All language subtitles for Amazing.Railway.Adventures.with.Nick.Knowles.S01E02.1080p.HDTV.H264-DARKFLiX

NICK KNOWLES: 'I'm travelling
the world by train

'on a series
of incredible journeys.'

Right on cue.

'There'll be spectacular scenery...'

It's absolutely stunning.
I genuinely can't believe I'm here.

Somebody pinch me.

'..|'ll meet amazing people...'

I brought some rope and some fruit.

'..Who push me to my limits
in extraordinary places...'

Oh!
WOMAN LAUGHS

'..and show me astonishing
sights...'

Oh-ho-ho!

Oh, my word. Look at that.
I'm holding a piece of real artwork.

That's ridiculously good.

I'll discover incredible feats
of engineering...

TRAIN HORN WHISTLES

I have a feeling
this might be another switchback.

'..And I'll go beyond
the tourist trail

'to find out what life's like
along the track.'

I'm very rarely stuck for words,

but this is one of the most
gobsmacking places I've ever been.

Skal, everyone.

'These are my amazing
railway adventures.'

So sit back, put your feet up,
and enjoy the ride. All aboard!

This is just so much fun!

Today, I'm in Norway,
with its fishing, its fjords

and its friluftsliv,
which is love of the great outdoors.

'I'll be travelling
on Norway's longest railway line...'

TRAIN HORN WHISTLES

'..to explore
the extraordinary landscape...'

Oh-ho-ho!
What a fantastic view this is!

'..I earn about
the country's forgotten history

'under Nazi rule...'

Think about this treatment.

The shoes was broken.
Everything was terrible for them.

'..Experience the different ways
of life...'

It's a reindeer.
Put in the coffee if you want.

Put it in the coffee?
Yeah, yeah.

'..And fully embrace
the Norwegian outdoors.'

I'm swimming!

I'm under the water! It's horrible!

THEY CHEER

'My journey starts here
in the historic port of Trondheim,

'once the Viking capital
of the country.'

CHURCH BELLS RING

'Norwegians are famed
for their seafaring roots,

'and standing proud
is one of the most renowned

'Norse Viking explorers.'

This guy's very important.
His name is Leif Eriksson.

He's considered
to be the first person

to set foot in North America,
500 years before Columbus!

I've got a bit of Norwegian in me,

I know cos
I've done the genetic test,

and I can feel my inner-Viking
coming out.

'And like the great explorers before
me, I'm ready to discover Norway.

'I'm catching the Arctic Express
on the Nordland Line.

'It'll take me ten hours
through 450 miles of epic scenery,

'as we cross into the Arctic Circle
to Bodo.'

Here we go.

NORWEGIAN ANNOUNCEMENT

The sound of Norwegian, listen.

ANNOUNCEMENT CONTINUES

It's like a sing-song language,
isn't it?

Look at this! I've never seen
anything like this on a train.

It's a kids' play area.

Only in Norway would they
think of that. What a great idea!

Brilliant.
CH UCKLES

'As we wind through
the lush landscape of Trondelag,

'the first place I'm visiting
is just half an hour away.'

The thing you need to know about
Norway is that it's very craggy.

The coastline and the fjords
creep right into the country.

As a result, if you're gonna
build a train line...

This one, the Nord Line,

it needs 293 bridges
and 154 tunnels!

It's an amazing feat of engineering.

Here comes a tunnel now.

You know the expression "the light
at the end of the tunnel"?

It normally means something good.

I've gotta tell you, the light
at the end of this tunnel...

takes me straight to Hell.

Literally.

'Like many a tourist before me,

'I'm making a quick visit

'to one of the top selfie spots
in the area.'

Thank you.

There you go. Told you
there was a place called Hell.

Just get the obligatory selfie.

Comes from the old Norse,
meaning "cliff overhang" or "cave".

In modern Norwegian, it means lucky.

Who'd have thought
that Hell was cold and wet,

and if you wait around long enough,
it does actually freeze over?

Now, you won't be surprised
to find out

that the locals have cottoned on
to the fact

that this is
quite a tourist attraction.

And this little shed here

was the "goods expediting"
or "goods handling".

This is the old-fashioned
way of spelling it.

God's expedition to Hell.
HE LAUGHS

'Well, that was a fun diversion.
I couldn't resist.

'Onwards to the next stop.'

