the mountains, but we have a few reindeers down here.
05:48Hello!
05:50He wants to play.
05:52Come on you, cheeky face.
05:55Birit is one of around 3,000 Sami reindeer herders in northern Norway.
06:01Like many Sami, she crafts traditional textiles, but 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.
06:21We 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.
06:29Yeah!
06:29It's very close to our hearts.
06:32The 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, the reindeer would offer their
06:45bones for tools, hides for clothing and meat for food.
06:50I 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.
07:02We didn't hear anything else.
07:04Only the reindeers walking.
07:06That's very special for a young girl, a young child.
07:10That's an incredible connection.
07:11Yeah.
07:12When 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.
07:24It's family, right?
07:25You can say that.
07:27The reindeers are a family.
07:30The Sami people have fought hard to protect their culture.
07:35In an attempt to Norwegianize the country in the 19th century, their language and religion were banned.
07:41Their land was taken and their children removed from their homes.
07:46It's incredible that you have managed to hang on to your culture because it was against all the odds, wasn't
07:54it?
07:55It's remarkable.
07:56It really is a real testament to you.
07:58That's what makes us who we are.
08:01Of course.
08:01The knowledge of our ancestors.
08:03Of course it does.
08:03Of course it does.
08:05I can't believe he's sitting there and living us just two standing talking.
08:10He's just chilling out.
08:12You coming?
08:13Come on.
08:14Come on, me pal.
08:15Come on, me pal.
08:16Mushtar and Birat are taking me to see something very special.
08:21I can see the wee baby.
08:26Oh, it's gorgeous.
08:29That's a little baby calf.
08:31Right.
08:31It was born three days ago.
08:34Wow.
08:35So new.
08:36So new.
08:37So the calf is called Gabba and Gabba means white reindeer.
08:43A 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.
08:56It's so beautiful.
08:58Sit down.
09:00Hello, wee one.
09:01Hi.
09:02Hi, 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 lavoo and then we make some food.
09:19Sheltering each night in a traditional tent called a lavoo.
09:26There's just something so lovely about a fire like this, isn't there?
09:30Yeah.
09:32So now we can make some reindeer meat on the open fire.
09:35This is the ribs of the reindeer.
09:38So you can just put like that.
09:42Cooking 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.
10:02Birit learnt at a young age to make tools and clothes from hives, 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.
10:16And then we have the leather and inside here we have needles.
10:23Yeah.
10:23It's really clever.
10:24The Sammy people also practice a unique form of traditional singing called yoiking to honour the spirit of a person,
10:33plant or animal.
10:46Guess what animal it belongs to.
10:49Is that animal maybe a reindeer?
10:52No.
10:53A goat?
10:55No.
10:58It's a dog.
11:00It's a dog!
11:01Oh I love that!
11:01It's absolutely brilliant!
11:08I think this is done now.
11:10So we can take this smoked reindeer meat.
11:14I have to say this is my first inside barbecue!
11:17Yeah.
11:17I think it's the way forward.
11:21Oh!
11:21Oh, that is really good.
11:25That is fantastic.
11:27So tender.
11:29Yeah.
11:31Listen, this has been brilliant.
11:33The way that you are in touch with nature is wonderful.
11:37And it's so, so heartening that you're never going to lose that
11:42and you're going to pass it on.
11:43Thank you so, so much for talking to us and sharing your culture with us.
11:47It's been an absolute honour.
11:50I think I really learned today that the bond between the Sami people and reindeer
11:56is so very spiritual and it means so much to both of them.
12:01I'm so glad that they've managed to keep that culture and that tradition
12:05and pass it on because it's really, really special.
12:09Really special.
12:37I'm in the far north of Norway,
12:39travelling through some of the most spectacular countryside I've ever seen.
12:44I didn't expect the Arctic Circle to be like this.
12:48I thought it'd be really barren and there'd be nothing here.
12:50But it's so green.
12:53People have been farming this land ever since the Iron Age,
12:57working together with nature to survive in the cold climate.
