Originally published by John Gimlette for The Mail on Sunday
Recently we had the pleasure to host journalist and travel writer John Gimlette on a snowmobile expedition to Svalbard, the remote Norwegian archipelago just 400 miles from the North Pole. Spanning an area the size of Ireland, Svalbard is Europe’s largest remaining wilderness.
Describing Svalbard as “improbable, measureless and beautifully sinister,” Gimlette writes about his 5-day snowmobile expedition that ventured far beyond the edges of civilisation, deep into a landscape where the cold bites, silence stretches endlessly, and polar bears have been seen roaming.
Credit: Basecamp Explorer
His journey began in Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town, home to just 2,600 residents, and an impressive collection of “most northerly” records, from its pub and library to its schools. But past the town’s borders one can find the true heart of the Arctic. Armed with polar suits, heated snowmobile handlebars and freeze-dried curry, together with a small group John set out across frozen rivers and ancient glaciers, through temperatures as low as -27°C.
Among the highlights was a stay at the remote and unexpectedly luxurious Nordenskiöld Lodge, located beside a glacier and reached only by snowmobile or dog sled in winter. Reindeer stew, panoramic windows, and even a sauna added to the surreal sense of arctic luxury.
Credit: Basecamp Explorer
Throughout the journey, John’s keen eye for detail and history brings the region vividly to life. He describes venturing near the abandoned Soviet mining town of Pyramiden, now a haunting relic of Soviet times, where only a handful of residents, and a statue of Lenin, remain. He also touches on Svalbard’s adventurous past, with tales of polar bear encounters and doomed expeditions featured in Longyearbyen’s North Pole Expedition Museum.
Credit: Basecamp Explorer
From driving through the enormous Arctic silence to exploring glacier tunnels, John’s journey offers an exciting glimpse into the life at the edge of the world. With contrasts from the abandoned mining towns to the unexpected comfort of a remote lodge, his story captures the essence of Svalbard: extreme, mysterious, and truly unforgettable.
Read the full article here: I visited Europe’s largest wilderness – where it’s illegal to go outside without a weapon and seal is on the menu | Daily Mail Online
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