Next place we're visiting
on this line is Grong,

one of the best places
to go salmon fishing,

and I love a bit of fishing.

So, this is Grong,

and I actually feel I'm more out
in the countryside Norway now.

Sort of mountains in the background,

and the river curves away over there
in the distance.

'The River Namsen,

'one of Norway's top spots
for fishing since the 1800s,

'when wealthy Brits, having made
their fortunes in the Empire,

'came here in quest
of the mighty fish.

'Norwegians named them
the salmon lords,

'and still credit them
for introducing

'British salmon-fishing techniques
to Norway.'

Now, I've done a bit
of fishing when I was a kid,

but not salmon,
and it's a very specialist art.

So I'm gonna meet a guy called
Torgeir who knows more about it

than I'll ever learn.

This, by the way, is the Namsen
River, one of the longest in Norway.

140 miles long and known
as the Queen of Salmon Rivers.

So if I'm ever gonna catch a salmon,

it's gonna be here
and with this guy.

Hello! How are you?
Welcome.

There we go. Thank you.

OK.

'Torgeir is teaching me harling,
a traditional fishing method.'

So, I take this off...?
Yeah.

...swing it out into the current?
Yeah, put it in water.

OK, and this is... harling fishing?
Yeah.

Er, the British fishing lords

used to have the name,
and we still use it.

So, is it... Oh, is it... so it's
a British fishing technique? Yes.

'Torgeir tells me
that harling originated

'from the River Tay in Scotland

'and involves trailing weighted
lines from a slow-moving boat.'

Now, you're not a rowing
to take us upriver,

you're just moving us backwards
and forwards on the current, right?

Yeah. And this is to make
the lures move around? Mm-hm.

So, I know it,
the water is so, er...

er, drifting fast.

The Namsen is not only
one of the longest rivers in Norway,

but also one of the most powerful.

So, Torgeir, how old are you?
Do you mind me asking?

How old are you?
63.

63?!

And you're rowing
like a 21-year-old.

No, they can't.

NICK LAUGHS

How big are the salmon in here?

What's the biggest
they've ever got out of here?

I think it's more than 30.

31.5.
Wow!

That's like a... That's five stone,
that's half of you!

It's big one, really big.
About a third of me.

What's it like
to catch a big salmon?

They're very difficult
to catch them.

So, you used to say that,

"To fight with a salmon,
it's better than sex."

NICK LAUGHS

"It's better than sex."

'But it's hard work
even getting a fish on the hook.'

Torgeir, I'm not catching anything.
Is that because I'm a bad fisherman?

No. It's late in the...
in the autumn.

You need to come back in June.

Part of the beauty of fishing

is actually just being out
on the water

and looking at beautiful scenery.

'Fishing isn't Torgeir's only job.

'Originally a farmer,

'in the middle of his land
is 200 metres of disused rail track

'and a railway bridge
over the Namsen,

'and this is what he did with it.'

Oh, much warmer in here.

HE LAUGHS
Isn't this fantastic? Look at this!

It's actually a hotel
in train carriages.

Look at the views!

How beautiful is that?

So, Torgeir came up with this idea.

They closed down the stretch
of line, "What are we gonna do?"

Well, grab a few old carriages that
are hanging around, re-purpose them,

and turn them into a hotel
that people can come to fish

and they can stay here when they do.

He's actually now doing
more hotelier work

than he is doing farming or fishing.

Beautiful, isn't it?

'It's the end of the season here,

'but throughout the summer, this
place is packed full of fishermen.'

And they've actually used
a sleeper carriage.

Now, my room is 105.

101,102,103,104,

and here I am on 105.

Do you wanna have a look?
Yeah, come on, come on.

Look, down this bottom corner,
little sink.

So, all you need there for a little
bit of a wash, clean your teeth.

Lovely little bed. Bunk beds,
so you get two of you in here.

Amazing view out the window.

And, actually,
just along in the next carriage,

there's a very modern shower block,

so you've got all the amenities
you could possibly want.

Right, I've gotta get ready for
dinner, get out of my waterproofs.

See you in minute.

'As night falls,
dinner is served for me

'and a bunch of Torgeir's friends

'in our very own restaurant
carriage.'

That's delicious!

Did you catch this?
No.

No.
NICK LAUGHS

After a fantastic day on the river,

I didn't catch anything,

but it doesn't really matter,
to be honest, amongst friends now.

