Barry's blog posts

Midnight Sun – the light that never dies

The tilt of the Earth’s axis towards the sun during the summer months causes the 24 hours of daylight north of the Arctic Circle that is known as the Midnight Sun. Essentially, if you are standing on the Arctic Circle (66°30ʹN) the sun does not drop below the horizon from 12 June until 01 July.

As you go further north that period extends. For example, in Northern Norway, the sun doesn’t set on Tromsø from 20 May until 22 July and in the far-flung wilds of Svalbard, the residents have 24 hours of midnight sun from 20 April until 22 August.

It’s a remarkable thing to be awake at midnight and find oneself in broad daylight. Even stranger for those of us who live in more southerly locations is the sight of the Sun still in the northern sky at 2 am. When you are used to our star rising in the east and dutifully descending into the western horizon, you could almost imagine yourself on another planet with a differently positioned sun.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the Midnight Sun can be seen from Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Canada, Greenland and Iceland. We offer summer month holidays in all these countries so there’s an excellent range from which to choose.

Lapland – a land of four seasons

When we think about Lapland we conjure up images of Father Christmas and commercialised whirlwind tours. Here at Artisan we want to blow those images into the stratosphere as there is so much more to Lapland. The region offers year-round experiences of the highest calibre and remains home to one of the few remaining indigenous people of Europe.

In winter the list of activities is endless when a blanket of snow covers the landscape and the 'blue light' created by the departure of the sun casts a magical light on the region. Of course this is a great place to enjoy Christmas and New Year but there is nothing commercial about our handpicked destinations and you will be far removed from the Father Christmas crowds.

During the spring the daylight starts to flood in across the snow-covered landscape and the Northern Lights remain frequent visitors to the night skies. The temperatures can be milder and more remote regions become accessible. Lapland is a true activity playground in the spring and you are sure to meet a lot of Finns from the southern regions holidaying here at this time.

The summer provides the phenomenon of the Midnight Sun and the landscape of forests, fells and lakes are bathed in a golden light. Berries and fruits start to grow and reindeer can be seen roaming freely in the wilds. Hiking, biking and kayaking replace the cross-country skis, ice fishing and snowmobiles in the locals' weekend activities.

Autumn offers perhaps the greatest abundance of colour here – with rich berries on the forest floor, the bright colours named 'Ruska' that engulf the canopies of the forest and the night skies are beginning to welcome back Nature's greatest light show – the Aurora Borealis.

Discover the historic sites, sleepy fishing villages and colourful towns of southern Turkey’s Turquoise Lycian Coast.

©Huck Finn Adventure Travel

© Huck Finn Adventure Travel