Lauklines cabins

The 30km drive from Tromso to reach Kattfjord gifted us immediately with a taste of the natural beauty that would become our constant companion for the coming days. As we passed through the hills and snaked along the edge of the silent fjord the odd passing motorist waved but otherwise we were alone. It’s easy to feel very small in this vast landscape, hemmed in by the towering mountains, raging waterfalls and crystal blue skies (on a good day of course).

Before we arrived at Lauklines on Kattfjord we didn’t know what to expect. Wooden cabins can conjure up an image of cosy (small), roaring fires (cold) and lazy days and evenings on the sofa under a blanket (raining). Immediately we were relieved to learn that Lauklines broke all of these preconceptions. The cabins were very spacious – we were only two but four could have stayed here comfortably; they were very bright and most importantly they were wonderfully warm.

Laukines cabins below and the still waters of Kattfjord beyond

The location is hard to beat, positioned at the edge of the fjord and looking out at water level to the hills in the far distance and the twinkle of lights from the sparsely populated shoreline opposite. The silence was total (at least when the wind wasn’t blowing) and as had arrived in September we had missed the busiest time of the year.

Most visitors come to Lauklines to fish in the fjord, and the friendly management will assist anyone from beginner to expert with their fishing needs. Boats and reels are available for hire. If I was a fisherman I could imagine this would be the perfect location.

We were here for another purpose however. We had come to witness the Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis. Fickle as they are, we knew that we were relying on luck and could do nothing to wait and see. At the airport a man had told us it had been raining for almost a month and there hadn’t been clear skies for many nights. Undaunted, we waited for nightfall with optimism.

We were indeed destined for good fortune. In our first two evenings we saw beautiful green auroral displays, on both nights starting at around 10pm. We sat within the warmth of the cabin waiting for the lights to appear, and once the show began we wrapped up warm to venture onto the wooden deck to enjoy the brilliant display.

We got lucky – the Northern Lights over Kattfjord

While at Lauklines we also took the chance to explore neighbouring villages and to do some hiking on the hill overlooking Kattfjord. We also visited Tromso a couple of times and enjoyed the city’s Polar Museum and ski-lift. But in the end, nothing was ever going to beat the thrill of seeing the aurora borealis shimmering across the night sky.

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by Andy Jarosz