Clare Fitzsimons travelled far into the North with Hurtigruten, aboard the MS Trollfjord, sailing up into the Arctic Circle on a voyage that had her eating seaweed and scaling mountains.
As someone with only a passing grasp of balance, tottering across a rocky shoreline doesn't seem the best idea. Add in pools of water, crashing waves, and very slippery seaweed underfoot, and it's tantamount to a disaster in the offing. So what could be worth all this peril? Truffles. Well, sort of. "It tastes like truffle," says Angelina Eriksen, handing me a sprig of what looks like purply-red moss. Eyeing it dubiously, I nibble a bit. And it does taste like truffle, even though it is in fact… seaweed.
Having grown up near the north-east coastline and spending many a day sliding over seaweed-covered rocks, I'll admit it had never occurred to me to start eating it. But here in remote Lofoten, one of the most northerly areas of Norway, somehow chomping seaweed straight from the water doesn't feel so odd. Of course, most of us have tried seaweed in Asian and Japanese food, but having it directly from the sea is a very different experience, and one that Angelina and her business partner, Tamara Singer, who run Lofoten Seaweed, are celebrating.
Seaweed and the Midnight Sun
Seaweed has been eaten for hundreds of years. The Vikings even used it to avoid getting scurvy and it thrives in the light — something it's definitely not short of during my visit in May as Norway transforms into the famous Land of the Midnight Sun. Instead of darkness, the sun appears to bounce off the horizon and begin to rise again. All in all, it's an odd but incredible sight, looking out over the glistening blue water as the next day already begins in daylight.
Then again, a trip along the Norwegian coast aboard the Hurtigruten cruise ship MS Trollfjord feels like a constant stream of once-in-a-lifetime moments. Spinning 360 degrees just a few feet from towering cliffs of a fjord in the ship's namesake Trollfjord. Tick. Sailing by a huge mountain, Torghatten, with a hole right through the middle of it. Tick. Crossing into the Arctic Circle. Tick. Visiting the city that has the most rainy days in Norway. Tick. Ok, the last one might not be top of your list, but Bergen is beautiful even through the showers and was where I began my voyage north.
Known as the city of the seven mountains, Bergen is surrounded by those peaks with a funicular taking visitors, commuters and even a kindergarten, to the top of Mount Fløyen. Norway's second largest city feels easy to navigate with its bustling fish market, delightfully wonky houses and array of restaurants. I tried the reindeer on our first night at Bryggeloftet, the oldest restaurant in Bergen, before collapsing into bed at the wonderfully comfy Clarion Admiral hotel ahead of the cruise sailing the next morning.
Intimate cruising and Arctic adventures
Many people think of a cruise and immediately envisage thousands of people and 20 decks of entertainment. For some, that's heaven. But for those looking for a calmer, slower and altogether more intimate sailing experience, Hurtigruten is perfect. MS Trollfjord first worked as a coastal transport ship, the equivalent of the local bus or train service for the remote coastal communities littering the shores. A four-year-old refurbishment saw it return to the waves as part of the company's Signature Voyage range. Unlike colossal cruise ships, it allows access to much smaller ports and fjords. With a maximum capacity of around 500 people, the ship feels cosy.
My Arctic Superior room delivered a good night's sleep — with an excellent blackout blind on the porthole for that midnight sun — before exploring our first port of Åndalsnes. The quaint town sits under the imposing Romsdal mountain range, 5,510ft up. There is a walking path to the summit, but there's also a gondola for the less energetic among us. It's stunning, especially when the clouds parted, revealing the most incredible rainbow between the peaks.
Not all of the ports are big towns either; in fact, Træna is the absolute opposite. Home to around 500 people, its year-round resident population has hardly changed since the Stone Age. Our guide — and local resident — Ramona Remmen took us round their 'open village', a real working town sharing the reality of life for normal Norwegians. While most of the cruise's stops are only a few hours, it's enough time to take in the local area and spectacular views. There are plenty of those aboard the ship, too, as it can hug the coastline and capture the incredible scenery along the way, including a special moment as you cross into the Arctic Circle for the first time.
Dining and local flavours
Less time in the deeper ocean is much better for seasickness as well, so that means you can take full advantage of the variety of great food on board from the three restaurants available and their Norway's Coastal Kitchen concept, celebrating ingredients sourced from the farms, fisheries and fjords along the route. The main dining area, Flora, is inspired by seasonal produce, while Brasserie Árran (named after the Sámi word for the fire at the heart of their lavvo tent) offers a traditional offering. Røst is the ship's fine-dining option, with a focus on fish on a three- to five-course rotating menu. I was lucky enough to have mine paired with a Havets Bobler tasting. Meaning 'bubbles of the sea' in Norwegian, it's quite literally what it says on the tin. Well, the bottle.
The sparkling wine, from the Rathfinny vineyard in Sussex, is stored 34m deep in the 6.5C sea to speed up its maturation time. The bottles come with sand still covering them, and it only adds to the interest of what is a delicious glass of bubbly. The exact location they're stored underwater is a closely guarded secret. It's far from the only link to the sea on board. The restaurants try to feature seaweed in at least one dish per day. They've even got seaweed beer, with a slightly salty tang that just makes it taste even better.
Aurora Spirits, the world's northernmost distillery, is great for a day trip from our last stop in Tromsø and created a special seaweed gin to be served on board. You can also smell like seaweed (in a good way) as the soaps and beauty products on the ship are sourced from Lofoten Seaweed which I visited from the picturesque fishing village of Reine before a final leg to the unofficial capital of the Arctic, Tromsø. There, with a heavy heart, I waved farewell to what's likely the closest I'll ever get to the North Pole. It was an unforgettable experience, and maybe next time I'm wandering along the coastline at home, I'll keep an eye out for some stray truffle seaweed to add to my G&T. Well, if it was good enough for the Vikings.
Booking details
Hurtigruten's Svalbard Line (Northbound) travels from Bergen to Longyearbyen over eight days. There are 14 departures between May 2027 and September 2027, on MS Trollfjord and MS Midnatsol. All-inclusive meals and unlimited selected drinks are included, with prices starting from £2,466pp, based on two people sharing a Polar Inside cabin onboard MS Trollfjord, departing on 30 August 2027. Flights and transfer options start from £250pp per route.
