What exactly is dark time?

Are you a little unsure of what dark time actually is? Darkness is a natural phenomenon that occurs in winter north of the northernmost Arctic Circle, and south of the southern Arctic Circle. In the autumn, the days get darker and darker until the sun disappears completely on 18 November, and then returns again on 18 January. This is the first day it is possible to see the sun again in Vadsø after dark. 

The day of the sun, end of the dark time

The dates vary slightly from place to place, but in Vadsø 18 January is considered the day of the sun. Kindergartens and schools then celebrate with decorations and singing, and they go out to see if they can see the sun. If we are lucky and the weather is clear, the probability of seeing the sun is good. After the day of the sun, it gets brighter and brighter with each passing day until we approach the season of the midnight sun. The opposite of dark time. Read more about the midnight sun in Varanger here.

But is it that dark?

This is something that can be discussed. Locally, many people have started to call it the color time, perhaps because dark time sounds a bit, yes dark. But also because of the colors. During the few hours it is light, a completely unique play of colors can occur in the sky. It's also the northern lights then. The long dark days together with the long cold winters provide completely unique conditions for the northern lights. Just as it is, the northern lights light up the sky in green, purple and blue tones. This is a time that attracts photographers from all over the world to Varanger to capture the unique light in the dark times. The proximity to the untouched nature, the open landscape that is easy to travel in and the lack of light pollution is another bonus.

People have different relationships with the dark ages. Some people think it is the coziest time of the year when we light candles and stay indoors with good dinners, friends and family. Some people think it can be a bit heavy that there is no distinction between day and night, and can become very tired during this period. This varies greatly from person to person so be aware that there may be a transition when you encounter the dark time for the first time.

Experience the Dark Ages

Varanger borders the tundra, which means that when the coniferous forest ends at the edge of Vadsø we find an open landscape. This makes it easy to travel in the untouched nature completely on your own without a guide or transport if you wish, here nature is easily accessible to everyone. But you can also experience the dark time together with the locals. Here on the farm, we arrange Northern Lights evenings. We do this to order on days when the conditions are favorable for the aurora borealis. There will be a bonfire, local food and we are on hand to answer any questions you might have about Varanger. In collaboration with our partners, we organize dog sledding trips and scooter trips under the northern lights.

Be close to nature

If you fancy a few quiet days inside, there is no problem. Varangertunet is close to the village, but just enough on the outskirts to be shielded from light pollution. If you want to sit inside on a cold winter's evening, you can simply turn off the lights, bring duvets and pillows to the window and scout for the northern lights from within. Otherwise, we have several campfires, gap huts and a barbecue room where you can light a fire and grill so that you keep warm while you scout for the northern lights. A number of birds, foxes and hares have also been served here. So if you don't see the northern lights, you might get a visit from some forest animals.