A wintery journey to the Arctic Circle - By Nordland railway across Norway

deep snowy forests snow-capped  mountains and glittering fjords   winter in norway for many the  most beautiful time of the year   as soon as they start running they  get quiet the dogs they love it here   the nordland railway one of  scandinavia's most spectacular   train routes from trondheim to bordeaux right through the white wilderness there is  real winter here a very long and icy winter bitterly cold and enchantingly beautiful   this is the best playground in  the world the kids love it here 700 kilometers right through the  norwegian winter towards the arctic circle trondheim norway's third largest city is  located at the mouth of the river need of   the old warehouses date back to the time when the  people of trondheim became rich from fish and wood   the nidoros cathedral is the symbol of the  city and is considered a national shrine   until 1217 trondheim was the seat of the  king and therefore the capital of norway   every morning at just past seven the  nordland barn arrives at the main station   not a train like any other but a railway with  a legendary reputation and an eventful history he's the boss on board conductor erstein lillard   the train is scheduled to leave in 10  minutes until then he has to check the train what i'm doing now i'm turning on the  electricity the heating unlocking the   doors inspecting the toilets seeing if the  emergency alarm works all part of the job everything's fine inside now conductor erstein has  to check the connection between the wagons and the   locomotive the whole train gets its power from the  locomotive there's a thousand volts on there and   the compressed air also comes through here for  the brakes i'm going to check those again too   the 61 year old has accompanied the  trip to bordeaux hundreds of times and   has learned one thing thoroughness  is important especially in winter we run diesel locomotives here it's always  possible that the engine or something else   breaks down on the way but the biggest  problem on the track are the moose   unfortunately we're always  running over some of them well on this trip until tonight the train will be  traveling for almost 10 hours it will leave at 7 38.   the nordland railways route to  buda is exactly 729 kilometers long   the single track line leads from trondheim in a  northerly direction then branches off into the   mountains crosses the polar circle along the  salfield and ends in birdo on the north sea   in the north of norway the winter  often lasts from october to april   temperatures of minus 30 degrees are  not unusual especially in the mountains linda murray oh sleep loves this winter up here in  the zeus and dial area at the foot of bergerfeld   the 37 year old grew up here shoveling  the daily snow has become routine and   she's not alone up here 17 huskies keep her  company she wants to go on tour with them all year round the weather here  is actually the big challenge   sometimes there is a lot of fresh snow and then  it rains again you always have to adjust to that before she can start linda  has to feed the animals first she studied farming then lived in new zealand  for a long time but when the longing for home   became too great linda returned she took over  her parents farm together with a herd of cattle   but her passion belongs to the dogs they get  a mixture of dry food meat and vegetables linda's friends have known the  huskies for a long time the   huskies are friendly and affectionate  animals that get along well with people in the beginning they are  completely out of control   you have to be careful that they don't get tangled  up in the line or bite through it that's why   you must never let the dogs out of your  sight you have to make sure you get going quickly the lead dogs determine the speed huskies  can run up to 40 kilometers per hour linda's taking it a bit easier today the  temperature is only just below zero degrees it's quite warm today so the dogs want  to stop and roll around in the snow   and eat some at these temperatures they struggle  with the excess heat that they give off via   their tongues and paws then everything goes much  slower but at -20 degrees they run like clockwork   the little socks do not protect against the  cold rather they are intended to prevent   the dogs from injuring their paws we  continue through the wilderness of bergyfel the huskies need exercise  every day linda is outside   with them no matter what the weather is like after two hours time for lunch but the planned lunch has to be caught first somewhere under the thick layer  of ice the fish are cavorting mats you can put your rod in here now whenever i've been away for a while i'm  always really glad to come back home to zuzad   and by that i don't mean the house where i grew  up and now live but it's the area here the farm   and everything around it i love this place  yeah it's another no food for me today even after half an hour no fish in sight ice fishing does not only require patience  and time you also need a bit of luck but of course there is a plan b and it's called   grilled sausages and if you prefer vegetarian  food you can simply flambe a cheese sandwich it's just the freedom you feel out here you  live with the weather in the here and now   you no longer think about paying bills  tomorrow or cleaning