Ice rift on frozen lake Torneträsk in winter, Abisko national park, Lapland, Sweden

Swedish Interlude Part 1 – Abisko

Ice rift on frozen lake Torneträsk in winter, Abisko national park, Lapland, Sweden

Photo: Winter on a frozen lake Torneträsk, Abisko national park, Sweden.  February 2014

Despite their close proximity, they touch each other, there is often some difficulty traveling between Sweden and Norway.  This experience becomes more pronounced the further north one travels.  So traveling from the Lofoten Islands, Norway, to Kiruna, Sweden becomes, unfortunately, a multi day affair when depending on public transport.  And these multiple days of travel often require a night in Narvik, Norway.

Sunday morning, the 16th of February, was the date of departure for my Australian companions of the last 10 days.  I needed to be in Kiruna, Sweden not too late in the afternoon of February 20th.  So I was left with a choice.  To go immediately to Sweden or not.

In my original planning, I had counted on staying on Lofoten until the morning of the 19, before then traveling on to Kiruna (via a night in Narvik).  But with my hopes of getting in a bit of time on my skis, and pretty much no snow on Lofoten at the time, I decided to head east a bit early and break up the journey for a few days in Abisko national park.  So early on Sunday morning I was dropped off at the bus station in Leknes and began my journey to Sweden.

By mid afternoon I was in Narvik.  Frustratingly close to Abisko, yet the last trains and busses of the day had already departed.  If Narvik has any redeeming charms, I have yet to discover them.  But perhaps this is only because I attempt to spend as little time as possible in the city.  I thought about camping the the forest, but soon decided a night in the hostel would be a better idea, the nights are long and cold in February, better to have some warmth.

The morning arrived soon enough and saw me on the train to Abisko, Sweden.  The fickle grip of this year’s winter finally began to strengthen as the train headed east along the fjords finally climbing into the mountains of the Norwegian/Swedish border.  The last villages in Norway are empty, lonely places in winter.  Katterat, Haugfjel, and Bjørnfjell, the last stops before reaching the Swedish winter resort town of Riksgränsen.  Though as the winter had been dry on Lofoten, it had also been warm here in the Swedish border mountains and the resorts were just beginning to open up for an unusually late start to the season.

It was under a gently falling snow that the train finally reached my destination, Abisko Turiststation, the STF run hostel/hotel is the center of tourism for Abisko national park.  Arriving on a Monday, and in the middle of February, I hadn’t thought about any needs of making a reservation.  So it was with great surprise, that upon heading to the reservation to get a dorm bed for the next three nights, I was informed I had gotten the last one!  I guess I could have always gone and set up my tent in the forest if needed.

Abisko has become something of a northern lights watching hotspot in the last couple years.  Having only previously been in the area in the, now to my understanding, relatively quiet period of autumn, I was unaware of how popular of an activity this was, with people from far and wide around the globe braving the cold in hopes of seeing those elusive green lights.  More importantly for me though, there was snow.  And as I turned out the light after a warm meal of spaghetti and (Swedish) meatballs, there was still a light snow falling from the sky.   Moments into my sleep, the phone beeped with the arrival of a text message from Lofoten: ‘Go outside!’

I looked out the window just in case, but I already knew the result.  While I was stuck under snowy skies in Sweden, the sky over Lofoten was filled with Auroras, where I should have been had I not chosen to leave a few days early.

Now if you’re not in Abisko specifically to see northern lights, it can still be a rather sleepless experience.  Despite the bad weather on most nights, the other 4 people I shared the room with were in and out all night long and random intervals; banging doors, leaving lights on, etc. I had been spoiled with some good northern lights on Lofoten in the previous weeks, so it would take something special for me to go stand around in the cold for hours to wait for something to appear, which they did briefly on my 3rd night, but not enough to see me outside.

I passed my days walking around the frozen lake Torneträsk, and though I knew the ice was thick, strong enough to hold a train, I was told, the constant creeks and moaning of the ice left me with an uncomfortable nagging in the back of my mind as I looked to the shoreline over 1 kilometre away.  A few other times I headed out into the forest on skis.  But for anyone having been to Abisko before, and knowing what beautiful landscapes hide behind those mountains to the south, the immediate Abisko area is a bit anticlimactic.  Soon it was time for the next part of my Journey.

Thursday morning, February 20th, I was standing on the road outside the hostel to catch the bus into Kiruna.  There, I would meet my girlfriend as she arrived from the UK later in the afternoon, before heading into the mountains at Nikkaluokta to begin the journey back to Abisko on skis along the Kungsleden Trail.  Or so was the plan.

Ice rift on frozen lake Torneträsk in winter, Abisko national park, Lapland, Sweden

Photo: Ice rift on lake Torneträsk in winter, Abisko national park, Sweden.  February 2014

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over Olstind mountain peak and fjord near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten Islands February 2014 – Departure

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over Olstind mountain peak and fjord near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights fill the sky over Olstind, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

The sky was once again filled with clouds as evening came to Hamnøy.  We were mostly off to an early bed, Michael the only one remain up.  Sometime after I had drifted into to sleep I heard a knock at the door and Michael saying, ‘LIGHTS!’  Quicker than a fireman, I was back into my clothes and out the door.  Luckily, one of the benefits of staying at Eliassen Rorbuer is that you can more or less walk out the door and have a fantastic view across the fjord to Olstind.  It turns out we were somewhat late to the party though, as about 15-20 photographers and tripods were already lined up on the rocks.  During a lull in the aurora, Rod, Andrew and I (Michael was shooting a time-lapse), set off around the fjord to find some new compositions.  There is an abandoned Rorbu a little ways away that I have had my eye on for a northern lights image, so we went there and had aurora filling the sky for the next hour or so before once again returning into the night.

With a good weather forecast for Wednesday, Andrew and I made the decision to go camp out at Bunes beach for the night while the other two stayed behind.  I thought we would be alone, but somewhat unfortunately, a group of exchange students also joined us on the ferry, then proceeded to walk the length of the beach along the high tide line, leaving the otherwise unspoiled scene full of a thousand footprints before leaving to catch the afternoon ferry back to Reine.  So much for that.

