Driving further north up the archipelago of the Lofoten Islands we arrived at the Northern most point we have ever visited and the highest we went in Norway. The villages of Nykvåg and Hovden are fishing villages (on Langøya island of the Vesterålen archipelago). Being one of the largest fishing villages on the west coast of the island, the village was mostly populated by fisherman so naturally at this time of the year (September) it was deserted of locals and tourists. We found a huge free car park in between both bays of the village and stayed here for a couple of nights enjoying all aspects of Norwegian beauty; winter sun sets, mountain ranges, sandy golden bays, timber villages and clear icy waters.

We braved it and ran into the Arctic Ocean, knowing we’d regret it if we didn’t and felt the iciness creep into our muscles but surrounded by beauty and silence it was worth every minute of it.

The village was a ghost town but perfect for photo opportunities and exploring the traditional derelict fisherman houses. At night the village was even more eerie as no lights shone from the windows and no sound penetrated the silence bar the waves and wind.

Even though the typical months to view them was late September, October, February and March we were lucky enough to experience one of natures most stunning offers- the Northern Lights. They began around 9pm, strands of green slowly forming like wisps of magic twirling it’s way between the stars. Throughout the evening it slowly grew as more colours joined until it overtook the entirety of the piercing black sky, enhancing the twinkling stars.

At first I struggled to grasp the settings on my camera to capture the beauty ahead as I’ve never photographed such a thing but I grasped the concept and learnt throughout the evening, staying up till 3am admiring the unique shapes and forms as if they were living, breathing swirls trying to communicate. Later on in the evening when I finally managed to capture them I was stood in the bay, giddy with excitement as the colours reflected on the ocean’s surface blasting everything in dazzling colour and everything ceased to exist but the polar lights. It’s amazing how something can instantly make you feel so small and insignificant yet so much more all at once.

An aurora is elusive, it is something you would have to see yourself to understand it’s hypnotising wonderful effect.