Lattitude: 71.05
We had our amazing camp spot all to ourselves, overlooking the Arctic Ocean, and slept incredibly well. Just the sound of the wind. No traffic, no people, just peace.
This morning, we continued our journey even further north. Just 30 minutes up the road is the furthest north you can drive on mainland Norway. A lot of people think that title belongs to Nordkapp, but Nordkapp is actually on an island. And remember how just a few weeks ago we visited the southernmost lighthouse in Norway? Well, when we arrived today, there just happened to be a tall lighthouse standing on the headland. And it’s not only the northernmost lighthouse in mainland Norway, it’s the northernmost mainland lighthouse in the world.
When we got there, nobody else was around. Naturally, I tried the door to the lighthouse… and to my surprise, it opened. It was dark inside and felt like it probably should’ve been locked. We weren’t sure if we were allowed in, and it felt a little too spooky to explore without permission, so we turned back toward the van.
Just as we were heading for the van, an official-looking car pulled in. I spoke to the woman who got out, and she told us the lighthouse was still officially closed for the season, but we were welcome to go up if we wanted. We just had to let her know when we were finished. We mentioned how it was unlocked and she said she’d forgotten to lock it. Just as well we checked first, we would probably have been locked inside!
The inside was dim and atmospheric, with narrow stairs winding their way up the tower. The climb was steep, and there was something eerie about it. Each step echoed against the metal and stone while the narrow staircase twisted upward in tight circles. Dim light filtered through the small windows, giving a ghostly vibe.
We kept on walking up the 139 steps to the top. The final steps leading to the lighthouse were very narrow and only a guardrail on one side. Tentatively we worked our way up into a tight space with an enormous light turning in the centre. The views out the windows were stunning, ocean in every direction, stretching out to the Arctic horizon. We were so lucky to have it to ourselves
When we got back down, the woman was waiting to lock up.
We drove back to the same camping spot from the night before and took the rest of the day off. The weather had turned cold, wet and windy, and the van was getting buffeted by the gusts. We stayed inside, played chess, and I got some editing done. Being a public holiday, everything was closed, so we made do with what we had. I’d planned on making a bean chilli, but we realised we didn’t have a can opener. So instead, we made tortilla pizzas with cheese, onion, and mushrooms. Simple, but tasty.
Lighthouse Facts:
39 meters tall.
Built in 1905, destroyed during the war, rebuilt 1945-1948.
Most northern mainland lighthouse in the world.