the apartment it's like meditation lunch break in  norway at zero degrees outside temperature and then it goes on through the white winter  landscape the huskies at least are far from tired   the nordland barn has left the first 150  kilometers behind it passing fjords and lakes it   continues north many waters are frozen over until  spring conductor erstein at the ticket control   many norwegians take the train to get to work  it's too unsafe on the roads especially in winter   the train prices are affordable a trip from  trondheim to bodo is available for 25 euros works as a cleaner she gets to work with the  morning train and the evening train back home   she travels with the nordland barn almost daily and going to snorzer as usual  yes thanks have a nice trip she's hardly ever late with the train  train is extremely important for me if   the train didn't exist i'd have to move to  snozer and could only be at home on weekends   i tried that once but it wasn't for me she has a lot of time for  knitting her favorite hobby   driving would not be an alternative  for her marianne doesn't have a driving license   osten is not only the conductor but also provides  information about the sites along the route here you can see the former anchorage of  the german warship tirpitz from 1942 onwards   she lay here in the bay and was attacked  several times by the british air force the second world war and the occupation of norway  by german troops they too are part of the history   of this railway line but the places where the  tracks can still be seen today are further north   after almost three hours schnoza is inside the small village is located at the northern  end of snowsavatnit a long stretched lake marianne works at the town hall that is  directly opposite the train station so   she's almost at her destination arrival in snoozer as almost always the  nordland barn is on time just 2 000 people   live in this region widely scattered over  more than two thousand square kilometers contact with the outside world is provided here   at the post office in snorter the workplace of  trent smersta he's a country postman and delivers   letters parcels or the daily newspaper to 600  households every day not that easy in snow and ice i have to drive carefully today  because the roads are very slippery   so i really have to be careful but otherwise  everything's okay the weather could be worse almost 200 kilometers lie ahead of trond he's got  just under six hours to do it if he gets through   all right he will visit a former colleague during  his lunch break he used to be a dairy farmer   he used to work on his parents farm nearby  there were hardly any holidays the animals   had to be looked after daily so eight years  ago trond decided to switch to the post office the best thing about this  job is that it's so varied   i drive then i put the mail in the mailboxes   and the most important thing is i get to walk in  this beautiful nature meet lots of nice people and when my shift is finished i have real  time off and can relax until the next day tron's schedule is the farms  along his route are miles apart   so he doesn't have to drive to each house  individually there are collective mailboxes   that saves time they're all  over the country all over norway it's coming up to noon tron's right on schedule   enough for a quick trip to  see his former colleague   bjerg vedal has worked at the  post office for almost 50 years   she retired 10 years ago and used the time  to make a name for herself by baking waffles my old aunt once said you never do anything  wrong by inviting someone for dinner for a year that's easier in norway waffles  are actually eaten with cream   and jam but there are also exotic varieties in frederickstar in the south of norway there is a  tradition of wedging a pulsar between the waffles   so grilled sausages with waffles you can get  them at the football stadium it's very special is 77 years old and lives out here  all alone she doesn't mind the winter we have good stoves here lots of wood  and warm clothes and we go out a lot trond has to go out into the  winter now but in a warm car   more than 100 letters are still  awaiting delivery the rolling   postman is the reliable link to the outside  world in the middle of the norwegian winter the dining car is now in full swing   stig footadile is the master of coffee  grilled sausages and cinnamon rolls all it takes is a little skill and  common sense to do the job here   you have to be responsive to people sometimes some people are  in a bad mood dissatisfied   these things happen but in the  end we all depend on each other after all you're pretty much  alone here on the railroad tracks   it's important that everything works  the train and especially the kitchen the dining car is the heart of the railway sieve and knut nilsson are on their  way home the two come from a visit   to their daughter and grandchildren in trondheim in winter especially it can  be slippery on the roads   it's great to be on the train you can  drink coffee look out the window and talk the northland barn starts  climbing up into the mountains   on average the train only reaches 70 kilometers  per hour the traveling comfortable and leisurely the next destination is namskorgan railway kilometer 290. here embedded in the mountains there's a unique  zoo different wild animals which are