13:02I'm on my way to a world-renowned farm called Kvitnesgard that's home to one of Norway's top chefs,
13:08Halvar Ellingsson.
13:11Hi!
13:12Hello!
13:13Hello!
13:14It's so nice to meet you.
13:16Oh, what a place you've got here.
13:18It's absolutely fantastic.
13:20It's so beautiful.
13:24Halvar made his name in Michelin-starred kitchens in Oslo,
13:27but five years ago, he returned home to Kvitnesgard,
13:31built by his great-great-grandfather on the edge 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.
13:45Yeah.
13:45In the city.
13:46What pulled you back here then?
13:48I'm cooking in Oslo.
13:49I've lived 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.
14:05Or showcasing the Arctic.
14:07So, yeah, it pushes us to be something else than a regular restaurant.
14:13Can't we just try some of your food?
14:15I'm so looking forward to it.
14:18Halvar's ancestors had to make do with whatever ingredients were available locally
14:22before the discovery of oil transformed the nation's wealth and access to produce.
14:29Halvar'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?
14:40Yeah.
14:40And stored at the end of the garden perfectly fresh.
14:44Oh, look at all of us.
14:45Look, it's like a treasure chest.
14:48Isn't it?
14:48Yeah.
14:49Oh, wow.
14:51Gee, look at the size of them.
14:55They're enormous.
14:56So, it's quite easy.
14:58Is it?
14:58Pulling it like this.
14:59Yeah.
15:00And then we're...
15:00And then just cutting them.
15:03Halvar's scallops are gathered by hand in cold Arctic water
15:07that slows their growth, giving them time to develop dense, flavoursome meat.
15:13It's not opening though, bud.
15:15And the fresher they are, the tougher they are to prise open.
15:20See, you've got to have the gnat.
15:22See, I don't have the gnat.
15:23Ah, the twist.
15:23Right.
15:24Oh, that's a good one, right?
15:25Yeah.
15:26Let's bring this back to the kitchen, yeah.
15:29Sustainable Arctic scallops successfully harvested.
15:33Fantastic.
15:33Look at that.
15:34We've got our tea.
15:35But before I taste Halvar's award-winning food,
15:39I want to discover more about life
15:41and one of the harshest environments on Earth.
15:46Hello.
15:47Hey.
15:48It's early spring, and long days mean long schedules.
15:52How are you?
15:52I was just about to start feeding the animals.
15:55If you want to help me out with that, that would be great.
15:58I would love to.
15:58Yeah, you can come, come.
16:00Yeah.
16:02While Halvar focuses on the cooking,
16:04Catherine Torreson leads on the farm,
16:07braving the Arctic conditions to produce vegetables,
16:10herbs and meat.
16:15Oh, they're so cute.
16:16How 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
16:25with extra protein when they're home from their wild pasture.
16:30Okay, this is a big fight.
16:34Take two of these, tilt it a little bit.
16:37Like you're feeding a baby?
16:38Yeah.
16:39Hey, oh, oh, guys, guys, no!
16:41No, no, no!
16:42Are you skipping the queue?
16:44You're all going to catch.
16:46No fighting.
16:47Hang on.
16:48That's it.
16:49Well done!
16:51So we have to give them milk at least the first six weeks of their life,
16:56and then gradually they will start to eat grass.
16:59Go on, 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.
17:07Yeah.
17:07Yeah.
17:08I know.
17:10You've already had some.
17:12Aye.
17:15Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
17:19Everybody 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.
17:30Hello.
17:31Hello.
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.
17:49That's good.
17:50Right in that spot there.
17:51That's good.
17:52Right there.
17:54I never thought I would be getting a baby goat massage in the Arctic Circle.
18:03The team at KvitnessGuard use only natural fertilisers and pesticides, and there's a use
18:09for absolutely everything.
18:13We have some food scraps, leftovers from yesterday.
18:16Uh-huh.
