Summer has officially come to an end for us here in Europe. We spent the last two months of it, travelling the coast of Norway, from the north to the south. All I can say is, WOW! Norway is truly an incredible place to see in warmer weather. After months of seeing it as a snowy winter wonderland, when the snow melts completely and the grass turns green and the sun beams long into the night, I now can’t imagine it like it was before. The diversity in climate and conditions is like no other. Lockie and I were talking recently about the weather here, in winter we saw temperatures of -25 degrees and now in summer we have hit a maximum of 26 degrees on our travels. That’s over 50 degrees in change-just insane!
I am not at all complaining about the beautiful summer climate here, we’ve had some unbelievable weather this season. In a total of two months, we had one week of miserable, rainy weather, which locals tell us is very unheard of, they say on occasion it can rain for a month non-stop. We got seriously lucky and I am so grateful. We needed all the sunshine we could get after the gloomy winter, we now feel refreshed and are pretty sure our vitamin D levels are fully recharged again plus some!
Summer in Norway is not at all what we expected it would be like, especially when we were thinking about it during winter days. Summer is the north of Norway is a lot more unpredictable, you can get cooler days or you could get lucky and get a week of pure warmth! We are so thankful that during our time in the north, we managed to experience a full week of warmth and sunshine, twice! The north is paradise in the sunny, warm weather and an added bonus is the days are so long for most of the season! Endless time for outdoor activities. To me, the north, particularly Lofoten, gives me serious Hawaiian vibes in summer, so when the sun hits, the views are amazing and you just feel like you are on a serious vacation! Going to the beach is pure bliss, although, you will still get the shock of your life when you take a dip!
As you head south along the Norwegian coastline, the plunging mountains that hit straight into the sea below, slowly disappear and you are greeted with the most beautiful fjords you’ve ever seen. The areas are still mountainous but in a very different and unique way. The waters turn from an icy, crystal blue into a deep bluey, green and you will find yourself amazed as you stare into a new version of paradise.
It’s hard to compare the beauty of Norway. In winter you get the magic of pastel sunrises and sunsets, over the snow-covered mountains and icy fjords, then in summer, you get the raw beauty of the natural landscapes. The colours open up, the wildlife thrives and you gain a whole new feel as this country is brought to life. We are completely in awe of Norway and feel truly blessed to have seen it in all seasons and to have experienced so much that it has to offer!
Lockie & Ash 