native to   norway live in a 50 hectare enclosure many are  threatened with extinction for example the lynx feeding time is at 1 pm animal  keeper ann karen steinke brings lunch   the two links ladies brunhild and  sherstin eat about two kilos of meat a day although anne caron knows the  animals she keeps her distance i'm not afraid but you must always pay attention  to the body language of the animals with some   of them we don't go in alone like the bears or  the wolves there are always two or three of us for example we now move on to the next enclosure finn and sister live here two polar foxes   the park's been their home for 12 years now only  about 200 specimens remain in the wild in norway ankarin is back at the feed  lot organizing supplies the animals need 17 kilos of food per day the  park is financed by entrance fees and donations moose also live here at noon they're all hungry   the animals all know the sound  of karin's scooter even the otter nyla is also waiting in the wolverine enclosure but the food doesn't just  come out of a bucket and karen has   come up with something special the meat  is pulled up on a self-built cable car well done great lunch at lofty heights the animals should work to get their  food so that they don't get bored   this is our concept in the wild after all they're  chasing their prey and here it should be similar but we always have to come up with something  new so that the animals keep having fun the wolverine scientific name gulo gulo comes  from the latin word gulo which means glutton i get to be outside all the  time in this beautiful weather   but the best thing is the animals i love  animals this work is just perfect for me   the wolverines are full now it's time for  hares goats and wild boar if you walk through   the forests of norway you will not meet a single  person for days the country is sparsely populated in the early afternoon conductor  erstein will focus on the topic of   cleanliness this includes inspecting the train saying thank you for coffee cups and old  newspapers a matter of course for osteen and if there's no one he just cleans up himself besides he has to contact the next station we have no passengers getting off at maya button norwegian railways is proud  of its reliability almost 90   of the trains arrive on time and if something  does happen they are of course prepared then we'll take care of the onward  transportation first if that's still   possible if nothing else is possible the most  important thing is to stay warm on the train we always have emergency rations  on board we can then prepare food   in case the train has to stop for several hours fortunately there are no further  snowfalls announced for today there is also a children's compartment on the  northland barn mata alta hoy is on her way home   with her daughters the children love the rolling  playground with the two children and my mother the   train is the most comfortable way to travel then  they can play all the time it's just convenient just over an hour to mushroom hidden inside the vistanfjord is ausleta a  small collection of houses no railway track and   no road leads here the village can only be  reached by boat to live away from civilization   that is exactly what kaya urstrand yearned  for back when she still lived in trondheim her husband is from this area and so they moved  here six years ago with their four children in summer we get lots of tourists  here but in winter it is wonderful   you're really alone here then you find an  inner peace you can't find anywhere else people lived near the fjords more than 7 000 years  ago in the woods you can still find rock paintings   from that time kaya works as a teacher in the  kindergarten of her children three days a week   on two days the kindergarten is closed then kaya  and her two sons have time off and stay at home oh this is the best playground  in the world the children   love being here in winter with all the ice  this is really a very special place to play the water the frozen bay life on the fjord is  not without danger but kaya wants to teach the   children to take care of themselves and learn  how far out onto the ice they can venture   around half past three the ferry is  approaching it only calls at hours letter   twice a day in winter the norwegian government  is willing to pay a little extra to ensure that   places like this can be reached all year  round otherwise the area would be deserted the arrival of the ferry is a small event  every time especially when father pioneer   and the two older siblings come home  bianna works as a social worker at the municipality only when the fjord is completely  frozen does everything stop here   then there is no school no work no kindergarten   and no shopping then the australians are  really cut off from the rest of the world they have enough space in their new  house which they built themselves carl is 12 anton is nine they want to go  fishing without parents but with life jackets   start the engine no problem and they've learned  long ago what to look for out on the fjord it has begun to thaw now in late  winter the sun is already warming   nevertheless the wood stove is  still in operation almost every day higher bjorn and their children miss nothing  out here neither cinema restaurants nor   friends on the contrary they enjoy life  in the silence and nature by the