The Route to the North Cape - Norway - page 394

here. You can also arrive by train at the Mo i Rana Train Station ( & 75-15-01-
77 ). Two or three trains arrive daily from Trondheim, costing 600NOK ($85)
one-way and taking just under 7 hours. Check www.nsb.no for information. Bus
service takes longer, is inconvenient, and saves you neither time nor money, so
it's not recommended. Motorists can take the E6 north from Trondheim.
VISITOR INFORMATION Near the Sørlandsveien roundabout, Polarsirke-
len Reiseliv, Ole Tobias Olsensgate 3 ( & 75-13-92-00; infomo@arctic-circle.
no), offers information about the area and is one of the most helpful tourist
bureaus in Norway. From mid-June to early August it is open Monday to Friday
9am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 4pm, and Sunday 1 to 7pm. In the off season it's
open Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.
SEEING THE SIGHTS
The town itself has some minor attractions, but if your time is severely limited,
it would be better spent taking a tour of the wilderness.
The Rana Museum of Natural History, Moholmen 15 ( & 75-14-61-80 ),
reveals the flora and fauna of the Arctic Circle, with a number of “touch-me-if-
you-want” exhibits of particular appeal to families with young kids. The fasci-
nating geology and ecology of this Arctic wilderness comes alive here. Admission
is 20NOK ($2.85) or free for children under 12, for both this museum and the
one below. It's open mid-June to mid-August, Tuesday to Friday 10am to 3pm
and also Thursday 7 to 10pm. In the off season it's open Tuesday to Friday 9am
to 3pm.
Rana Museum of Cultural History, Fridtjof Nansensgate 22 ( & 75-14-
61-70 ), recaptures the life and living conditions of the people who settled in this
harsh section of Norway. Exhibits trace the history of Mo through the 20th cen-
tury, focusing on the old farming communities nearby. Of particular interest are
artifacts of the Sami (Lapp) culture. The center is also the venue for frequent
concerts and temporary art exhibitions. It has the same admission price and
hours as the natural history museum (see above).
North of Mo (30km/19 miles) lies the grandest natural attraction in this part
of Norway, the Svartisen Glacier (means “black ice” in Norwegian).
Svartisen is second in size in the country only to the Jostedal Glacier. The ice
plateau is 1,005m (3,330 ft.) above sea level, covering 370 sq. km (229 sq.
miles) of high mountains and narrow fjords.
Svartisen (more accurately known as Engen Glacier) consists of two main gla-
ciers, the Østisen (East Glacier) and Vestisen (West Glacier). One arm of the
West Glacier is the lowest-lying glacier on the European mainland. The glacial
arm continues all the way down to Engenbrevannet Lake. It continues to grow,
advancing 40m (131 ft.) a year. Motorists driving along Route 17 by Holands-
fjorden can see many arms of the glacier stretching down between mountain
peaks.
The Vestisen ice cap is our favorite section to visit if your time is limited. The
Engen Skyssbåt ( & 94-86-55-16 ) operates two ferries running across Holands-
fjorden, taking 15 minutes and costing 45NOK ($6.40) each way. From June to
August the ferries run 12 times daily Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 8pm,
and 10 times on Saturday and Sunday 10am to 8pm. Ferries depart from the
Holand and Brasetvik quays. Additional information about the glacier and the
fjord-based ferryboats that access the climbing trails leading up to it are available
from the tourist office at Meløy ( & 75-75-48-88 ).
You can also drive to the glacier by going north from Mo on the E6 for 12km
(7 1 ⁄ 2 miles), following the signs to the glacier for 23km (14 miles). At the end of