Seeing the Northern Lights is a truly magical event. But seeing the Northern Lights on an expert-led knitting cruise? Now that is a dream come true! Find out more about the experience from Anna Nikipirowicz and discover why this holiday is the perfect choice for you…
“Norway is famous for its stunning and unspoiled scenery, and to enjoy it in winter was one of my bucket list-ticking experiences.
The cruise took us through many beautiful towns, where you had the chance to step onto the shore and explore. Each place had an incredible amount of appeal and plenty of yarn shops! Ålesund is a small town, but very Art Nouveau, with gorgeous buildings decorated with gargoyles and turrets. There was also Trondheim, an ancient city with the stunning Nidaros Cathedral at its heart, boasting some fantastic coffee shops as well.
The crew on board our ship hosted lots of events and talks to mark every milestone during our journey. One of these was when we passed the Arctic Circle, which was marked with a traditional ceremony and some willing, hardy participants. This ceremony involved having ice cold water poured down your back by the captain. It looked like a lot of fun, and there was certainly lots of laughter!
Next, we entered the northern part of the journey. All the towns we passed looked more and more magical; the scenery was breathtaking. The further up north we went, the days got shorter and weather colder, and the hunt for the Northern Lights began.
And, oh my, they did not disappoint! They graced us with the most stunning display in Tromsø. The lights were turned off on the decks of the ship to stop any light pollution, and the aurora danced above us. I had to pinch myself as I couldn’t believe I was seeing this glorious spectacle. This was an experience I will never forget!
The whole cruise was an adventure, a truly incredible experience that I’m very thankful to have been a part of. I have to say that the best part were the people. Our group was amazing! I’ll forever be grateful to them all for making this trip so wonderful. The only advice I can give is to dress warm and make sure you have cleats for your shoes – it’s very slippery there!
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you about the projects I designed for the trip. We worked on a mosaic and slipstitch colourwork cowl, which passed the test of keeping me warm. I used West Yorkshire Spinners Croft DK in the colours of the Northern Lights."
