Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Sarah Keir — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:53:18 GMT

Sorry about the quality of the picture - it is photographer error as I couldn't work out how to focus in the dark!

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Sarah Keir — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:52:17 GMT

Couple of weeks ago had a week long trip in Iceland and saw the Northern Lights on only one night out of 7, but Iceland is whole lot cheaper than in artic circle. Have a look at icelandiar.com for trips. The rest of Iceland was fantastic too.

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

KMurphy — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:29:33 GMT

[quote user="Jo Jones"]That's just showing off!!! [/quote]

Sorry - I know it seems that way! They're some of my favourite photos ever taken on one of the very best holidays I've had. Just wanted to share :)

Tromso is a fortune - I share your pain. Great place to visit though! It took us three tries to properly see the lights.

The first was in Finland in November 2009 - a week in the wilderness and it snowed the entire time. We didn't even see the moon!! The sky was uniformly grey from when we arrived to when we left. We got engaged on that trip though, so it was still worth it :)

We spent a week in a fishing cabin about an hour or so North of Tromso in January last year. It was cloudy the whole time, dismally so. Ever the optimists, we kept our faces pressed to the window and on our last night in the cabin we were able to make out first one star, then another and then suddenly the sky just opened and there they were. We were treated a half hour display of the lights then the clouds closed in again, and that was it!

And then in Finland again (it's cheaper than Norway!) this January we saw the display above. It went on for hours, 360degrees of dancing, swaying, hypnotic magic. I said then if I never saw them again I'd still be happy because it was honestly so amazing. It won't stop me trying though... I'm still jealous that Mark was away in Iceland this weekend!

If at first you don't succeed... :)

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Jo Cobbett — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:34:53 GMT

[quote user="KMurphy"]

Sorry to jump in on this one but seeing the Northern lights was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. These pictures were taken north of Inari in Finland in January. They were quite simply amazing. I'm a very amateur photographer so I'm afraid the pictures don't quite do them justice. We've also seen them in Tromso, in Norway but the Inari display was something else. We were staying in the cabin you can just make out in the second picture and had the whole expanse of a frozen lake to watch them dance above. It's hard to believe they're not living spirits.

Stunning. Breathtaking. We were like children on Christmas morning. If it's something you want to do then try and do it now!

[/quote]

That's just showing off!!!

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Claire Godfrey — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:34:08 GMT

Sore point,

Spent a fortune in Tromso trying to see them after saving up . Not a flaming peep!

My husband also keeps an eye out and drives up in the night if there is ever a chance of seeing them in the Lakes, 4 trips so far and still nothing.

Good to see how spectacular they can look though I suppose.

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

james herriot lied — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 19:26:49 GMT

[quote user="Malcolm Ness"]

About once every two years we get to see the Northern lights from our back door in Northumberland

[/quote]

Isn't that just Newcastle on fire?

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Malcolm Ness — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 18:26:52 GMT

About once every two years we get to see the Northern lights from our back door in Northumberland - not as spectacular as in these photos but still pretty amazing.- 55 and a bit degrees North.

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

james herriot lied — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:46:02 GMT

Man, that's cool.

Would love to see them NOW, but currently we're paying/saving for a Himalayan trip at Easter, followed by either long-distance relocation or an eight month climbing/diving trip from September. Life is tough

Winter 2014 is probably a good ambition.

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

KMurphy — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 17:40:07 GMT

Stunning. Breathtaking. We were like children on Christmas morning. If it's something you want to do then try and do it now!

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

james herriot lied — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 13:41:11 GMT

Mark

How far North (end of aisle 5?) were you for these?

Must admit, the Northern Lights are on my list for the next couple of years - as is Iceland if I ever make a fortune from software development

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Mark Rowland — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 23:58:49 GMT

Yep I bet they are green too :-)

Re: Look at what I was watching last weekend!

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 23:53:17 GMT

[quote user="Mark Rowland"]In Iceland[/quote]

Prawn ring - £2. You can't go wrong............