fjord   and with four children there's  always enough life in the house family life on a lonely  fjord can be simply wonderful railway kilometer 367 which is almost exactly  half of the distance conductor oh stein has   discovered a passenger with excess baggage he has  worked for the norwegian state railways for more   than 40 years most of the time he's here on the  nordland railway between trondheim and bordeaux hong we always check to see if there's  any problems then we help out   this case here must have weighed  50 or 60 kilos it weighs a lot with peanuts and a pleasant 23 degrees in the car   the journey continues it's still almost  200 kilometers to the arctic circle lunch break for conductor  erstein a coffee is always on   norwegians are among the leaders  in coffee consumption in europe actually he wanted to become a chemical  engineer but then he applied for a job   at the railway company and he got it he's proud  of that his grandfather's helped build the line we have great freedom here and this phenomenal  view from our office all day long we travel   get to see norway and talk to the people on board one day everything goes well and the  next day there are many problems to solve   that's the challenge here well  i'm going to talk about everything the nordland railway has left trophos single  track line leads first through the mountains   at kilometer 406 in mushron  it will reach the sea again the vessenfjord the area is not  necessarily known for its fine cuisine   rather for its many old wooden houses but  behind their facades there is much to discover for example per theodore tourism here's a cook for  arctic cuisine and organizes a big food festival   in mercian every year tonight he's  invited friends there is reindeer in the past norwegian home cooking  had to satisfy the appetite above all   there was good food and plenty of it and  traditionally fish was served quite often its ingredients are hand-picked and whenever  possible regional good reindeer meat is   available almost everywhere but for other  ingredients he has to accept long distances the satistad farm a real insider tip   at first sight the farm does not show that  you can get good fish here of all places here inside there is one of the few breeding  facilities for arctic char cloud castness has   developed a special tank for his fish that is  as close as possible to their natural habitat this is a flow through facility  the fish swim and move in he thinks that farmed fish can certainly  compete with their wild counterparts   it is important to him to know  what he's serving his guests i can choose exactly the size of the fish  here i can talk to knut about anything   ask him anything he knows how old the fish is in  a shop you can never be sure here i know where the   fish comes from at the grocers i sometimes have no  idea how old the fish is but for me it's important in the barn next door klut's second passion   goats ninety animals belong to the farm in  summer they eat fresh grass on the pasture   in the winter they get the hay from the  norwegian summer meadows klute comes   from mushroom in 1980 the biologist bought the  farm and moved out of the city and into the wilderness   we're norwegians we were born up here and are  used to this climate for us it's no problem we've moved here because we like  the winter and like being outside goats produce around 250 liters of milk a  day the castness mainly produce cheese from it pear has to go back to the restaurant the  only thing missing is the cheese specialty   of the house coffee cheese another typical  specialty here in the arctic latitudes success for pair it's the car back to museum he uses long journeys to come up with new recipes  because here in the solitude he has time to think food is something very universal it  brings people together everyone has to eat a way of communicating needs them for the appetizer he's  going to whip up three courses today   he has four hours before the guests arrive first of all good ingredients are  simply the be-all and end-all when i   cook i usually combine traditional  norwegian dishes with new ideas the reindeer back is ready together with the  juniper branch it's put into the charcoal   oven once more this gives the meat its very  special aroma and another trick a piece of coal the high this is smoked sour cream i simply  took the charcoal out of the fire and put it   in the cream giving it a natural smoky flavour  smart 7 pm the guests are there there's only   one big table here all very exclusive  pear's friends are already expected   the chef has come up with something very special  again a dollop of smoked cream and the char   on top pickled green strawberries and  sliced cucumber the arctic starter is ready nordic cooking has become really popular  in the last decade i think it has a lot to   do with the fact that you associate scandinavia  and the north with the pure genuine and natural   moreover top restaurants like noma in  copenhagen have received a lot of attention word has also got around to normal people the reindeer back now comes from the charcoal  grill and is then served in fine slices served   with finely diced reindeer heart brussels sprouts  beetroot and onions for dessert it gets exotic   cream ice cream with seaweed and cream of porcini  mushrooms topped with cloud berries they grow here too the nordland railway