18:17So we'll feed these to the pigs.
18:19So everything gets used.
18:21It's very.
18:21It does.
18:22Eco-friendly.
18:22That circular farm ethos means the entire animal will feature on the menu, from nose
18:28to tail.
18:29Hello.
18:31Hiya, Piggy Biggy.
18:32She just got piglets three weeks ago.
18:36Oh, look at them.
18:37Yeah.
18:38Oh, no.
18:39So cute.
18:40They haven't had food for some hours.
18:43Yeah.
18:43So if you just want to...
18:44Hello.
18:45Before they're injecting the fats.
18:46Just take the box and just spread it a little bit around.
18:50Oh, right.
18:50Okay.
18:51Yes.
18:51Hey, guys.
18:52Pigs 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 and shit, essentially.
19:04Yeah.
19:04I've never done this before.
19:06I've never been down on a farm.
19:07Clearly, I was supposed to in another life.
19:10So it's really good fun.
19:11Mmm.
19:15Mmm.
19:16With the animals all fed, I've earned my own supper.
19:22Halvar has won a string of prestigious awards, and been crowned Norway's youngest ever Chef
19:28of the Year.
19:29His menus change with the seasons, designed to bring his beautiful Arctic surroundings straight
19:35onto the plate.
19:39Beautiful scallops.
19:40Look at those.
19:41This is the one we cleaned earlier.
19:43We're going to pan fry them.
19:44Right.
19:46Halvar's ethos is to use only the finest local ingredients, and let the quality shine
19:52through.
19:54Only scallops, butter, and a bit of salt.
19:57That's it?
19:58Yeah.
19:58Well, if the ingredients are so good, you don't need to add anything else.
20:02No.
20:03While I baste them with butter from a small local farm, Halvar whips up a light scallop broth
20:08to intensify the flavour.
20:12Oh, look at that.
20:14Smells fantastic.
20:16Creamy and buttery and lovely.
20:17Mmm.
20:19Oh.
20:21You will never get, like, these fresh scallops in any restaurants.
20:24That is just so wonderful.
20:25It'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.
20:39Smoking, preserving, pickling, and fermenting to create future ingredients.
20:45Zero waste is a guiding principle, so this next dish is designed to use up every last
20:50bit of lamb.
20:52This is lamb's neck, a cut of the meat that's usually not used that much.
20:57Right.
20:57We're going to dip it in sourdough.
20:59Right.
20:59And fennel seeds.
21:00And we're going to deep fry it.
21:01Just like that lollipop with bone.
21:03Yeah.
21:06Once coated, the lamb lollipops are fried until golden.
21:10Eek, 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.
21:20Get it all around.
21:21Get 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.
21:48Halvar's tasting menus are normally 23 courses long, but I've got the rest of Norway to explore,
21:55so I'm skipping straight to dessert.
21:57Oh, look.
21:59And it's a sweet, savoury treat that combines traditional home cooking with 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.
22:14And then salted leg of lamb.
22:16Ah!
22:20Oh, that's gorgeous.
22:21It's so sweet.
22:23I don't expect it to be sweet.
22:24Oh, but then you can taste the sort of meats 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
22:40the world to enjoy.
22:42You'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.
22:52And there is this thing that I've found, you know, what I've discovered, Norwegians have got this closeness to the
22:57land, you know, closeness to the outdoors.
23:00Yeah, we try.
23:01No, it's great.
23:02It's wonderful.
23:03I love it.
23:05You 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.
23:28It'll catch on.
23:35For the next leg of my journey, I'm sailing through one of the world's most beautiful archipelagos, the Lufartan Islands,
23:42a 100 mile chain of rugged mountains rising from the sea.
23:48Here, 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, the
24:05very beautiful, very narrow Trollfjord.
24:09Easy to get into, but quite the challenge to get out of.
24:15Our ship has to execute a perfect three-point turn in a narrow channel flanked by towering rock.
24:25And that's Captain Larsh's job up here on the bridge.