The temperature was brisk, and a strong, blustery wind hampered any attempts of enjoying our evening campfire.  But with no snow, I could hardly call it winter camping.  Though in mid February, the beach is yet to receive any direct sunlight, so you’re left staring at the surrounding granite peaks and dreaming of the sun’s warmth.  Under clear skies we did our best to stay up into the night.  But in the cold and the wind and the darkness there is only so much willpower one has before the calling of a warm sleeping bag becomes overpowering.  So before 6:00pm my eyes were closing.  The trick though, is to set your alarm for every 30 minutes or so to keep an eye on the sky. After a couple hours Andrew woke me from outside my tent.  A green glow had appeared on the horizon.

It is a painful process to leave a warm sleeping bag, put on freezing clothes, and enter into the freezing night.  We walked to the beach, the sand frozen solid, making progress easier.  With the crashing waves at out feet we watched the sky, but it had now grown silent.  The wind was stronger now, and colder.  After sometime standing around, the sky remaining quite, a warm sleeping bag seemed like a nice alternative.  By the light of our headlamps and the glow of the moon we returned to our silent camp.

Returning back to Hamnøy the following morning, I spent the day lounging around and enjoying the warmth or the Rorbu while the others braved the bad weather in search of photos.

A couple more stormy days followed before it was soon time for the Australians to head home and for me to head east.  It was a cold Sunday morning that I was dropped off at the bus stop (that is being generous) in Leknes, destination Sweden, and snow.

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over abandoned Rorbu cabin, Valen, near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern lights rise in sky above abandoned rorbu, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Tent pitched below Helvetestind mountain peak at Bunes beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Camping below Helvetestind at Bunes beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Mountains rise in distace over Bunes beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Evening light over Bunes beach, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Boat sheds and mountains reflection on Selfjord in winter, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Calm reflection of Selfjord, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Waves crash against rocky coastline at Skagsanden beach, Flakstad, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Waves crash against the rocks at Skagsanden beach, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Silhouette shapes of empty cod drying racks at sunrise, Toppøy, near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Sunrise beyond empty stockfish drying racks, Toppøy, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Waves wash over coastal rocks at Uttakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten Islands February 2014 – Arrival Of The Aussies

Frozen sea ice along winter coastline, near Nedredal, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Ice formations on the coast of Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

After the previous night’s sunset at Å, I was hoping for one last view of Reine in the morning, but alas, I rose to a heavy mist falling from the sky.  It was now Friday, February 7th, I had been on the island for a week.  A bit ahead of schedule, perhaps because I could feel the pull of a warm shower, I began my journey back to Stamsund to meet with the Australians.  We didn’t have any firm plans of meeting, just ‘sometime after lunch,’ as abstract of a term as that can be.  But with the day starting as it was, I figured they wouldn’t be getting out of the car much either.

No one was around when I arrived, and I’m not even sure if Roar was expecting me or not, but I called and announced my arrival and was given directions to our accommodations for the next days.  Opening the door to the cabin, I was greeted by a rush of warm air, something I hadn’t felt for days – I’m not sure my fleece or long underwear came off at all during the previous week.  A bit gross, I know, but that’s the way it is; you don’t have to worry about how bad you smell when you’re alone.

Soon however, a car, packed to the brim with three Australians – Rod, Michael, and Andrew – and accompanying luggage and camera gear pulled up outside.  You might remember that I traveled on Lofoten with Rod Thomas last year in the spring.  Now he and a couple friends were back for the winter experience, although the winter thus far was proving to have less snow than last year’s spring.  So it goes on Lofoten.  Michael Fletcher is a film maker and was there for a bit of behind the scenes documenting the trip, while Andrew Cooney, at just 18 years old, is a fellow landscape photographer looking for a bit of adventure in the north.

Not sitting around to waste any time in the short arctic days of winter, and with the weather seeming to improve a bit, the car was unpacked of unnecessary luggage and re-packed with people and cameras to hit the road.

Other than the popular beaches of Utakleiv, Haukland, Unstad, and Eggum, much of the central Lofoten island of Vestvågøy is often ‘drive through’ country for most photographers, as they move between bases at Svolvær in the east and Reine in the west.  I’m not sure why this is, probably because there are fewer roadside attractions than the other islands, especially Moskenesøy, where you barely need to walk more than a few meters from the car for something scenic. Vestvågøy requires more use of your legs to fully explore it’s character, but this doesn’t mean there are not some seldom photographed scenes that do make an appearance from time to time, and it’s actually my favourite island for Autumn.  In winter however, there is the difficulty of the sun.  Or more exactly, where the sun is.

The light of the winter months on Lofoten is very southernly directed, rising a bit to the southeast and setting a bit to the southwest.  And south means the open waters of the Vestfjord and, to put it bluntly, often not as scenic of a coastline as the northern side of the islands.  Of course there is Reine and Olstind, but to attempt to pull out a variety of images for multiple locations can be difficult at times with the sun low on the horizon and many areas receiving no direct sunlight.  This, combined with the often heavy cloud, means there are a limited number of locations where one can attempt, with an interesting composition, to photograph direct light.

We headed east from Stamsund, along the coastal route to Valberg and beyond.  In normal winters, where the islands are covered in snow from sea to summit, almost everything can be scenic here.  This year however, with the lower elevations mostly consisting of the drab, soggy brown grasses and heather of winter, it took a bit more effort to find something interesting.  So with little snow, ice is the next best thing.

I took us to the area around Dal, where there can be some interesting bog and moorland that sometimes freezes nicely.  But upon arrival, the ponds weren’t so interesting, but the ice covered coastal shallows, with some scenic views towards Vågakallen in the distance, were.  The sky didn’t do too much, but I found the ice textures to be fascinating.  Soon we were back at the hostel and I was enjoying my first proper dinner in days.

