Witches and Work in Vardø

03/09/2025

After leaving Grense Jacobselv we needed to find somewhere with signal for me to work. It also needed to be somewhere that Paul could entertain himself for the day (which usually means somewhere with fishing opportunities) and it needed to be a park up where we were comfortable to stay for the whole day. We had one of those drive – stop – drive – stop evenings looking for the right place. But the park ups we found either didn’t have strong enough signal, or made us feel as though we would be overstaying our welcome if we stayed for more than overnight, or were on the edge of a road with nothing for Paul to do while I worked.

Twlight in Vardø

In the end we drove for nearly 300km before we found the right park up. We’d always been trending towards Vardø and that is where we ended up. We didn’t arrive until after 9pm tired after a long day.

We don’t like turning up anywhere in the dark so it’s a good job that evenings are long and drawn out in late summer here above the arctic circle. Even though the period of the midnight sun is long over the sun doesn’t drop far below the horizon (or, perhaps more accurately, the earth’s tilt towards the sun is still a fair way from vertical) and so twilight lasts for a long time.

There are three periods of twilight. First the sun sets below the horizon, then civil twilight ends when the sun is more than 6° below the horizon. Nautical twilight ends when the sun is more than 12° below the horizon and astronomical twilight doesn’t end until the sun is more than 18° below the horizon. It’s called astronomical twilight because the sky is not considered dark enough to make astronomical observations until after astronomical twilight. In Vardø on 3rd September astronomical twilight never ends. It wont be until around the autumn equinox that some true darkness will be experienced.

The result of these long twilight hours are some incredible sunsets as the sun’s refracted light in the longer wavelengths  and we had a couple while we stayed in Vardø.

Parked up in Vardø

Our final approach to Vardø was through a tunnel under the sea. We’ve since been through a few of these but it was a first for us since arriving in Norway. It was also the first undersea tunnel built in Norway, finished in 1982. It’s the only way for walkers and cyclists to get to Vardø too and unusually (from what we’ve experienced so far) has a pedestrian carriageway.

Heading under the water

Vardø town spans two islands which are connected by a causeway and central harbour. The whole looks like a squashed butterfly with the westerly island being a longer thinner ‘wing’ than the east island. Our parkup was at the northernmost tip of the east island where a large area of waste ground is home to an unofficial motorhome parking area. Here also are some old concrete fortifications from WWII, a seating area and shelter and some nice sculptures. There aren’t any facilities here, but there is a service point just down the road. Nearer the harbour is a paid parking area with the possibility of electric hook up. Vardø really does cater for the motorhome traveller.

We arrived to find a handful of motorhomes and campervans parked up. We slotted ourselves into a space looking north towards the islands of Reinøya and Hornøya where massive seabird colonies can be seen in spring and summer. We may have been too late for the breeding season, and the last puffins had already left, but we still saw plenty of terns, gulls and skua. We also managed to see a pair of sea eagles from a distance although they never got close enough for a good photo. Solitary grey seals occasionally popped their heads up – or was it the same seal following us?

After the amazing sunset we managed to see the Aurora Borealis for the first time this trip, we felt very privileged especially because the sky wasn’t that dark.

A glimpse of aurora

Working from Vardø

I spent a day working while we were here which meant I was confined to the van for the majority of the time, although I had some lovely views to make up for it. At mid afternoon the Hurtigruten ferry signalled it’s arrival with a long blast of horn. Fortunately they didn’t make the same racket for their 5am arrival.

Paul went fishing from the rocks around the parking area and caught a decent sized Coal Fish which made a nice dinner. Coal Fish is mostly known as ‘coley’ in the UK, it’s grey coloured flesh is a bit off-putting and so it ends up being the sort of cheap fish that is relegated to being the cat’s dinner. But actually it’s pretty good eating and I prefer it to cod.

The next day we popped down to use the services as one of us had managed to ‘wee the red light on’ overnight. The red light being the indicator next to the toilet that shows us that we are less than three litres from filling the toilet up. Definitely not something to ignore especially as there are no public toilets near this parking spot.

A cycle tour around the Islands

Then we went out for a bike ride around Vardø. It was a really good way to see the town and islands. We cycled all the way out to the lighthouse at the north end of the western island then worked our way back. There are lots of things to see here as well as a good selection of cafes. We picked up a couple of cakes on the way back but didn’t manage to visit the pub which I understand is a great place to enjoy a drink.

A very short lighthouse

Just south of the lighthouse is a WWII bunker which is worth an explore, there is a tunnel in the hill underneath the bunker as well as the concrete buildings with letterbox windows and walls and doors that are starting to show their rusting reinforcing bars. Opposite the bunker is a modern hut made for quiet and contemplation. One of a number of architect designed seating areas and bird hides around the islands.

Making our way further south we visited the impressive Drakkar Leviathan, a sculpture that looks metallic from a distance but is in fact made from wood that is weathered silver from it’s exposed position. The vast leviathan skeleton gradually morphs into the hull of a longship, representing the creatures of the sea, the people who make their living from the sea and the relationship between the two.

The Vardohus fortress is a star fort, built on the site of a mediaeval fortress but redeveloped into the iconic star shape in the 1700s. It was used as recently as the Second World War. Entry costs 50NOK per person but can only be paid using VIPPS. We had to use our Euro stash to make a cash payment into the honesty box. Around the fortress is a disc golf course. We’ve seen a lot of these yellow baskets in Norway but have never seen anyone playing. Maybe there was a government initiative as most seem to be municipal courses with no charge to play.

Vardø Witch Trials Memorial

Finally we went to see the powerful and moving Steilneset memorial. This is two separate but connected installations that are memorials to the victims of the witch trials of the 1600s. 97 people were accused of witchcraft and tried here. 91 of them, men and women, Sami and Norwegian, were burned at the stake. I haven’t yet read The Vardo Witches but had just finished reading Daughters of the Witching Hill, an excellent novel about the Pendle witch trials which made the visit all the more poignant.

One installation is a long canvas and wood tunnel which you can walk through in the darkness with just the yellow glow of the lights suspended from the ceiling. Text by each light tells the story of the commemorated person’s trial and confession and the lights shine out through small windows. We picked up a small booklet with an English translation of the texts. I still look at it every now and again with a mixture of disbelief, horror and morbid curiosity.  These snippets from the court records show how the hysteria of the trials took hold and the accused turned on each other, convinced themselves of their guilt or were tortured into confession. it’s easy to see why we talk about witch hunts in modern politics.

Alongside the first building is a large smoked glass cube with a flame constantly burning in a chair at the centre of the room surrounded by curved mirrors. You can imagine the accused sitting there being judged by the righteous.

Vardø has obviously put a lot of effort into making tourists welcome and keeping their interest. We really enjoyed it here and would highly recommend a visit if you’re ever in Finnmark.