SCANDINAVIA - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 97

Need to know The only way to get to
Longyearbyen is to fly from Oslo (4hr) or from
Tromsø (1hr 40min) with SAS ( W www.sas.no).
The average temperature on Norway's west coast
in winter is minus 12°C, so be sure to pack warm
clothes. For itineraries, prices and advice on what
to bring see W www.svalbardvillmarkssenter.no;
T [phone]. For general information
about Svalbard see W www.svalbard.net.

128 Go on A doG-
SlEddinG SAfAri in
SvAlbArd, norwAy

You're dressed in a snowsuit
and sitting in a sled feeling a
lot like Father Christmas. Six
bright-eyed, frisky dogs are
attached to the sled by harness;
straining, barking and yelping
with anticipation, their breath
is visible in the crisp morning
air. When the time is right,
the main guide at the front
gives the signal and without a
moment's hesitation you're off,
hurtling across the snow into
the infinite white landscape.
In Arctic conditions it's
difficult to get quickly from
A to B without some form of
assisted transport. Yet the
noise and air pollution caused
by snowmobiles (in addition
to the disturbance they cause
to wildlife) hardly does the
fragile environment much of
a favour. Dog-sledding is the only viable green
alternative, which is why the Arctic tours run by
Svalbard Villmarkssenter have passed the strict
guidelines laid down by Ecotourism Norway (see
p.249). It runs overnight tours as well as five-day
dog-sledding trips from Longyearbyen southward
through Spitsbergen's glaciers and fjords.
Svalbard Villmarkssenter also provides the
option of a combined polar skiing and snow-
kiting trip. En route, you'll have a good chance
of spotting polar foxes, seals and polar bears as
well as the northern lights. This low-impact tour
is in sharp contrast to the increasing number of
motorized trips out of Longyearbyen, from where
as many as seventy snowmobiles depart every
day. Opt for the dog-sledding alternative and
you'll help to protect the Arctic wilderness and
see more of the local fauna.

129 follow in ShAcKlETon'S
fooTSTEpS AT finSE, norwAy

At Finse, the highest stop on the Norwegian
rail network, there is a ski resort with no lifts.
No jostling queues; no pylons; no concrete silos
housing noisy machinery. Just kilometres of
cross-country tracks across a vast unspoilt
landscape of frozen lakes, mountain chains and
glaciers where the snow can last from early
December until mid-June.
Finse Hotel is the life and soul of this small
resort. It was built in 1909 and used by some
of the great polar explorers such as Nansen,
Amundsen and Shackleton to prepare for their
Arctic adventures. You can also stay at Finsehytta,
a large hostel run by the Norwegian Mountain
Touring Association. Guided cross-country tours
from Finse (which aren't suitable for beginners)
include a demanding trek to Hallingskarvet
(5-7hr), while a gentler option is the return trip
to Klemsbu Cabin, 5km north of Finse (3-5hr).
As well as cross-country skiing, you can try ski-
sailing, dog-sledding and glacier-walking on
Hardangerjøkulen Glacier (summer only). This
is an extreme location so come here to find your
inner explorer; who knows where it might lead.

(From top) The pulling power
of huskies; A six-dog sled
charging across Svalbard's vast
wilderness

Need to know The only way to travel to Finse
is by train from Oslo (4hr 15min) or Bergen (2hr
15min); for prices and timetables see W www.nsb.
no. For details of the hotel (where you can pick up
a ski map), activities and timings for trail marking
in Finse see W www.inse1222.no; T +47 (0)
5652 7100. Finsehytta hostel: W www.insehytta.no
(Norwegian only); T [phone].