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over frozen ice river and mountain landscape, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern lights shine in the mountains of Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in sky over frozen ice river and mountain landscape, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights and frozen river on Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

What had been a non-eventful, and cloudy, sunset turned into clear skies as the evening progressed.  We headed out into the darkness and began the wait for Auroras.  A little after 9:00pm, they began to appear, though mostly quite faint.   We first headed to Myrland beach, as it gives a nice overview of the northern sky, with some scenery for the foreground.  But the lights quickly faded after our arrival so we headed back to Storsandnes beach to see if things would be better.

This was the near the location of the ice rivers which I had photographed a few days earlier, and wondered if it would make a good compositions for northern lights, should I get the chance.  So with the Aurora there, but not overly active, I headed up the hill with Andrew to see what I could come up with.  Nothing spectacular as it turns out, mostly because the sky began to cloud over again.  But I saw potential for the future with better conditions.  It was nearly 2:00am when we pulled back into Stamsund.  Luckily I had enough sleep reserves from the previous week already built up!

Saturday was grey and mostly uneventful.

Reflection of Vågakallen mountain peak over coastline, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Vågakallen reflection, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Frozen sea ice along winter coastline, near Nedredal, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Coastal ice formations, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Dusting of snow covers sand at Uttakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: A dusting of snow covers the sand at Utakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Waves wash over coastal rocks at Uttakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Among the waves at Utakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Walking out the door early Sunday morning just as the horizon was beginning to glow, I noticed and unexpected dusting of snow had fallen overnight, cool!  We first headed out to the coast at Dal again to see if any color would appear.  But what looked to have strong potential soon faded to a deep bluegray.  With the rare snow on the ground, I thought it best to get to one of the beaches as soon as possible, before the snow was washed away by the incoming tide or filled with footprints by other photographers or locals on their Sunday walks.

We headed towards Utakleiv, as that would provide up with the most options.  Passing Vik beach, it was full of seaweed and the tide was already receding from the snow line.  Haukland was full of people and dogs.  This left Utakleiv.  Exiting the tunnel, I could see there were no cars in the parking area, and pulling up, the beach, and faint layer of snow, where largely untouched.  Perfect!

It was well into the afternoon that some color began to appear in the western sky.  So we did the obvious thing, headed west.  This turned into one of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen on Lofoten.  Though unfortunately I don’t think I took us to the correct place to fully enjoy it.  We first attempted a location near Fredvang, but the tide was wrong, and it was a bit windy so we headed back to Skagsanden beach, with the sky and mountains fully aglow with bright pink and orange.  I was content with the day, but I felt the other guys were a bit disappointed that I hadn’t taken them to a more spectacular location.  Soon the light was gone and it was back to Stamsund.

The islands were dry, no rain and barely any snow, yet a layer of cloud was still nearly always present.  Monday was spent at Unstad beach before our final night in Stamsund.

Tuesday brought some interesting light at Henningsvær, but this soon turned back to the usual grey.  We didn’t have much time to waste anyways, as it was time to change locations and head to our new accommodation on Hamnøy for the next few nights.

Colorful sunset over mountains of Moskenesøy, near Fredvang, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Color fills the sky over Selfjord, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Hustind mountain peak glows pink over Skagsanden beach, Flakstad, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Skagsanden beach glows pink during sunset, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Waves flow among boulders at scenic Unstad beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: The ever-scenic Unstad beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Mountain reflection in Harbour at scenic fishing village of Henningsvær, Austvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Harbor reflection at Henningsvær, Austvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Winter sunrise over Vestfjord from Toppøya, near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten Islands February 2014 – Time Passes Slowly

Unstad beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Barely any signs of winter remain after 24 hours of rain, Unstad beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Morning was slow to come.  After midnight had gone, time seemed to come to a standstill.  And though it seemed like hours had passed between looking at my watch, it was only minutes.  02:00 am, 03:00 am, 04:00 am; still 4 hours until dawn appeared.  The storm was calming now, but I knew I wouldn’t have much of interest to look forward to come first light, only a reason not to be laying down in my sleeping bag.

A few more hours passed until I could finally see a heavy, misty grey dawn appearing over the beach.  I dressed and wandered down to the empty sands of Unstad beach.  The fury of yesterdays storm had passed and barely a hint of breeze blew against my face.

Sometime later I returned to my car for breakfast: an orange, some rice cakes, and chocolate, for the cold.  I sat for a while, waiting to see if any colour would appear.  But after sunrise had passed, I was gone.

I could tell it was going to be one of those days of soft, flat light.  I visited a few beaches and wandered around some hills, following an ice river up into the mountains.  And so the hours passed as I made my way west to Flakstadøy, where I noticed a bit of color beginning to appear.  Not much, but something other than grey.

A small river runs through the sand at Storsandnes beach, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: A river runs through Storsandnes beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Mountains of Moskenesøy rise above sea at sunset, near Fredvang, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Misty light over the distant mountains of Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Coastal landscape at Trollskjeran, near Ramberg, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Fading light along the coast near Ramberg, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Looking for a place to camp, I headed down a small dirt road on the outskirts of Ramberg which took me out to the coast.  I noticed a good supply of wood which I thought could be turned into a decent campfire for the night and so I messaged my Italian friends to see if they wanted to join me.  A little while later they showed up and we set to making a fire.  Though it turns out I was slightly optimistic in my estimates of the wood, which was either too small and burned quickly, or too old and rotten, barely burning at all.  But at least it was a mild night, for February, so it wash’t too bad to sit around and have some light in the darkness, even if the heat was lacking.  Not to mention, it was a good excuse not to go to sleep in mid afternoon.

I was wanting to shoot something around Flakstad for sunrise, but pulling my car out onto the E10 and a quick survey of Skagsanden beach, it was evident that another grey day was in store for the islands.  So I headed further west, and back towards Reine, where I would have a direct view of the sun rising on the horizon.

