#Ofoten Railway

[captainmartinisblog]

You Don’t Say Mush to the Dogs!

Sunday 17th March 2019 – Narvik, Norway

It was a leisurely start, as the ship made it’s way into the fjord, surrounded by snow-capped mountains picked out by the sun.

Our trip today took us on the scenic Ofoten Railway, opened in 1902 to transfer iron ore to the port but now also transporting passengers 26 miles along the fjord valley and up into the mountains.

The views from the train were pretty amazing, made all the more so by the glorious weather.

At an altitude of 1,715ft, the train crossed the border into Sweden where, at Riksgransen, we disembarked to meet the dog-sledding teams waiting there to greet us. Coffee and cake were offered by the campfire, where there was an opportunity to see and pet some 8 week-old puppies, which were adorable. Cue, Husky puppy. Chino, take note; be warned!

It was a chilly -6 degrees but it was just as well the weather was so clear and sunny because, with only 5 or 6 teams of dogs and minimal facilities, there was a lot of standing around in the snow and my in-shoe foot warmers came in rather useful!

When it was finally our turn, not only did we discover how quiet it is when you get going but also that you don’t say, “mush!” to the dogs! Meanwhile, I was trying hard not to think about the fact that we were sledding across a frozen lake that melts in summer! Part-way, we stopped for a break, a photo opp and a cuddle with the team (and to be honest, neither of us would have objected to a cuddle from Bob, our young Dutch driver). But the dogs were so enthusiastic and clearly enjoying their job; they just wanted to get going again! The whole experience was quite simply wonderful.

[everywhereisnowhere]

near Narvik, Norway