24:29How narrow is it?
24:31It's 200 metres wide and 2.5 kilometres long.
24:35OK, and what about this ship?
24:36It's 125 metres.
24:38125 metres, and you're going into something that's 200 metres.
24:42That's not a lot of room to manoeuvre.
24:46No, there's not so much space.
24:49Not so much space. That's an understatement.
24:52If the wind and the currents is strong, it could be difficult.
24:58Captain Larsh has a job for me too.
25:01It's me. Right, this is quite serious.
25:05I'm now the lookout's first mate, making sure we don't veer too close to the rocks.
25:10So watch your steps.
25:12And as difficult as this manoeuvre will be...
25:14Aha!
25:15...I can see why they take the risk.
25:23This is spectacular, isn't it? Look at this!
25:28When I think of Norway, I think of this kind of thing.
25:31You've got the cliffs looming right up.
25:35And it's very, very narrow.
25:37It's actually a really difficult manoeuvre.
25:40I wouldn't even like to do it in a smart car, never mind a big ship like this.
25:45I'll be helping able sea woman Veronica keep watch at the bow,
25:50ready to drop the anchor in an emergency.
25:53It's really narrow, eh?
25:55Yes, it's not much room, it's only a few metres.
25:58A few metres?
25:58Yes.
25:59Wow!
26:00Do you ever get used to how beautiful this is?
26:03No, definitely 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, slowly carving a deep gorge through the mountain,
26:21but not the Trollfjord.
26:24They say that many, many years ago there were two trolls fighting over this land,
26:29and one of the trolls, it lost its balance and fell,
26:34and then his axe fell out of his hand and he made the Trollfjord.
26:38I know the geologist will tell us all about the history,
26:42but I prefer to think that a troll made this with his axe
26:46when he was really, really, really annoyed.
26:48LAUGHTER
26:51Definitely.
26:53It's the big moment for Captain Larch,
26:56and 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,
27:07each with a thousand horsepower.
27:10But this is about precision, not power.
27:14It's very hard to manoeuvre here,
27:17so they have to be very, very concentrated at the bridge.
27:20With such a small margin for error,
27:23the captain has to bring the ship's nose right up to the wall
27:26to give its rear end room to swing round.
27:30Well, this is a big ship, and that is a massive cliff,
27:34and we are very close.
27:48Norway's stunning Luftheten archipelago
27:51is a remote wilderness of rugged mountain islands.
27:56We've sailed into the Trollfjord,
27:58a narrow inlet famed for its raw beauty.
28:02But to leave, the ship must execute a tight 180-degree turn,
28:08flanked with towering, unforgiving rock.
28:11We are getting pretty close.
28:13Yes.
28:14It feels as if I'm going to be able to touch the wall 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.
28:26Getting very close.
28:30Squeaky bum time.
28:32I think a little bit more.
28:34A little bit more? Yeah.
28:37Spectacular.
28:39It's a triumph for the captain,
28:42turning the ship with just metres to spare.
28:44Veronica, we made it.
28:46I never had any doubts.
28:50After all that, a little something to soothe the nerves.
28:55Hello. Hi.
28:57Where we Scots have whisky,
29:00the Norwegians have aquavit, or aquavita, the water of life.
29:04It's basically made from potatoes,
29:07infused with herbs and spices,
29:09and it's always got caraway in it.
29:11That's the main spice.
29:12The aquavit has been matured
29:14in sherry oak casks on a sea voyage across the equator.
29:18And it packs a punch.
29:20Oh, that is strong.
29:22That'll put hairs on your chest.
29:24Oy yi yi yi yi.
29:26Should really say skull.
29:28To the troll.
29:29For making that fantastic fjord with his axe.
29:32Cheers, troll.
29:36Mmm.
29:38Freaky.
29:39Whoa.
29:45We're heading to the Lufthans' unofficial capital, Svalvir,
29:50which translates as chilly fishing village.
29:55Beautiful statue.