is also  slowly reaching mushroom conductor einstein has packed his  things this is the last stop for him for this group however the journey in mushroom  is just beginning trina trina lisa anna greta   lisa and katarina are all related to  each other and members of a women's band   conductor erstein helps  people get off one last time the six musicians tour the villages every winter   today they're going back home there the  final concert of the tour takes place at the track handing over to colleague auger fick   erstein has now finished work and will  take the next train back to trondheim the band's short concert tour lasted seven  days everything by training the weather and   road conditions are bad the roads are slippery  we don't like driving so the train is perfect   it's much more relaxing and much safer sometimes  they even close the road in the mountains   but the train always runs actually the sisters and cousins all have the surname   bang it's the one that gave them their  unusual band name [ __ ] big boobies bang band it is just fantastic when we are on tour   everyone is in a good mood we have time  off and are away from our family and home we feel free when we're on the moon there is hardly any time to make  yourself comfortable after 50 minutes   the bangs have almost reached their destination hem the sparget the home town of the musicians  only 1 300 inhabitants live in the small town   but at least there is a famous jazz club  where the women's band will perform tonight   helgeland coast very close to hemnes  berget is a paradise for kayakers the three friends vegard mata and  alexander want to go out to sea today   they had to wait a long time for  this day the weather was just   too bad for a paddle tour but today  no storm no high waves perfect conditions the weather is  lovely it's been bad for so long   now we're looking forward  to getting out on the water   the helgeland coast with its approximately 12 000  large and small islands its long sandy beaches and   the almost turquoise sea is a particularly  beautiful part of norway even in winter it is fantastic every time  to come back to the same area   and experience it under new weather  conditions in different lights that's when you realize you're really alive in everyday life the three  teachers are the headmistress   principal and geologist they got to  know each other during their studies   in front of them lies the island hesmanoi  through which the arctic circle runs the kayak is so quiet that you  can get very close to the animals you can see birds at close  range or if you're lucky a whale i've already experienced that this fills body and soul with an incredible piece around three it's time to  set up camp for the night   camping at minus two degrees a warming  fire should not be long in coming a kettle for coffee is always there but the most important thing is  and remains the grilled sausages you feel like a little boy exploring every day the world out here is always new i here in norway we have so much  nature and very few people this gives you more opportunities to get away  from it all and be alone or with just a few people   no mobile phone reception no rush  just the sound of the sea yeah you get energy back you can switch off from  everyday life and do something completely   different nice friends good weather and  beautiful nature it's an unbeatable combination a cup of coffee from an open fire to go with  it it's simple things that make you happy in norway for the [ __ ] big boobies bang band  however the evening is just beginning   the final concert in hemnesberger tonight is  the last concert of their tour and a home game   we all know who's coming that's nice it makes  us feel safe we talk a lot between the songs   here we don't have to be afraid of  what we say because this is our home the concert is sold out little boxes yellow the northland barn is approaching the  polar circle railway kilometer 543 last stop before the magic line at dunderland  the trains from north and south meet at 700 meters we climb up to saltfield and then we've arrived the arctic  circle highlight of the journey the winter on salt violet is unpredictable   sometimes it comes already at the end of  september sometimes it lasts until june also last night it snowed again the  snow plows on the european road six   the most important north-south connection  in the country are in continuous use driver thomas schuning has been  driving on the icy roads for 10 years   the section of road he has to clear of ice  is 33 kilometers long and it snows every day there's more snow up here than anywhere else you  never really know what the weather's going to be   like and there's always a strong wind the snow is  always moving so we often have to close the road for cars in winter the pass  was closed it's only since 1968   that there's a manned snowplow  station up here on the mountain one week on one week off here at the station turmo  and the other drivers stay overnight during their   shifts after all they have to keep an eye on  the situation on the roads around the clock if the weather suddenly changes  the pass road must be closed   this will have real consequences for the people  the entrepreneurs for everyone who wants across   the salt field you have to think about what  you're doing every time it's a big responsibility   we can't close too soon