I got stopped by the road works that have been going on for what seems like forever on the eastern part of Moskenesøy.  Originally what started out as just a new tunnel had turned more or less into a whole new road, tediously blasted, dug, and scraped into the rock. So there I sat, watching dawn approach over the Vestfjord and not knowing how long I would be stuck.  I even gave though to hopping out of the car and just shooting on the side of the road, but figured it might not be the best idea.  Time to sit and eat breakfast I guess, rice cakes and chocolate, for the cold.

Finally, after 20 plus minutes I was let free and on my way west again.  Dawn was near as pink began to fill the sky in the small gap along the horizon and into the ceiling of low clouds overhead.  Nearing Hamnøy I figured the sun would rise any minute and so I got out of the car and looked around.

I was hoping for a nice pink glow on Olstind, rising across the still waters of the fjord, but the horizon seemed to be a bit cloudy, and only a faint light reached the mountain.  Looking back over the Vestfjord as the sun cracked the horizon was about the only thing of interest, though not especially so from my vantage point.

Soon the sun was back in the clouds and I was counting the hours until darkness, where I could attempt to sleep again, to pass the time quicker.  I parked my car in the turnout by Djupfjord and began the wait.

Winter sunrise over Vestfjord from Toppøya, near Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Winter sunrise over Vestfjord, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Rocky coastline of Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Rocky coastline of Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Morning arrived with more low, misty clouds, but I could tell a bit of a change from the last few days would happen.  I mostly stuck around Reine and Å, waiting for the hours to pass.  I could see winter storms passing over the mainland in the distance, but for some reason none arrived on Lofoten.  In late afternoon I headed out to Å and by chance ran into some German acquaintances.  Lofoten can be a small place sometimes.

A final kiss of pink in the sky over Værøy and the day was soon gone.  My first week on the islands was now over.  In the morning, I would head back to Stamsund, where I would meet up with the Australians and be their unofficial Lofoten tour guide for the next 10 days.

Approaching winter storm conceals Norwegian mainland across Vestfjord, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Winter storms pass over Vestfjord, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Pink clouds at sunset over Værøy islands from near Å I Lofoten, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Photo: A kiss of pink over Værøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Waves wash over snow covered rock in winter at Myrland beach, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten Islands February 2014 – Lessons In Sleep

Waves wash over snow covered sand in winter at Myrland beach, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Waves wash across snow covered beach at Myrland, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

February mornings are slow to arrive on Lofoten, so even if you’ve been up late chasing northern lights the night before, there is still plenty of time for a bit of sleep.  In fact, there is often too much time for sleep, as darkness is still the dominant element of the season.

Stirring uncomfortably for hours due to the combined effects of cold and the lack of a sleeping pad to soften the otherwise hard trunk of my rental car, I dreamed of dawn as the batteries faded in my iPod as I repeated the same podcast to pass away the time.  Looking at my watch, I decided it was time to rise, 07:00.

I exited the back of the car into a world of night, snow swirling brightly in my headlamp as I quickly hurried to the softness of the drivers seat and started the car.  I was expecting to see the beginnings of day appear on the horizon but the only thing to escape the blackness was the snow lit by the car’s headlights.

Doing my best to judge the wind direction, I left Utakleiv and headed towards somewhere which might be a bit more sheltered.  It’s always windy in Utakleiv anyways, even on calm days.  The squeak of the wiper blades were the only break in the silence as I traveled the dark, snowy roads to Myrland, on the eastern edge of Flakstadøy.  With a couple of seldom visited beaches, compared to the more famous neighbours visible across the Nappstraumen, Myrland has been a productive location for me in the last couple years, almost too visited.

Waves wash over snow covered rock in winter at Myrland beach, Flakstadøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Waves flow against snow covered rock at Myrland beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

I parked my car overlooking the sea, only barely visible through the snow and grey light which signalled the arrival of morning.  It was Sunday morning, and I had nowhere to go, only to wait in darkness and see what would happen.

Now, this is normally the time when having a book would be useful to pass the time.  But as I had been somewhat busy back in California prior to my departure to Lofoten, I didn’t have the time to procure any.  Or to say more accurately, it didn’t seem like much of a priority.  Maybe I was making a statement to the universe that the light would be so good that I wouldn’t have anytime for reading, or perhaps I simply forgot what being alone and bored was like.  Anyhow, I would soon regret this decision, though not so much as to buy an over-priced book in Norway; not much of an English reading selection on Lofoten anyways that could entice $30 from my wallet for an day’s entertainment.  To add even more to my first world problems, I hadn’t even brought my laptop with me to at least get some writing done as my ambitious plans for Sweden didn’t allow for the extra weight.

If you’ve previously read about any of my Lofoten travels it might seem like I’m poor at planning and haphazardly stumble around the islands.  But this is actually a well thought out plan to keep me productive as possible.  You see, my greatest enemy is laziness.  And comfort brings laziness.  If you have a warm fire, hot food, and a soft bed, the weather is almost always ‘too bad to go outside,’ or ‘it will be better later.’  But it turns out that ‘later’ never comes.

Stuck in a car for 24 hours, outside becomes an escape from boredom.  And outside is where the photos are.  So even with poor light and casting winds, boredom leads my mind to thoughts like, ‘Hmm, I wonder what might be up that hill,’ or ‘those rocks look sort of interesting, I wonder if I can come up with something.’  So really, every shot I take might not be jaw dropping colorful (over processed) sunsets, and I probably even take a fair amount of bad photos, but the short days of winter tend to be the most productive for me, since i have no comfort to escape to.  Though I often do allow myself a berlinerbolle for breakfast every day or two to have a little bit of comfort.  Ample supplies of chocolate help as well.

After some time the storm begins to pass and the sky continues to lighten.  I look down to the sea and see what I’m looking for in the soft light as the small waves meet the snow covered beach.  I pull out my gear and get to work for the next hour until a flat grey light has enveloped the islands.  With northern lights the previous night, and now scenic snow covered beaches, I thought I was off to a pretty good start for winter on Lofoten.

