The Polar Night lands over the village
The darkest days of the year are underway, it is midday and the sun is not visible even in clear weather. We don’t even expect to see a single ray of sunshine until the second half of January, as the sun won’t rise above the horizon in a couple of months.
Now patience and a good ability to adapt to darkness are needed. But before it starts to sound too melancholic, must be mentioned that this dark season has also its bright side.
- Read more about the Polar Night in Northern Norway
- Interested to know the scientific explanation for the Polar Night ?
- The twilight period at dawn or dusk is called the Blue Hour
The bright colors shining from the darkness
We have found out, it’s this mystical darkness that also fascinates and attracts people. The Polar Night and the bright colors shining from its darkness are exotic for millions of people all over the world.
The darkness means that we have plenty of time to enjoy the Northern lights, the starry sky and the very unique shades of purple in the sky.
- Check out the fascinating pictures of the Arctic light shows by Jem Burrows – Nightscape Photography
- Follow Aurora alerts and check the Northern Lights forecast: Norway Lights
From the Nightless Nights to the Endless Nights
How do we survive without sunshine?
There are four very different and interesting seasons here in the Nordics. Of these, winter is still the longest here above the Arctic Circle. Surely many, especially those living below the Arctic Circle, are wondering what are we doing here in the darkness of the North during the Polar Night season. Some may have an idea of Lappish people lurking in their cottages.
We don’t deny that without proper daylight the dark season can feel really tiring. That is probably normal, considering also that in the summertime we run in the mountains and seas around the clock when we can’t get sleep while the sun is shining through the night. For many, the Polar Night season is a much needed time for calming and charging.
Now we want to tell a little more of what’s going on here in the Arctic during “Mørketid”.
The glow in the darkness
We have adapted to living a part of the year without sunlight. Many of us don’t let the darkness stop outdoor pursuits and wandering around the mountains. When the natural light is getting low, we use headlamps and other artificial lighting and, if possible, of course the atmospheric shine of a campfire and candles.
In the mid-winter mountain lovers can spend quality time outdoors. Lyngen is one of Scandinavia’s top destination for ice climbing, snowshoeing and ski-touring trips. The wild nature of Lyngen Alps is an endless playground for many experienced “mountain goats” but also a great place to practice mountaineering skills with the local mountain guides.
Autumn and early winter are the time of rest for many people working in the tourism industry, but also a preparation period for the lively winter season. November is a quiet month in the north and due to the Corona pandemic, it seems that also the mid-winter is going to be particularly quiet in the tourism and travel industry.
The best we can do at the moment is to take advantage of this quietness and use the time to plan something even better while keeping the mind clear and thoughts fresh.
Time for creativity and creation
“Kaamos” is is also known as the season of creation and inspiration. We probably spend more time indoors which leads to going wild of crafts, art, music, baking, poetry and so on. Color therapy, digging your fingers into the dough and flying imagination are surely doing good for many of us every now and then.
Art is a universal language with a diverse range of activities so beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Creativity takes courage.