29:56The fisherman's wife stands watch over the harbour,
30:00looking out to sea, hoping for the return of her husband and sons.
30:04It reminds you of what prices paid when the fishermen go out.
30:08They don't know whether they're coming back.
30:09Fishing has been the Lufthans' main industry for millennia.
30:13Look how clear the sea is.
30:16And the waters here are still great providers.
30:19But I'm visiting a thriving business where there's not a fish in sight.
30:24Hello.
30:26Hello.
30:26Hi.
30:27Really good to meet you.
30:30Angelita and Tamara have built an empire
30:32from harvesting seaweed straight from the ocean floor.
30:38Northern Norway has some of the world's most extreme underwater currents
30:42that bring cold, nutrient-rich water up to the surface,
30:46creating perfect conditions for seaweed, the ocean's superfood.
30:53Who knew you could do so much with seaweed?
30:55No, we 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,
31:06baiting long lines, stacking stock fish,
31:08but seaweed was never on the menu and no-one talked about it.
31:13Angelita called on her university friend Tamara,
31:16whose Japanese mother served seaweed with most of her meals.
31:20You had seaweed in your lunchbox when you grew up.
31:23Of course.
31:24It wasn't so strange for me to hear these questions about seaweed,
31:28and of course we can eat it and of course it tastes good.
31:31Now the two have made seaweed their lives,
31:34harvesting for top chefs across Norway
31:36and making seaweed soaps and snacks.
31:38We are going harvesting.
31:41Harvesting.
31:41Today.
31:42So are you going to join us?
31:43Absolutely.
31:44Get suited up.
31:44Of course.
31:45Jump into the Arctic Ocean.
31:47I shall.
31:47After that we'll make some salad.
31:50Arctic waters demand some thermal protection.
31:53I think I might need a...
31:56Oh my gosh.
31:57Yeah.
31:58Okay.
31:58So I feel like I'm a seal.
32:00Let's go for a swim.
32:01Let's go for a swim.
32:03Okay, let's go.
32:05Angelita and Tamara harvest from several local beaches,
32:08where seaweed thrives in the powerful Napsdrauman current.
32:14So I'm all set to go harvesting.
32:16The only thing is, it's going to be really cold
32:20and also apparently these are the strongest currents in the world.
32:26So I'm slightly apprehensive, but you know,
32:29I've got all my tools in here.
32:32Got my big knife.
32:34To cut the seaweed.
32:35So, yeah, here we go.
32:39The girls have done this before.
32:41It'll be fine.
32:45The rocks are slippery.
32:47The water is around seven degrees.
32:49And the currents are fierce.
32:52Ooh.
32:53That is a strong current, isn't it?
32:55It is.
32:56Wow.
32:57Way more.
32:58No, no, no, no.
33:00Oh!
33:02Ooh!
33:03Angelita and Tamara brave these waters all year round,
33:07whatever the conditions,
33:08to harvest a broad range of seaweed and kelp.
33:13We harvest by hand.
33:14We 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.
33:23And then it's like cutting, like, the grass,
33:26and it continues to grow.
33:27Yes.
33:27So it's a very sustainable way.
33:29So I can show you a little bit how we do it.
33:32Please, yeah.
33:33I'll just find a tree.
33:35Oh, that's a good bit.
33:36Yeah.
33:37So I can find the end and then I cut.
33:41That's a good big bit.
33:43That's a good big bit.
33:44That's a great bit.
33:44Look at that.
33:46There's a hidden forest under the water.
33:49This wakami seaweed can reach up to three metres long
33:52and grows back rapidly,
33:54if you cut it just right.
33:57Here's your knife.
33:59OK.
34:00Can you find that?
34:01Yeah.
34:02Yes.
34:03And then you just feel it and then you cut.
34:05Yep.
34:05Woo!
34:06Perfect.
34:07Great.
34:08OK.
34:09That's good.