Before I left California a few people had gotten in contact with me who would also be traveling on Lofoten around the same time as myself.  As morning passed, I got in contact with a nice italian couple, who like myself, were also doing the car-camping thing and made plans to maybe try and meet up somewhere down by Reine or Å.  So off I headed, west along the E10 towards Moskenesøy.

Passing Reine, the light wasn’t so nice so I continued on towards the town with a name that everyone always seems to have trouble pronouncing, Å.  Perhaps also one of the shortest town names existing anywhere.

Å I Lofoten, the formal name to distinguish it from any other Ås which might exist, can often be a good place for winter sunset, as the afternoon sun passes low over the distant island of Værøy rising across the sea before meeting with the final mountains of Lofoten itself.  January to early February is one of the best times for this location, before the sun begins to set too high in the west as the vernal equinox begins to near and the days grow long.

Well, it turns out, the light down there wasn’t so good either and there wasn’t much snow out on the rocks which is really needed for the scene.  On the other hand, was a frozen lake Ågvatnet, with cool patters of light snow drifting across the surface, blown across the ice since the passing of the morning’s storm.  The more interesting patterns and shapes were deep in the center of the lake and I was somewhat hesitant to venture alone that far onto the ice.  But upon seeing a few locals walking and ice skating around, I figured a frozen death wouldn’t likely come on this day and proceeded out onto the lake, soft rays of sunlight hitting the surrounding mountain peaks.

Patterns of snow cover black ice of Lake Ågvatnet in winter, Å I Lofoten, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Snow patterns on a frozen lake Ågvatnet, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Patterns of snow cover black ice of Lake Ågvatnet in winter, Å I Lofoten, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Snow patterns on a frozen lake Ågvatnet, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

A little while later I headed into Reine where I met up with my new Italian friends, before deciding to head back to Å again.  Once more, it didn’t look like the light would do much for sunset, so we headed out onto the lake again until night arrived.

The one benefit of the dry and snow free conditions this year was that all the parking areas where clear and open.  Often it can be a bit of a challenge to find a snow free area to sleep in the car overnight, particularly in the western part of the islands and often I’m left parking under the bright lights of the parking lot in Å, which you’re technically not supposed to camp in, but that’s more so it doesn’t fill up with motorhomes all summer long, or so I tell myself.  This time though, the nice turnout near the Djupfjord bridge was open, and despite being right next to the road, is about the best place to sleep between Å and Reine.

Cod Stockfish hang to dry in cold winter air, Toppøya, Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Stockfish drying racks, near Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Cod Stockfish hang to dry in cold winter air, Toppøya, Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Sunrise and rain fill the sky, near Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Morning brought with it a cold wind and a promise of rain.  It was now Monday, and my second full day on the islands.  Again, despite laying flat in the back of the car for 12+ hours, a combination of discomfort and jet lag served me with a restless sleep and I was once again glad to be back in the driver’s seat awaiting the arrival of another day.

I headed to a location near Reine and watched as the approaching rain and rising sun raced to see who would greet me first.  It was a tie.  Heavy drops of rain began to hit me just as the sun peaked over the jagged, teeth-like mountains of the Norwegian mainland and shone across the waters of the Vestfjord.  A flash of pink lit the sky for a couple brief minutes as I retreated to shelter, only to be drawn back into to rain moments later and as a rainbow briefly encircled Olstind.  Back at my car, I said goodbye to the italians and headed back east to Leknes.

Rainbow forms over Olstind mountain peak and Fjord, Reine, Moskenesøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Rainbow over Olstind, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

The rain was still falling as I pulled up to Leknes.  My main objective was to find a sleeping mat for the back of the car, unsure how many more nights on the hard, cold floorboards I could take.  Sometimes the large Coop supermarket in the mall has something cheap on offer, and last year I even pickup a proper blow up mattress that one would use as a guess bed at home for only 99 NOK.  It looked a bit funny in the back of the car, but it slept like a dream.  This time, no luck (though I did see one later at the end of February, when I no longer needed to sleep in a car).  The closest things was some exercise type yoga mat for 120 NOK.  I guess that would have to do.

The rain was still falling as morning passed to afternoon and I made my way out to Unstad.  Arriving at the beach, the wind was blowing fiercely and huge clouds of mist were blowing off the sea.  I made my way down to the waters edge but at times it was nearly impossible to stand as gusts of wind blew loose my footing on the slippery rocks.  I haphazardly cut and taped a plastic bag around my camera to protect it from the driving rain and hale.  My hands near frozen, I lost grip on one of my lens caps and it went flying off somewhere far beyond my reach.  After a few moment, I figured I’d had enough and retreated to the car.

I wanted to park my car on the left side of the beach, but in the blowing winds it was rocking like a boat at sea and I wasn’t too sure it would remain in the same place all night long so I opted for the more sheltered parking area at the right side of the beach.  After making myself a sandwich for lunch, I curled up in my sleeping bag to keep warm.  It was just after 14:00.

I next opened my eyes to find night had arrived.  Looking at my watch, it was 20:00.  The rain was still falling at the wind ever blow, but now with a slightly calmer temperament.  I turns out I had parked my car in the light of a newly installed street light, so I moved to car into the shadow cast by the old building, then was back into my sleeping bag.  Twelve more hours until daybreak and I’d already had the better part of a night’s sleep.  I thought of what the distant morning might bring.

Offshore wind blows waves at Unstad beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Winds blow over waves at Unstad beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky over Vik Beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Lofoten Islands February 2014 – Aurora Greetings

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky over Uttakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights fill sky over Utakleiv beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

The journeys from California to Lofoten are always long, and I always arrive thinking of the soonest possibility I can lie down flat on a bed, or in this case, the back of my rental car.  I also made the mistake of arriving on the islands on a Saturday, which is never a good idea, as it meant a long wait in Leknes for my bus to Stamsund, where I would pick up my car.  Normally I would hitchhike, but this time I was burdened with ski gear which would no doubt ruin any chance I had of catching a lift.

