Welcome back, everyone! After our summer hiatus, Ann-Christine is our guide for this week’s exciting challenge. There’s no better occasion than the holidays to embark on an adventure! I certainly had my share of fun, and it still continues as I am on vacation until the middle of August. So while at our summer house with our grandkids, I am trying to put together a post that makes some sense. It will be interesting to see what you all have been up to. Be sure to visit Ann-Christine’s fantastic post and participate, remembering to tag Lens-Artists and link back to her original post.
This summer has been particularly hectic. In June, we traveled to Oulu to visit our son and explore the local attractions. Being so far north, which is midway across Finland by distance, we took the opportunity to drive to Kilpijärvi and further into northern Norway. Additionally, in May, we spent some time in Crete, and last weekend, we visited Estonia. In this post, I’ll be sharing more photos from our trip to Norway.
Heading to Northern Norway had been a long-time dream; I don’t understand why we hadn’t done it before. Although it didn’t seem very far, especially coming from Southern Finland, we made sure to give ourselves plenty of time for the trip. Our car’s odometer showed a total of 1,300 kilometers from Helsinki, but we did make a stop in Oulu to visit our son, so we did not drive it in one stretch. Every bit of it was worth it, as Northern Norway is truly a dream spot for anyone who enjoys stunning landscapes and the great outdoors. The Lyngen Peninsula was just a few hours away from Kilpisjärvi, and we reached Skibotn in less than an hour, I think. Troms County, with its majestic mountains, took my breath away with attractions like Lyngen, renowned for its alpine wonders. The Lyngenfjord, or Yykeänmuotka in Finnish, sits beautifully between Tromsø and Kilpisjärvi, with the magnificent Lyngen Alps (Lyngsalpan) as the crown jewel of the peninsula. Seeing those sharp peaks for the first time was an experience I’ll never forget, and hopefully, we will visit again.
You won’t believe how beautiful Sommarøy is, especially during peak summer! We visited on a chilly, windy day in June, so it wasn’t exactly beach weather for us. But I’ve heard that if you go there on a sunny Sunday in July, it’s totally packed, just like a Mediterranean vacation spot! Luckily, we got to enjoy the tranquility of the beaches on a weekday. There weren’t too many people around, which made it perfect for taking photos without distractions. And the way the turquoise water shimmers against the mountains is just stunning!
I hope you enjoy the views as much as I did, as they truly take your breath away with their stunning beauty; I fell in love with that area, captivated by the vibrant colors of the landscape and the serene ambiance that surrounded me, making every moment spent there unforgettable.
Next week is Anne’s turn to lead us, Saturday 25th July.
Until then, let’s keep exploring, broadening our horizons, and maintaining a positive mindset
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Ritva Sillanmäki Photography 
Very nice.
Thank you
We visited Norway about 60 years ago, and it was beautiful as your pictures show. Thanks for bringing back those long forgotten memories.
happy to hear that memories were brought back…Thanks Anne
😍
Oh, Ritva, I’ve been anxiously awaiting your pose – I just knew it would be a corker and you didn’t disappoint. Your photographs are spectacular – always are – but if I’m being completely honest, I enjoyed your narrative even more. Great post, and thank you for sharing your memories and Norway with us. pp
you are so kind to say that. Thanks Pam
Your previous shots of Norway, and especially these today have whetted my appetite to visit Norway too. Scandinavia has been a closed book to me for too long!
We are a hidden treasure the Nordics
Ritva, this post makes me want to visit Norway. The mountains and the beaches are stunning.
That area is SO beautiful, worth a visit for sure
Amazing views!
yes they are, Thanks PR
What a fabulous adventure Ritva, the scenery is beyond beautiful! 💚 xxx
I do agree with you 100%
Stunning photos.
Thanks Lynette
Those mountains and meadows are wonderful, and then those Caribbean colors of the water. Wowza!
Wowza is a great word for them
😊
Amazing Ritva! your images really brought your journey to life. I’ve seen only a tiny bit of Norway and it was quite a long time ago so I especially enjoyed revisiting through your lovely post.
Thanks Tina, we also saw a tiny bit, glad you enjoyed ours
I love Norway and we’ve spent several summers there – but, never in any of these places you have pictured in this post! Stunningly beautiful – as always – but now I feel it is time for a new Norway trip for us!
it sure made us want to visit again AC
♥ One of those places you can’t get enough of!
Lovely images and memories Ritva
Thanks Brian
Beautiful photos Ritva, the mountains are incredible!
Pamela, yes they are.
Absolutely beautiful photos of an area of Norway I have not reached . . . would just quietly like to stand still and look 🙂 !
That is a good way of doing it.
Absolutely stunning, Ritva.
The beach looks so tropical with that aqua blue sea and the white sands.
The light in the opening image is so beautiful.
We were lucky with the weather, the forecast had cloudy and rain for us for the most of the trip, but even if cool, the sun did come for our rescue so we got more lively photos
Sommarøy on a windy weekday sounds like the sweet spot — those turquoise-water, white-sand shots are stunning, and having the beaches nearly to yourselves beats fighting the July crowds any day. We’ve found the same thing traveling with our kids: the chilly, ‘off’ weather days often hand you the quietest, most photogenic moments. And those sharp Lyngen Alps peaks rising behind the fjord are unreal.
True, We were lucky with the weather, the forecast had cloudy and rain for us for the most of the trip, but even if cool, the sun did come for our rescue so we got more lively photos, T
I’ve loved what I’ve seen of Northern Norway and your photos are the perfect enticement to see more one day! Sommarøy looks especially beautiful 🙂
It was a photographers dream, but then are so many places, but I fell in love with the area.
I was following on Google maps because I don’t know the area at all, Ritva. It seemed like a long way. My favourite shot is easily your Header. Where is that please? xx
If I am not wrong, we saw so many places, its from Olderdalen it’s a settlement in Kaivuono Municipality, Tromsø County- I am so happy with this shot as it shows in some way the scale of the mountains
It’s beautiful xx
The views are gorgeous!!
Must agree with you Nora