and we have to keep  the road open as long as we can justify it another coffee for the road  then it's back out on the street the turmoil the job is the  fulfillment of a childhood dream snow plow driver at the arctic circle he says  it's not the most common job in the world but it's not a job without danger turmoil  checks his equipment before every trip unfortunately the reindeer are the  ones causing us the most problems   during the winter many are run over  by cars and trucks on the road here several snowplows are in use  here on salphiel around the clock the road conditions are difficult  today lots of fresh snow   including bare ice several times a  day turmoil crosses the arctic circle   and passes the arctic circle  center for arctic visitors for many tourists the saltfield is treacherous it often happens that people get into  trouble when they drive up here in saltfield no matter what the weather is like  it can be quite uncomfortable when   you have to get out in a strong storm and then at half past four we're going back to  the depot thomas shift is over then   after 11 hours in the narrow cab  skis and poles are waiting for him it's a norwegian phenomenon we  just like to be out in nature a lot   all year round every season has its  charm movement is very important for   me because i have to sit a lot so it's  very good if i can exercise after work and tomo can do that here until may enjoy the  white wilderness at the top of the arctic circle the salfield for many it is the  highlight of the train journey   the russian violinist senior  matsugora is on her way home i'm going to buddha from budio i have a flight  to osla and then to moscow and two are hungry   to my homeland it's a very long way yeah of  course i like this country i like this nature   i come here every time and i  return this full of emotions   two of the most beautiful paths to the north   meet on saltville the nordland railway  and the e6 or european autobahn six for thousands of years san fioret  has also been the land of the sammy   and grazing ground for thousands of reindeer the sami used to live in cotton  conical tents made of birch trunks   covered with reindeer skins or pete nina oscar is a sami and also speaks  the language she wants to preserve   the heritage of her ancestors and today  shows taurus the traditional sammy homes my mother built this pete hut she herself was  born in one so she always wanted a home like this probably because she had such fond memories  of her childhood i want my children to learn   what my mother and father taught me that is  important otherwise it will all disappear then her three adult daughters have made  their own way working as a fashion designer   voice over speaker and makeup artist they  support their parents in every free minute   nina's 17 year old son anta will  one day take over the reindeer everyday life has become easier  compared to how it used to be   the snowmobile has long  since replaced the dog sled but nina and her husband still have to look  after the animals every day in any weather you don't ask how many reindeer sammy owns   it would be like asking how much  money someone has in his account reindeer husbandry is an ancient tradition that  has been passed down from generation to generation   it was the same with pair ola and nina the reindeer mean everything  to us without reindeer   we would be normal norwegians  that's just the way it would be   we would have no language no culture no food  nothing our way of life would simply disappear too and with them the huge reindeer  herds up to 100 000 sammy still   live in scandinavia today most of them in norway   but economic interests increasingly collide with  the traditional life of the indigenous people modern society wants more and more land our  pasture land is shrinking from year to year   it's an unfortunate fact that's how it is  new holiday cottages new roads new pits   new power plants all have to be built no  matter what the community demands more and more whether summer or winter the  reindeer usually roam free   only when they are fed tagged or slaughtered to  the breeders herd them together in an enclosure for thousands of years the sami culture  has been an established part of northern   scandinavia and parts of russia but  how long will it continue to exist   nina and perola are not so sure  climate changes changing nature   and the lives of animals in addition there  are very specific problems with traffic we are losing hundreds of reindeer  and have been for many years   they get run over by cars and trains it's  not good for the drivers or us or the animals the norwegian state now pays between two hundred  and four hundred euros in compensation for   each animal run over a some that pair orla  and nina find too small but it is a start and there is another new idea  for the protection of animals   but paola has to catch one of the lead animals  first in this collar is a small gps transmitter   when the leaders and their hood approach the  road warning lights are activated and flash the digital collars are still  part of a research project   but they may one day help to  better protect sami reindeer but the collar does not offer  protection against train traffic   a fence along the track would probably  be best but that's far too expensive the nordland railway arrives punctually at  lawn style station