It was finally the early afternoon when I pulled up to the parking area at Utakleiv beach, folded down the backs seats to the car and crawled into my sleeping bag.  Early afternoon on February 1st while north of the arctic circle means it’s just about dark.  I was soon asleep.

Some hours later the slamming of a car door followed by some somewhat loud voices woke me from my slumber.  It was dark.  I wiped a clear spot from the fogged up windows to see if the stars were out, in which case I would try and stay up a bit longer and wait for Northern Lighs.  But upon peaking out the window was a gift even better, Auroras!  A faint green arch hanging over the beach and mountains.  I quickly dressed, prepared myself for the cold, then hopped out of the car and went down to the beach, the lights now getting brighter.

I shot for a while at the beach, but I noticed the stronger parts seemed to be coming from behind the mountains to the left, so I quickly headed back to the car and drove a few km to the beach at Vik, more of less just around the corner from Utakleiv, and giving a much more open view to the western part of the sky.

Barely have put my camera back on the tripod the sky lit up, from the horizon, fully overhead, and then behind me.  Not a bad welcome to Lofoten!

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky over Uttakleiv beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights shine in sky over Utakleiv beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

 

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky over Vik Beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Auroa beam over Vik beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

 

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky over Vik Beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights over Vik beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

 

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky,  Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Cascading Auroras fill night sky over Utakleiv beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

 

Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis shine in Sky over Vik Beach, Vestvågøy, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights rise in sky over Vik beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Frozen Lake Agvatnet in Winter, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Return From Lofoten

Frozen Lake Agvatnet in Winter, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Patterns of snow on a frozen lake Agvatnet, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

It was a long journey in the north for me this year, with more than 5 weeks north of the arctic circle, most of which was spent on Lofoten.  And as usual, not everything went according to plan.  To start, there was hardly any snow on Lofoten, but at least this meant that it didn’t rain much either.  The islands were simply dry.  So while the snow covered beaches were few and far between, there were lots of other interesting elements and textures in the land to photograph.  And it also meant that hiking was pretty easy and so I enjoyed nights camping out at Bunes, Horseid and Kvalvika beaches, and found some nice light.

I have now been in Wales for about 3 weeks.  I would have made some updates sooner, but I have largely been computer-less most of this time.  With plans to ski tour on the Kungsleden, I didn’t bring my laptop from California as I normally would.  Wanting to keep by backpack as light as possible under the extra burden of ski gear.  But in a case of bad timing, as soon as I landed in Germany and had phone reception again, I was informed that something was wrong with the iMac I use here in Wales.  Well, it turns out that the hard drive had crashed.  Great.  So when I arrived here in early March, instead of getting to work on images right away, I was left figuring out what to do.  It turns out a new computer was the best, and quickest solution to get me back on my feet.  It was almost time for an upgrade anyhow.  But between this, and dropping my D800 in a lake in Sweden last year, I’ve had a few more hardware expenses than I would like.

With my savings nearly completely eaten up, it’s always nice to see emails along the line of, ‘Wow, you take wonderful photos!  I would like to use them [on a money making website] for free in return for credit [which will get me more people wanting free images].  Oh, and by the way, I need you to remove your watermark for me.  Cool, Thanks!’   Sure you can use my images for free if you buy me a new camera and computer. Cool, thanks.

On a more positive note, I’m going to be involved with something pretty cool next year.  More on that later.

I’m not sure if I’m going to do a long writeup for this trip, or maybe break things down into smaller stories to keep the post going as long as possible, as I’m feeling like I’m falling into the ‘silence’ rut again.  But there should be no shortage of images, that’s for sure.  Looking through the 100 or so images that I have edited so far, I think this will be one of the most diverse collections of images from any single trip to Lofoten.  And throw in a couple nights of Northern Lights as icing on the cake.

Northern Lights over Vik beach, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Northern Lights over Vik Beach, Vestvagoy, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2014

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Orkney Brewery

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Beer tasting at the Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013  

It was a gray, rainy morning on Orkney when we headed to the Orkney Brewery.  Located in Quoyloo, not too far from where we camped at Yesnaby for the night, we actually had to wait around a bit before the brewery opened for the day.  Though much of this time was spent trying to find a 3G signal to connect with the outside world, something that was a bit elusive during my time on Orkney.

Once at the visitors center, and despite the early hour, we decided we might as well go on the tour and partake in the beer sampling, the price of which is £5.

The tour included a brief history of the brewery as well as a walk around the the brewing facilities.  A bonus was the cheeky commentary from the head brewer as he was busy washing out one of the malt basins.  Despite the hard work, I think he enjoys his job!

The Orkney Brewery is a small operation, and considering I’ve been on a few brewery tours before, it was still nice to see how they do things.  And the interesting artwork provided a nice overview of the brewing process.

Back in the tasting room, we were provided samples of: Dark Island ale, Corncrake ale, Northern Light ale.  The Dark Islands is my favorite, and one I’ve known about for some time.  It is also their most popular beer, understandably.

Not really having had breakfast at this point in the day, we decided to get a piece of the Dragonhead cake, made with their Dragon Head ale.  It was so tasty, we had to get another piece, the last piece they had, to go – which didn’t last too long once we were in the car and hungry as we were.  A few days later we stopped by once again, more or less just to get another few pieces of Dragonhead cake for our journey back to Scotland.

The visitors center also has a full service restaurant.  But unfortunately, the shortened off-season hours never fit in with our eating schedule.  A few things on the menu did look good though.  Maybe next time.

During my first visit to Orkney in 2003, I remember seeing a t-shirt for their Skull Splitter ale in one of the gift shops in Kirkwall.  Unfortunately, I was on something of a budget back then and never bought one.  I was glad to discover that the brewery gift shop had some Skull Splitter t-shirts, as well as t-shirts for all of the other beers they brew.  Along with some stickers, coasters, and a few other things, I left with my wallet feeling a bit lighter.

You can visit the Orkney Brewery website HERE.