34:10The rich nutrients that nourish the seaweed
34:13also feed plankton, critical for all marine life,
34:16from crustaceans to fish and seabirds,
34:19and even those beautiful whales I spotted earlier.
34:23More than 400 varieties of seaweed grow in Norway
34:27and some of the flavours are quite unexpected.
34:31This is the truffle seaweed.
34:34Yeah.
34:34And you can actually taste a little bit just fresh.
34:36You only need a tiny wee bit.
34:38Tiny wee bit.
34:38Yep.
34:39There we go.
34:40I got it.
34:40I got it.
34:40You got it.
34:41You got it.
34:42And...
34:43That tastes like truffle.
34:44Yep.
34:44Oh my goodness.
34:45That just bursts in your mouth.
34:47You can also eat these.
34:48And these are like the texture of a canter.
34:50It's got that sort of brainy, vinegary.
34:54Mmm.
34:55Fantastic.
34:55This one here.
34:57You put it in a bath and you get all the...
34:59this sort of jelly, gooey substance out of it
35:02and it's amazing for your skin.
35:04You get that in all the posh styles.
35:06Yep.
35:06It's from the seaweed.
35:06Yep.
35:06It's from the seaweed.
35:07Yeah.
35:10So that's where it comes from.
35:11It's incredible that you harvest all this from the sea.
35:15And you know the great thing about seaweed
35:17is you don't need fresh water for it to grow.
35:20Unlike most vegetables that we farm on land.
35:23Sure, of course.
35:23And you don't need any fertiliser.
35:25You don't need pesticides.
35:27All it grows off is sunlight and nutrients in the water.
35:31So it's really as a super food.
35:34You've just got to come in and get it.
35:36Yeah, we did it.
35:36You did it.
35:37We did it.
35:37Yeah.
35:38I think we've actually got enough for the salad at least.
35:40I think we have.
35:41So maybe we're just making our way in.
35:44So you harvested in some wild conditions.
35:46Yeah, it was wild, wasn't it?
35:47Yeah, I think you're part of our harvest team now.
35:50Yay!
35:50Part of the harvest team.
35:51So if you ever want a summer job,
35:55you made it just 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.
36:06In Norway, seaweed has been served up for at least a thousand years.
36:12If you look all the way back to the Viking age,
36:15we 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 to see if it contained so much vitamin C that they avoided scurvy.
36:33Now that's interesting, isn't it?
36:35Yeah.
36:35We're making something more civilised than a beer snack.
36:38A warm wakami salad, starting with a seaweed magic trick.
36:45So, this water is boiling.
36:47Mm-hmm.
36:48And we're just going to pop some seaweed in here.
36:49Yeah.
36:51Have a look at the colour.
36:53Ah, look at that.
36:54The brown pigments dissolve at high temperatures,
36:58leaving behind bright green chlorophyll, full of antioxidants.
37:03Beautiful.
37:03Isn't that great?
37:05It's like emerald, isn't it?
37:06Yeah.
37:06Lovely.
37:07And then with this, I think we're just going to chop this up nicely into salad-sized pieces.
37:12Right.
37:12So, if you want to chop it.
37:14To complement the seaweed's umami taste, Tamara's adding noodles,
37:18salted cucumbers and fresh local prawns.
37:22So, we're just going to mix these all together.
37:26Adding a dressing of soy, sugar and vinegar.
37:30Smells so fresh.
37:31Oh.
37:32That briny sort of brine smell.
37:34I like that.
37:36From sea to bowl in under an hour.
37:38Look how pretty that is.
37:40Thanks.
37:40So, I'm going to have a go.
37:42Mm-hmm.
37:46That's good.
37:47Yeah.
37:47That's really good.
37:48Yep.
37:51Norwegians do seem to have unlocked the secrets of taking nourishment from nature,
37:56while 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.
38:10Mm.
38:11I'm a convert.
38:12This is really good.
38:15Seaweed is the way forward.
38:28Norway's stunning Lufthetang archipelago is made up of around 80 islands linked by dozens of bridges.