Drinking...

Whoa! That warms your cockles.

...Aquavit. Skal.

Skal, everyone.
GUESTS: Skal!

Skal. Looking forward to tomorrow.

'I'll be up bright and early
to get back on the railway...'

'..but not on a train...'

It's just so much fun!

'..And I journey north to experience
Norway's great outdoors.'

Well, I wanted to see snow.
LAUGHS

TRAIN HORN WHISTLES

'I'm on a railway adventure
through Norway.

'From the city of Trondheim,
I've travel led more than 100 miles,

'passing through shimmering fjords
and lush landscapes

'to the small village of Grong.

'After a peaceful night at the
train hotel I've been staying at...

'..|'m off for a cycle
on the disused rail track.'

I just think
it's the most genius idea!

You get to see
the whole countryside,

3km of track to play with.

It's just so much fun!

'The line on Torgeir's land has been
out of use since 2005, I hope,

'when the last freight train
took this route.

'And just for fun, this bike
has been specially adapted

'so it can
run along the tracks here.'

Easiest thing in the world.

You don't even have to pedal
on the downhill bits!

Oh, there's even a bridge.
How cool is this?!

Cycling across a railway bridge!

And you get the clickity-clack
where the rails meet.

This is heaven!

'But it's soon time to leave,
as I've got a train to catch.

'In the 100 miles or more
I've travel led so far,

'we've passed through endless
glistening fjords and rivers.

'Now I'm about to cross
an extraordinary bridge,

'and joining me for the ride
is engineer Morten Nysater.'

Morten?
Nick?

Yes! Hello.

Hello.
How are you?

You're the engineer
that's come to talk to me

about this amazing bridge?
Yes.

And where is it?
It's just through the tunnel.

OK. Oh, look, here comes the train.
Yeah.

'The Forsland Bridge
was built in 1935.

'It's a two-in-one,

'crossing over a river and a road.

'And each section
has its own distinct structure.'

Well, we are now coming
to the Forsland Bridge.

We are on it now?
We are on it now, yes.

This is over the river,
and this is over the road.

It's about 206 metres long.

'This truss bridge is structured
from interconnecting triangles,

'making it extremely strong,

'and able to span
a significant length.'

So, that's...
We're into another tunnel.

So it's tunnels and bridges
and tunnels and bridges?

Yes.

Engineering-wise,
it must have been very difficult

to build a line when you have
so many fjords and mountains.

Yes, that's why they put the bridge

after the tunnel.

I see, rather than go
all the way round.

As an engineer
who works on the railways now,

how proud are you of the people
who built this railway?

Very proud.

With their bare hands.

Yeah.
Only.

It was a very hard thing to do.

Yeah.

I can't believe
that all the time we talk,

it's daylight, then it's tunnel,
then it's bridge, then it's tunnel.

Yeah.
It's a tough landscape.

It's a tough landscape, yes, it is.

'As we trundle further north,

'and closer to the Arctic Circle,

'the landscape
is beginning to change.'

Look, the snow
on the top of that peak.

We've finally got to the bit
of Norway that is snowy.

The views are spectacular.

Well, they would be, wouldn't they?
Fjords, mountains.

Proper outdoors, innit?

'After travelling another 120 miles,

'we are coming to Mosjoen,
the oldest town in this region

'of Helge land.'

So, this is Mosjoen,

which is my chance
to try a bit of friluftsliv,

which is the, you know,
great outdoor thing.

I'm still not pronouncing it right,
I don't think.

'From here, I'm taking to the skies.

'I'm flying out to one
of the most sought after

'hiker destinations in Norway,

'with visitors coming
from all over the world

'to stay here.'

Well, this is the way
to get a view of Norway.

Get up in the air.

'Across Norway, there are cabins

'built for hikers in remote areas.

'And I'm off to see
one of the most beautiful ones.'

Wow, look at that.

We are actually
over the glacier now.

Well, I wanted to see snow.

The pilot has let me open the door

to get a better view.

What a fantastic view is this.

The cabin that we're going to visit
is that one down there.

'At 4,000 feet
in the Okstindan Mountains

'the Ra bothytta cabin.

'But with a location this remote,
how does this cabin function?

'Project manager Sven
is here to show me.'

Sven.
Hi. Welcome.

Thank you very much. Wow.

This is... This is it.

It's beautiful.