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Tasting room and restaurant at Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Beer tasting at Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Brewery tour at Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: 5000 Years in the Making, Orkney Brewery, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Stormy seas crash against dramatic coastal cliffs at Yesnaby, Orkney, Scotland

Orkney – Islands of the Forever Wind

Stormy seas crash against dramatic coastal cliffs at Yesnaby, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Sunset at Yesnaby, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Leaving Dublin and arriving in the UK, Manchester to be exact, there was only one direction to go, north.  Originally, there had not really been much of a plan, only two general ideas: west coast and the Isle of Skye, or northeast and Orkney.  As the weather forecast for the following week was on the stormier side, I set my sights on Orkney.

Since my first visit to Orkney in the autumn of 2003, the islands have held a special place in my heart.  Returning to the islands in October 2013, it was now just over 10 years since my first visit.  Where does the time go?  My memory of those days gone by still remains vivid in my mind.  And one place more than any other: Rackwick Bay and the rustic Burnmouth bothy, perilously close to the wild sea.  Lonely and Isolated, Rackwick Bay is everything I love about forgotten places on the edge of the world.  Even in Europe loneliness and solitude still exist, the hustle and bustle of cities seemingly a lifetime away.  Most visitors to Scotland will say they have experienced the country after a few days in Edinburgh.  But they haven’t…

In my previous visits to Orkney I have always traveled via the Scrabster – Stromness ferry.  This time however, schedules worked out a little better to take the Pentland ferry between Gills Bay and St. Margaret’s Hope, which proved both a shorter journey and easier on the wallet.  While the route doesn’t pass the majestic cliffs of Hoy, it does pass the haunting island of Stoma, abandoned since 1962, it’s grassy landscape is littered with the remains of abandoned houses from days now gone.  I really want to find a way out there sometime.

The weather was less than ideal upon our arrival and soon a light, misty rain was falling from the sky.  I know Orkney fairly well, but I’m not as familiar with good car-bivy spots as I am with other parts of Scotland.  The only place I knew off the top of my head that would probably be okay to sleep for the night was Yesnaby.  I have been wanting to photograph the dramatic cliffs out there for some time anyhow, so it worked out well.  After a brief pit stop at the Ring of Brodgar, we pulled the car up to Yesnaby in the gray, fading light of October.  I made some brief attempts at photography, but conditions were conspiring against me.  Not even a proper rain, but that light, swirling mist which seems to get your camera lens even wetter.

Interior of St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Morning came slowly as the black of night softened to a dull gray of day.  Mist still fell from the sky.  With little possibilities for photography I decided to spoil myself a bit and enjoy being a tourist and go visit the Orkney Brewery.  The visitor center and tasting room opened in the summer of 2012, and I have been looking to get a ‘Skull Splitter’ t-shirt since I first saw one 10 years ago, but was too cheap to buy one.  I would remedy that mistake finally.  Being the off season, and also rather early in the morning for beer drinking, we where the only ones there as we took a short tour and partook in some beer tasting.  More later…

Leaving the brewery, Kirkwall was the next stop as I wanted to photograph the St. Magnus Cathedral where I could at least get some photos.  There is something magical about this building and the red sandstone gives a surreal mood.  Despite the small size, it is one of my favorite cathedrals in Europe.

After a brief lunch in Kirkwall, it was time for the next tourist stop on this rainy day; the Highland Park distillery.  Perhaps I was a bit enthusiastic about tours after my time in Dublin, as I normally try to avoid paying for anything while traveling, but what the hell, I don’t need my arm twisted too much to taste some single malt, not to mention that Highland Park is one of my favorites.  More on the tour later, but I walked away with a bottle of the 15 year old (sorry, Mr. wallet.).

In late afternoon we returned back to Yesnaby for another night sleeping in the car.  I finally noticed a break in the clouds as evening progressed and so I headed out for another attempt at photographing these wild cliffs and and brooding sea.

Stormy seas crash against dramatic coastal cliffs at Yesnaby, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Yesnaby, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

While the onshore wind was still blowing strongly, I managed to find sheltered pockets here and there where I wouldn’t risk my tripod blowing off the cliffs.  What followed over the next hour was improving conditions until a beautiful glow filled the sky behind an approaching set of dark, stormy clouds.  Absolutely perfect timing and condition.  I got my Yesnaby shot. Yay!

We made the decision to head to Hoy for a few days.  While it seems a bit of a waste to take the car, the ferry from Houton to Lyness was not too bad and allowed us to see parts of the island which I hadn’t been to before.

Reading the weather report, a sever gale was approaching.

Old stone wall leads towards Burnmouth Bothy, Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Approaching Burnmouth bothy in Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Old stone walls of Burnmouth Bothy, Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Burnmouth bothy in Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Red sandstone boulders on beach at Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Worn red sandstone beach at Rackwick bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Clouds sweep across sky in fading light over beach at Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Fading twilight over beach at Rackwick bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

In the parking lot at Rackwick bay we packed our bags and began the short walk to the Burnmouth bothy.  Thankfully, the place was empty when we arrived but soon enough a couple more groups of people arrived.  Ohh well, so much for a quiet night.  But as soon as the group of ‘art’ students from Edinburgh began to make a fire, they immediately smoked the building out, both from fire and their cigaretts.  I tried to instruct them on proper fire methods, but they seemed a bit dense and weren’t interested in listening.  And for some reason they annoyed me.  So, as much as I was looking forward to spending a night again after all these years, we packed our bags and headed out into the sideways rain and back to the car for the night.

Morning came and the gales continued, with passing showers of hale and rain at regular intervals.  We wanted to hike out to the Old Man of Hoy, but decided that this was probably not the day.  Wandering back to the bothy, the winds were so strong it became difficult to walk over the slippery, boggy ground.  The day was mostly spent sitting around though I made a few attempts at photography between showers.  Finally, it was back to the car for another night.

