Yggdrasil – Ratatosk, 71 Degrees North

Winds, seemingly ceaseless, sweep across the barren moon-like landscape of rocks and fjords less than 2,000 kilometres from the magnetic North Pole. Traces of nine months of winter and Arctic hurricanes are visible on the weather-beaten houses along the Norwegian coast. In the night sky displays of northern lights dance in the darkness, a sun-expelled darkness that is fortified and complete for three months each year. Blue-purple tones are visible on the polar night horizon from mid November to early February. Roads, harbours and airports are closed due to severe weather systems and villages are cut off from the outside world for days on end. One can only guess where the sun is.

Each year, however, the sun returns as though a miracle. The people celebrating its arrival with sun buns and hot chocolate. Perched in the sky from mid May to the end of July, the midnight sun brings about an explosion of verdure. Whales and seals swim close to shore where reindeers prepare themselves for the end of the short summer. Once more life prospers in the Arctic. Everything green soon transforms into a rustic orange, however, and winter engulfs again the northernmost point of mainland Europe, tightening its grip.

This is life at 71 Degrees North – where nature rules.

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