The number one reason for booking a ticket to Tromsø was the allure of the Northern Lights. [More about that in the previous story]. As I quickly discovered though, this part of Norway’s arctic north is extraordinarily fetching in daylight hours too. Aurora or not, Tromsø ticked all the boxes for a chilled-out holiday, combined with some stunning landscape photography excursions.
On the photography side, I had a new Sony FE 24-105mm lens in my bag to try out with the Sony a7R II.
The lens made a great first impression with excellent sharpness handheld, thanks to the optical stabilization system; fast & concise AF, handy all-round zoom range, and good size and weight for travelling light.
Without further ado, here’s a collection of pics from some short jaunts out of Tromsø.
Sommarøy
This fishing village has wide open views towards the mountains of Kvaløya, but the highlight to me was the view to the chiseled peak of Håja island.
Ersfjordbotn
This quiet village has a dramatic mountain and water outlook over Erjsfjorden, worthy of photos even on a gloomy day. Coffee and cake with a view at the cosy café & store, Bryggejentene, was a capital idea!
Ørnfløya
Blue sky and prolonged, crispy sunshine for the ascent of Ørnfløya was an unexpected treat. The reward for the short but steep climb was a breathtaking panoramic view over the glassy blue ocean; sweeping from the towering cliffs of Senja to the south, across to the islands of Sommarøya & Hillesøya, north to Håja island, and further around to the snow-capped mountains of Kvaløya.
Kattfjordvatnet
The drives across the island of Kvaløya to Sommarøy & Ørnfløya, via the Fv862 county road, were simply spectacular. The light fell beautifully on this bleak, icy landscape, so any opportunity for a frosty roadside photo was snapped up. The valley road passes alongside the frozen lake Kattfjordvatnet. At one stage I did a double take when some ice-skaters caught my eye from the car. An unfamiliar sight to any Aussie road tripper! We pulled over to admire their freedom and spirit of adventure. Definitely a talking point of the trip.
Oldervik
Another beautiful, leisurely drive with patches of snowfall and sunshine, and yet more striking coastal and mountain views at every turn.
Breiveikedet
The icy drive to Breiveikedet was perfectly timed with the arrival of some intriguing lenticular clouds. With the Lyngen Alps as a backdrop, I snuck in a few shots before they floated away like flying saucers. The crunch of frozen sand underfoot, and shards of ice on the beach were quite a novelty. After an hour or so of these conditions the heated leather seats of the rental car were sheer bliss.
This all too brief introduction to the coastal and mountain landscapes around Tromsø had impressed beyond expectation.
On the holiday side, Tromsø was a great spot to relax, so easy to fit in, with super-friendly people.
Superb coffee and fresh cinnamon rolls at Risø mat & kaffebar, fireside reindeer hot dogs & mulled wine in the snow at Raketten Bar, and the Arctic seaweed cocktail at Bardus were among many highlights that I’m growing impatient to try again.
Image specs & prints
Images in this story were captured during October 2019 with Sony a7R II + Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens.
Prints of the images featured in this story are available for purchase.
CLICK HERE for information on prints from Girt By Sea Photography.