Female hiker looks out window of Burnmouth Bothy, Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Watching the rain from Burnmouth bothy, Rackwick bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

View out window of Burnmouth Bothy, Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Burnmouth bothy in Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Morning came.  While the sky still looked threatening, it seemed as if the rain would probably hold off for a while.  Just in case, we dressed in full waterproofs and then set off on the trail towards the Old Man of Hoy.  My first time there, in 2003, it was so windy that I quite literally had to crawl to the edge of the cliff, unable to stand safely.  This time however, the wind was coming from a direction where it seemed to pass over us as it deflected off the cliffs, letting me have a steady enough camera for a few photos.  That was until we were just about to leave and I was taking one last picture.  A wall of wind hit light a train; from calm to nearly knocking me off my feet and blowing my camera off the edge (not that I needed to kill a second camera on this trip).  Trying to stabilize myself and crouch to the ground, I noticed one of our backpacks begin blowing towards the edge of a cliff.  Shit!  I tried to yell to grab the bag, but the wind was too intense and we were both trying to save ourselves that I couldn’t be heard.  The wind nearly blew me over as I ran towards the bag, managing to save it about 2 feet from the cliff.  Phew!

That was enough adventure for the day, and so we headed back towards the car, propelled uphill with the winds at our backs and rain making its approach.  Rounding the corner back to Rackwick bay I stopped for a moment to watch the dancing of light and shadows over the sea.  I remember standing here in 2006 as a passing stranger let me borrow his binoculars to watch a lone basking shark swimming in the crystal blue waters of the bay, the day being slightly nicer.  I quietly whispered my goodbyes to Rackwick before descending back to the car.

Old Man of Hoy sea stack, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Old Man of Hoy, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Single lane road through the isolated Rackwick Bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Rackwick bay, Hoy, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Back on the Mainland (as the call the main island of Orkney) the sun seemed to be making an appearance finally.  Still wanting a some exterior images of St. Magnus Cathedral we headed back to Kirkwall.  In the lengthening shadows I set off photography.   Years ago, I was struck by the impression of the ravens circling the tower high overhead.  They were still circling this time, chasing each other in an endless game of cat and mouse, their ‘kowws’ and chirps filling the air.  Somehow I managed to myself locked in the cemetery and had to hop a fence to get out again.

It was another brief stop at the standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar before heading back out to Yesnaby for our final night not he islands.  Still stormy, the clouds briefly parted for the rising moon as I wandered the cliffs in the final darkness.

Morning arrived with clear weather, but unfortunately we had to head straight to the ferry.  I was a smooth sailing across the Pentland Firth and past Stoma before landing in Scotland once again.  The long drive back to Wales began.

St. Magnus Cathedral and cemetery, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Setting sun shines behind standing stone at Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland

Photo: Ring of Brodgar standing stones, Orkney, Scotland.  October 2013

Lofoten Islands Winter Travel Plans

Reflection of Olstind mountain peak in harbour at Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway

Photo: Winter twilight over Olstind, Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway.  February 2012

My days here in California are quickly coming to an end.  I had been planning this upcoming trip for a while, but it only seemed like it materialized itself at the last minute; mainly because I had been struggling to accommodate several varied destinations and weather conditions.  One part of this trip will be a bit more adventurous than anything I have attempted in recent years, but logistically, it is proving to be somewhat frustrating, and with only a few days until I leave, I still haven’t figured everything out yet.

Lofoten

For my third February in a row now, I’m heading back north to the Lofoten islands for several weeks of hiding from storms and hunting for Northern Lights.  My journey begins here in California on Thursday, but I won’t reach the islands until Saturday.  Luckily, an old friend is providing a night’s accommodation for me in Bodø, thus allowing me an escape of the ferry waiting room floor, before I make the somewhat unusual choice for me to fly to Leknes instead of taking the ferry.  This is mainly because the ferry schedule didn’t work out very well with my arriving in Bodø on Friday evening.

I will be alone my first week on the islands, though have some rough plans to meet up with a few readers of this site, and I will be sleeping in my rental car.

Next, I will be meeting up with Australian photographer Rod Thomas (+ a couple other Aussies), with whom I traveled with on the islands in April/May for a week of photography and northern lights chasing – weather permitting.  I’ve promised to give the boys a good workout and drag them up some mountains…

After they depart, I have a few more days on my own before I need to head east to Sweden for the next part of my journey.

Kungsleden

Part 2 of my winter in the north will be a ski tour of the northern section of Sweden’s Kungsleden trail – from Nikkaluokta to Abisko.  I should note that I can barely ski downhill, and have never done any ski touring proper.  Combined with a probably over-heavy backpack of camera gear, this is definitely going to be an adventure for me.

I’m not exactly sure how it will go, but I’m excited!

Lofoten

Assuming I survive the Kungsleden trail in one piece, I’m heading back to Lofoten for another week or so, once again living out of a car.  My second visit on the islands will keep me there until March 9, and be 5 weeks total north of the Arctic Circle for me.  Wow!

Wales

Leaving Lofoten in early March, I’ll be heading back to Wales (assuming the British let me in) for a couple months.  Just my normal routine of weekly hikes and wandering around Hay-on-Wye.

Poland

In mid May, I’ll be making a short trip to Poland.  The main purpose of the visit is to attend a wedding, but I’m going to try and combine this with some hiking in the High Tatry mountains and perhaps a bit of city living in Opole and Wrocław.  I really liked Opole on my brief visit last spring, and Wrocław is a city I’ve heard lots of good things about, so hopefully everything works out.

Wales

After Poland, I’m back to Wales for a couple week before flying home to California in early June.

I’m kind of disappointed to miss Midsummer in Europe, Germany in particular, as this is one of my favorite times of year and I love the bonfire celebrations.  But unfortunately, I’m not able to stay that long.  Maybe next year with luck.

Part of this is due to the fact that I’m giving some serious thought to hiking the complete Kungsleden trail, probably starting in early August.  I’m sort of looking for a new destination to focus on, after Lofoten, and start a new website like 68north.com.  So I’m thinking northern Sweden might be that place.  I’ll see how things go…