kilometers from trondheim until 1955 the railway ended here in lorne style  exactly 19 kilometers north of the polar circle   one of those who wanted to continue their journey  and were waiting for connection stayed overnight   at the legendary sulphurette hotel torbjorn field is a hotelier  caretaker and hostel warden in one guests have registered for this afternoon  it should be cozy and warm in the hotel   after all it is icy outside minus 20 degrees this is real winter here a long winter   and a very cold winter minus 30 degrees is  nothing unusual of course you have to dress really warmly use a lot of wood because the  building is old and not very well insulated the south hotel was built in 1950   at that time lawn style was the place for  winter sports but the golden times are long gone torbjorn and his wife cecil spend  their fifth winter in a row here   they hope that the four guests  will actually make it to them the last few days the road to the  mountains was closed and the guests to not all we live available in the middle  of nature and are dependent on it   you have to learn to deal with it this is an  old building there's always something to do with that bigfoot the charm of the 1950s has remained old  photos remind us of the heyday of the hotel   lornsdale railway station as a traffic junction  those who came from the south had to take the   bus from here to the north those who came from the  north had to change from the bus to the train here   railway romance in black and white but  there was also construction in winter   the southfield hotel was then considered to be  ultra modern and was the pride of a whole region   cecil used to come here as a kid for  her the hotel is a piece of memory i mean a big deal my grandfather used  to have a small cottage about 10 minutes i used to come here often in my childhood  and buy chocolate at the reception   or i used to go to the toilet here so  i wouldn't have to go to our outhouse   besides i worked here when i was 18.  i had a summer job at the reception the couple has fulfilled a dream in the  mountains with the saltvillet hotel in lonestar   3 43 the nordland barn slowly picks  up speed again and leaves the station this is where the last leg of the journey begins   in a large curve along the shastra  fjord down to the north sea to budu knitting is the latest trend in norway  in hardly any other country is as much   wool consumed per inhabitant as here kirsten  sand is on the way north with her son bjorn in the past you just didn't buy so much you made  a lot yourself even the clothes i've wanted a   sweater like this for 60 years i asked my friends  from sports if they could knit one for me that's   how i got it i like it a lot it looks more like  iceland or shetland no it's actually sammy colors   but the pattern comes from iceland doesn't  it no greenland all right greenland whether iceland greenland or norway  nature inspires them again and again look how beautiful it is it's so quiet and peaceful here when you come  here you notice it it's a different kind of peace there's no stress here the stress of a big  city you don't have that here you get calm   you can't be stressed at all when you travel  from a to b why should that stress you out   it's hectic in the city kids  work it's just the way it is   maintaining train service in ice and snow  a technical masterpiece but the challenge   of building a railway line at all was much  greater due to the mountainous landscape here the dark chapter of the nordland  railway is kept awake in the bloodway museum works as curator in the museum from 1940 to  45 the germans occupied norway prisoners of   war mainly from eastern europe had to build a  140 kilometer long railway line at that time on the whole the prisoners lacked everything there  was torture death it was commonplace in those days   today we know that during the  construction of the track an average of   two people were killed each day or  simply collapse from exhaustion and illness without regard for the health of the  prisoners the german occupying forces   wanted to build a polar railway hitler's  prestige project all the way up to cherkanas   the german defeat prevented this there were  56 prison camps along the route at that time it's important to preserve such a significant  part of our history the museum has various   functions it should tell about the past  and show younger generations what happened   in the hope that nothing like  this will ever happen again a reminder and a memorial the northland barn is now approaching  the finish line at top speed the foothills of the north  sea have long been reached   the train still has half an hour's  journey to budu always along the coast he's in no hurry to arrive jake kress barabat   is visiting scandinavia for  the first time in his life i am going to voodoo in the north far north i  am actually on a trip right now yeah i'm from   philippines originally it's really amazing this is  the first time i saw snow after i landed in oslo   this was the best trip i had the train was  definitely awesome and comfortable the conductor   auger thick and his colleagues from the dining  car the journey is also slowly coming to an end the islands and the sea are now very close the coast of norway is wide to the north  the canyons of the fjords are not as deep   and narrow as further south and  the climate is