And the setting is incredible,
it's stunning.

We call it
the roof for northern Norway.

The roof of northern Norway.

Yes, they are the mountains here.

Can I have a look around the house?

Yes, soon,
but first you have to help me.

OK.

We're going to sleigh a few things
down with the helicopter.

Looks like
I've got to earn my keep first.

This is snow, by the way.

Yes, I'm sinking in it.

Yeah, do. Come.
OK.

'Sven volunteered his time
to manage the build of the cabin

'and makes regular trips
up here to stock up supplies.

'With temperatures
reaching as low as minus 20,

'the cabin needs to be kept toasty.'

So, what sort of stuff comes up
by helicopter?

For example,
wood for heating the cabin.

You see...

There's no trees around here,
are there?

There is nothing, there is nothing.
Literally nothing.

What can I do to help?
It goes under.

Ancl then out on the middle.

Not this one, the one you have.

My one? Oh, I see.
Not mine.

Let me look how you've done that.
OK, I'll get it now.

Everything that you use up here
has to be flown up?

During winter,
you drive on snowmobiles.

It's very steep.

So you don't get very much cargo
with the snowmobile,

compared to the helicopter.

Ancl the helicopter is very fast.

You know, it's very effective.

Though it must be
an expensive way to do it, though.

Yeah, sure.
We are not here to make money.

You're not?
So you don't make money from this?

Yeah, we make money, but we spend
the money on helicopters

and gas and wood and everything.

So it's just balancing.
So if...

But that's good enough.
No, but why would you do it, then?

Why would you do it
if you're not gonna make...?

This is...

...what should I say,
the pleasure of life.

It's a way of living.

I do it for the common good.

For everybody.

Oh, I wish we had a bit more of that
back in the UK.

We have a lot of this in Norway.

Really?
Yeah.

I spent too many years

on this project, just building,
establishing this place.

No, nothing I was paid.

My shoes were worn out.

My clothes were worn out.

Everything. And I got nothing.

Not even food.

But it was so fun,

it was so exciting,
it was fantastic.

'The helicopter must head off
straightaway with the rubbish

'if it's to return in time

'to fly us
down the mountain before dark.

'Now I see why Sven was so keen
to put me to work straightaway.'

You wanted to go inside? Right.

This is heavy.

This sack is not so heavy.
Take this.

I can take... I'll take a heavy one.

I'll take a heavy one.
SVEN LAUGHS

You don't have to give me
a light one.

What is it, what am I carrying?
For the beds.

Oh, it's bedding, OK. Oh, linen.

Linen.
OK.

'The cabin is open year-round
and is self-service,

'accommodating the intrepid hikers

'who make
the two-hour trek to get here.'

Thank you.
Please come in.

Thank you.

Oh, Sven, this is beautiful.

This is amazing.

Oh, look at that.

'It's one of 550 cabins operated by
the Norwegian Trekking Association.

'But this beauty has been voted

'as the most popular cabin
in Norway.'

What a view.

This is stunning.
It is.

I'm very rarely stuck for words,
but I have to say

this is one of the most gobsmacking
places I've ever been.

In my time,
I've built many buildings,

but I've never felt like this
about...

about a building I've walked into.

It's... quite an emotional
experience, actually, weirdly.

Do you find people react emotionally
to this place?

People coming up here
for the first time

and they stay outside,
they look at the view,

it's amazing, right?

Ancl then they come inside and then
the tears, they just...

they just come.

I think it is this framing of nature
which is so amazing.

This is on the very borderline

of the harsh nature,
the very tough nature,

the one you cannot control, right?

Ancl it's safe inside, again,
a place where you can really...

Just...

feel well.

Grab a pencil and write this down.

The Rabothytta cabin, Norway.

Because if you like walking,
find a way to come here.

It is absolutely extraordinary.

It's under £20 a night to stay.

I have never seen
anything like this.

'What an extraordinary place.

'But in no time at all,
I'm back on the train,

'as my journey
through Norway continues.

'I'll be delving into the darker
side of this country's history.'

Think about these people.
Their shoes was broken.

Everything was terrible for them.

'And getting out on the water
to brave the stormy seas.'

Get your adventure hat on
if you're coming out.

'I'm on the Arctic Express train

'on a railway adventure in Norway.

'After more than 200 miles
of stunning scenery,

'I've reached Mosjoen.

