DESTINATIONS NORWAY RAIL ESCORTED TOURS
SAMPLE PRODUCT
Great Rail Journeys’
12-day Lofoten & the Midnight Sun package starts at £2,395. The price includes eight nights’ B&B accommodation, some evening meals, standard- class rail travel, a three-night Hurtigruten coastal voyage
and return flights.
greatrail.com
◗ NORDLAND RAILWAY As gorgeous as Trondheim is, we’ve got a train to catch, and the next morning we set off for our expedition along the Nordland Railway. We’ll be travelling 450 miles north, across the Arctic Circle into Bodø. It’s a historic railway but our
transport is a wonderfully modern train – in our Komfort (or first) Class carriage we have free Wi-Fi, and tea and coffee. In another carriage, there’s even a children’s jungle gym. Shortly before the Second World
War, Trondheim was transformed by a rail link that connected it to Oslo. Prior to its completion, shipping heavy goods to the city involved arduous sailings through stormy seas. When the war started, the Germans announced plans to extend the railway to the Russian border, and thousands of prisoners were brought to Trondheim to help its construction. Most died as a result of the horrendous conditions, and by the time the war had finished, the railway had reached only Dunderland, 120 miles from Bodø. In 1962, the final girders were laid and the railway reached Bodø. It’s
shamefully easy to forget the grisly history as we rumble through the Norwegian wilderness, slipping past glassy lakes, lush forests and snow- dusted mountains. When we enter the Arctic Circle, someone pops open a bottle of Champagne and a Norwegian passenger leads us in a recital of the Norwegian anthem as we clink glasses and celebrate new-found friendships.
ABOVE AND BELOW: Nordland Railway
When we enter the Arctic Circle, a passenger leads us in a recital of the Norwegian anthem
◗ BODØ The next day, we venture out for an exploration of Bodø under a thick grey sky scarred with the contrail of an F16 that screeches above our heads. Because of its northern location near the border with Russia, the city’s airport is used by Norway’s air force, and with Vladimir Putin nudging his jets over the border with increasing frequency, Norwegian fighter jets are often scrambled at short notice. Bodø’s clearly a town that has been
built to cope with the harsh weather, but splashes of colour are provided by the library (a rainbow-hued, tech- filled paradise for children) and lots of quirky public art, including an
56
travelweekly.co.uk 12 November 2015
PICTURES: OIVIND HAUG; NORDLAND RAILWAY; NORWEGIAN TOURIST BOARD; BAKLANDET SKYDSSTATION
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76