relatively mild   on a peninsula lies cherengui which  translates as old woman's island   they build wooden boats here which have their  origin in their name the northland boats if bjorn mikkelsen knows his trade together with   his apprentice stephanie hein he  builds six to seven boats a year the vikings designed the nordland boats  perfect for easy rowing and sailing there are only a few companies left  that build boats like this nowadays   when i was a kid i used to go  to my parents hometown by the   coast every summer there was an old  nordland boat just as big as this one all black from the old tower which  had cracked and was quite brittle   but i was still too small and i wasn't allowed to  use it it wasn't until i was 12 that my old uncle   said okay if you can pull the boat into the water  and you can take responsibility for your brothers   and sisters then you may use the boat the initial  interest has now turned into a profession a   nordland boat is between 5 and 13 meters long it's  made of spruce wood which ulf fetches especially   from central norway it takes a good four weeks  to build such a boat which then usually goes to   museums stephanie comes from plun she has already  completed an apprenticeship as a boat builder   her search for a shipyard for wooden  boats ended with her moving to cheringu it has always been a dream of mine to move to  norway well i learnt boat building in germany   and i've always been fascinated by wood it's just  hard to find a wooden boat yard down in germany   that's why i searched up here for wooden boat  building you find more wood than plastic here building wooden boats a craft that hardly  anyone in this region masters as well as ulf   but finding good youngsters was not so easy i must admit i was a little skeptical at first  i thought she would come here stay for a while   and then leave but steffy is capable she  learns quickly and is very interested in   the craft she has a work ethic that you  rarely find among young norwegian people   unfortunately most of them are more occupied with  their mobile phones than with carpentry from there right next to the shipyard is the  old village center at cheringue   a fishing village that had  its heyday in the 19th century crude hamson one of the  most famous norwegian poets   has a special connection to the place  some of his novels were filmed here   knut borrowed money from the merchant  of cheningoe when he was short of money the old merchant shop still displays  pieces of jewelry from back then   the fishermen used to stock up on food  here but mostly with high proof stuff the bill was then written down and later  settled with fresh fish from the loforton the historic boats are stored  in the old boat shed next door all of them have the typical curved  shape which even stops high waves this here is an old type nordland boat it was  used as a fishing boat but also as a church boat   people used to live far apart sometimes  in the farthest corner of a fjord   they would take the boat to  church or to the merchants you rode the nordland boats or hoisted a sail  on the mast only later were engines installed boats are still an important means of transport  today because many places on the coast can only   be reached from the water for stephanie it's  the practical part of her training so to speak she is to set sail today for the  first time completely without help   under the strict eyes of her teacher not so easy but then it works out after all it's fun i'm always afraid that i'm doing  something wrong or that i won't get it   right or that i'm not fast enough but mostly if  you get too hectic that's when things go wrong the fishermen used to sail the  boats over to loforton that's   around 100 kilometers over the open sea but today the wind just doesn't want to freshen up   and it's getting dark but next summer they want  to take a longer tour and uff has this idea steffy will have finished  her training in three years   then she'll know how to sail a boat like this and  how to build it to get the properties you want   if she likes she can take over  my business and i can retire stephanie doesn't know yet whether she'll  accept this offer but on this winter's day   there's nothing more beautiful for her than  the world of fjords north of the arctic circle the nordland barn has now reached its destination  bordeaux after 729 kilometers and 27 stations the train took 9 hours and 50 minutes and  therefore arrived more than punctually roger's last mission to say goodbye  to the passengers in english take care we'll take a break first for  around two and a half hours   then the locomotive will come to the front again  and this will become the night train to trondheim   jake moves on with his photographic equipment as  well maybe he'll get lucky and see one last aurora the journey with the nordland barn ends in  bordeaux but tomorrow morning another train will   start heading north right on time at 7 38 am then  a new winter journey to the arctic circle begins you

Channel: Free High-Quality Documentaries

Views: 793,146

Keywords: Nature, Documentary, HD, Animals, People, Countries, Technology, Travel, train, conductor, Trondheim, Arctic Circle, Norway, Bodø, railway, forests, fjords, snow, frozen, Temperatures, moose, snow storm, plough

Id: eMpA1jPdr7M

Length: 89min 17sec (5357 seconds)

Published: Thu Nov 18 2021