'Not far away is the beautiful
River Forslandselva

'and before I get back on the train,
I'm taking a trip across the water.

'Lilian Sorensen
works in green energy.

'She wants to show me Ovre Forsland,

'a hydropower station
like nothing I've seen before.'

That's the building?
That's the building.

That's the hydroelectric plant?
Yeah.

It looks like someone's house.
SHE LAUGHS

Well, it's prettier than my house,
I can tell you that.

'Despite being rich in oil,

'Norway has been investing
in green energy,

'building power plants like this
all across the country.

'Just this station alone
has enough power

'to supply 1,700 homes.'

Almost everything we produce
of electricity in Norway

is renewable.

98% is renewable.

98%?

How have you managed to get to that?

Are there many, many
hydroelectric plants here?

Yeah, there are, all over Norway.

I think it was just naturally,

because we have
all these natural resources.

You have a lot of rain.
We have mountains and waterfalls.

A lot of rain, as you can see.

'Two turbines turn the flow of water

'into electricity
for the local area.'

So, we did it like this to give
something back to the community,

so that instead
of just building a power plant

in the middle of untouched nature,

we could facilitate
for, like, fireplaces and toilets,

so that more people
could use the trail up here.

So it's like a destination
to come and visit?

It's a destination.

I think it's amazing.
What a great idea.

So, it just shows that you can do
things in a better way

than you have before.

Yeah, you're definitely doing that.

Kind of wish that we were doing this
a bit more.

Yeah, you can.

I know people bang on
about renewables all the time,

but, if you think about it,
this country produces

98% of its power this way.

And if you can build
an industrial plant,

cos that's what it is really,
that looks like this

and sits in the countryside
so beautifully,

that then becomes
a destination for people to visit

and to get out in the countryside,
why wouldn't you?

Ten people a year maybe

came through this way
before they built this.

Now 10,000 people a year
get out into the countryside

and use it.

It's genius, isn't it?

HE CHUCKLES

'Still heading north,

'I'm taking the train around
50 miles onwards to Mo I Rana.

'From there,
following the railway line,

'I've come to Dunderland,
an important historical site

'with a dark past,
directly related to the railway.

'Local historian Rune
has come to tell me its story.'

So, this is Dunderland Prison Camp?

Yes, it is.

As you look around,
you can actually see

the base of all of the buildings,
the barracks, I suppose.

So, who was here, where were
they from, these prisoners?

These prisoners
came from the Soviet Union.

From different places
in the Soviet Union,

for Hitler's Germany's mission

to construction a railway
from Mo I Rana and up to north.

'During World War ll,
this was a Nazi prison camp.

'In 1940, the Nordland Railway Line
only reached as far as Mosjoen.

'It was Hitler's plan
to improve rail supply lines,

'especially for iron ore.

'So thousands of Soviet
prisoners of war

'were forced into slave lab our
to extend the line further north.'

What do you think the conditions
were like for the prisoners here?

It's very awful.

Constantly starving.

Sickness.
Everything was bad for them.

There were 16,000 prisoners of war

was in the construction
of the railway.

And of them, (“ed 2,151.

It's just unthinkable, isn't it?

And the fact
that it's so recent as well.

It just makes you think
how close we are always

to this kind of horror.

How do you feel when you come
and stand in this place?

I'm trying to think.
It's very difficult.

I feel it's our fault.
just to think about these people.

We are standing here now
in the rain,

and they are freezing

and it's also
to think about these people.

Yeah.

Their shoes was broken.
Everything was terrible for them.

I think it's amazing,
that's the train coming past now,

whilst we are stood
in the prison camp

of the Russian soldiers
who built that line...

Yeah.

...in terrible conditions.

And whilst we are talking about it,
the train is going past.

I find that astounding.
TRAIN WHISTLE

It's a dark period of history
for Norway, isn't it?

It's a dark history
for all the people.

The war is a dark story
anywhere, anywhere.

For the Soviet prisoner,
for the Norwegian,

for everyone, for everyone,
who must live in these conditions.

'For decades after the war,

'this history
was forgotten in Norway.

'But a new initiative,
Project Nordland Railway

'is finally
bringing the past to light.'

It's actually really eerie
to be in a place like this,

where you know
so much suffering has happened.

And to hear the train go past
as well

on the track that these prisoners,

these slave labourers, built,
was really quite chilling.