38:37Just 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.
38:47So full of character.
38:49Everybody lives so close to the water.
38:51There's some lovely wee fishing boats down there.
38:56Fishing has always been the lifeblood of the Lufthetans.
39:00Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the sea here never freezes.
39:04And the plentiful fish have long attracted a creature I've wanted to meet face to face my entire life.
39:11Well, I am so excited.
39:13We are going on an excursion to see sea eagles.
39:16Now, 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.
39:25But I've got my fingers crossed.
39:27Right.
39:28Ah, hello.
39:30Hello there.
39:30How 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.
39:38That'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.
39:54Here we go.
40:04This is amazing.
40:06It's blowing all the cobwebs away.
40:11This is the way to wake up.
40:23I really feel as if I'm in the Arctic properly.
40:28The air is so pure and so fresh.
40:31And the scenery.
40:34Wow, look at it.
40:35Amazing.
40:38Makes you feel about this size.
40:41Sea eagles are territorial, seeking cause with tall mountains and good visibility.
40:47Like the Lufthans or Orkney would have glimpsed them from afar.
40:52I 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.
41:02We are heading out to a cluster of rocks to see if any eagles are hunting for prey.
41:08Yeah?
41:09Isn't it?
41:10Oh my God!
41:11And we are in luck.
41:13So, here they are.
41:15Wow!
41:18Oh!
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, with wingspans of up to
41:30two and a half metres.
41:31From here you get a sense of how powerful they are.
41:34You know, with the beak and the massive talons.
41:38The eagles can live for up to 30 years, and they mate for life.
41:42They're probably a couple, do we think?
41:44That have had an argument.
41:47Look at them looking at us with disdain.
41:51The king!
41:52The king of birds!
41:55Half a century ago, the population was in real trouble, with eagles killed by hunters
42:00and farmers safeguarding their flocks.
42:04Sea eagles were 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, saying that they
42:22just dropped the lamb from the sky, straight on the flat field.
42:26Sheesh!
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, and hundreds of chicks have
42:38been 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, and 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?
43:10So 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.
43:39Wow!
43:41Look at that!
43:41Look, look, look, look!
43:46See what she comes?
43:47Coming in.
43:49Oh, wow.
43:50Three, two, one.
43:54Oh, my goodness!
43:56I can see the white tail, which is very typical for an adult bird.
44:01Here she comes.
44:01Here she comes.
44:02Coming in there.
44:05Got it.
44:05We have another one.
44:06Hey, hey!
44:09Coming in.
44:10Coming in.
44:11Three, two, one.
44:12Oh, wow.
44:14Oh, my goodness.
44:15Look at that!
44:16Ah, ha, ha!
44:18In 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.
44:36You know, when you've wanted to see something for so long,
44:38it's actually really emotional, to be honest.
44:43Oh, jeez, I 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
44:57that I think we've lost a bit with nature.
45:02I mean, just to sit here and look at these magnificent birds.
45:08It's just so good to see them where they belong, and, and doing so, so well.
45:14They're thriving, aren't they?
45:15Which is just wonderful.
45:17It's a magical end to an epic leg of my journey.
45:21These Arctic islands will stay with me forever.
45:26Oh, oh, the fresh air, and the sunshine, and the noise of the sea.
45:34I think Norwegians have got a fantastic sense of contentment.
45:40And I feel contented, vastly underrated, and something that we all strive for.
45:47And I've found it here, in Norway.
45:51I'm just going to lie here.
45:53I may be some time.
45:58Next time, I'm on a mission to catch Norway's most iconic fish.
46:02Oh, look what I did! Look what I did!
46:05Following in the footsteps of the great polar explorers.
46:10I'm so sorry about banging into a tree.
46:12On a quest for the greatest light show on Earth.
46:15Look at the sky!
46:17It is incredible.
46:22And Marora at the same time next week.
46:25Now, David Baddiel don't dig dogs.
46:27He'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
46:35cat cafe.
46:36Well, 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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