We've been very lucky to have over,
what, 80 years of peace,

a little more than that.

It's very easy to forget, isn't it,
the horrors that went on?

Not if you come
to a place like this though.

'It's not just Norway's history
I've come to discover.

'The landscape in this area
is truly breath-taking.'

Look at this, look, so now
we're looking down on the river.

Behind it, the mountains.

It's a great way to see the country,
trundling along on a train.

'And not too far from here
on the coast

'is one of Norway's
incredible natural wonders.'

Throughout this journey, I've been
travelling alongside the water,

sometimes crossing it,
but never been on it.

I'm about to change that.

'Guide Erin is taking me
to Saltstraumen,

'a narrow strait of water

'famed for having the most powerful
tidal current in the world,

'producing spectacular whirlpools.'

We have here one of the strongest
tidal currents in the world.

Ancl today is your lucky clay,

because today is a very good
time of clay to see the current.

'Every six hours,
when the tide turns,

'the whirlpools churn into action
in the 150-metre narrow strait,

'creating a maelstrom.'

The only way to get to it

is by rib, on rough seas like this.

HE LAUGHS

So get your adventure hat on
if you're coming out.

'As we near the maelstrom,

'whirlpools are beginning
to emerge.'

You can see the ocean,
the water is kind of boiling.

Yes.

Ancl they will kind of build up,
and then...

As we are here now,
it will just continue to be faster,

and more and more Whirlpools.

There's a big one over there now,
isn't there?

Little one here.

Big one...
Look at that.

We are being spun by one of the
vortexes now, can you feel that?

Like a fairground waltzer...

made in nature.

Look at the size of this over here.

You can see a huge one
building up over here now.

This really is quite extraordinary.

It is.

'Rumours of giant vortices
just off this stretch of coastline

'date back centuries.

'Stories of whole ships
being dragged down

'into the murky depths below
by mysterious forces

'were spread by fishermen
and sailors,

'inspiring writers like Jules Verne,

'Herman Melville,
and Edgar Allan Poe,

'who introduced the word "maelstrom"
into English.'

In my mind's eye as a child,
a whirlpool, if you fall in,

you will get sucked under
and you will disappear.

If you're big,
you will break the vortex.

You're suggesting I'm big enough

that I would break
the world's greatest vortex.

So the movies where you see
ships being sucked into a vortex...

I don't think that will happen.

Are we safe on here?
I hope so.

This boat is safe?
It is.

'Time to return
to the safety of dry land.'

Wow.

I've never seen anything like that.
Have you?

A really incredible thing
created by nature.

Very impressive. Very impressive.

'After that wild ride,
I'm on the last stretch of my trip.'

TRAIN WHISTLE

'Beyond the Arctic Circle is Bodo.

'I'll be exploring
more of the Norwegian coast

'and taking the plunge.'

I'm swimming!

I'm under the water!

It's horrible!

CHEERING

'After travelling
for nearly 400 miles,

"I've finally reached
the Arctic Circle in Norway.

Reindeer are starting to appear
in the mountains here,

'and they are central
to the way of life

'for many of
the semi-nomadic Sami tribe

'who live around here.'

Welcome. Come inside.

Thank you.
Yeah.

'Nina is a reindeer herder,
and she's invited me to her gamme,

'a traditionalSami mountain house.'

Will you have coffee?

I would love coffee, that would
be great, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Ancl will you have...

meat, reindeer?

This is reindeer, is it?
Yeah, it is reindeer.

Put it in the coffee if you want.

Put it in the coffee?
Yeah.

Really?

Just drop it in?
Yeah.

OK.
Ancl drink.

OK, thank you very much.

'These days, Nina lives in a house,

'but uses the gamme
for smoking reindeer.'

So, what are you cooking today?

I shall make blood cakes.

Blood cakes?
Yeah.

Like black pudding?
Out of reindeer blood.

OK, so, like, like...

We have black pudding,
we call it black pudding,

when it's made with blood.

But it's a cake?
It's a cake. OK.

Will you have?
Yes, absolutely I'll have that.

It'll be lovely.
Thank you very much.

Strangely tasty, actually.

That's very good.

I imagine,
if you're out in the snow,

herding the reindeer,
you come back into this,

which is incredibly warm in here,
and eat these pancakes,

that's a very lovely day.

'There are
around 50,000 Sam is in Norway,

'but it's estimated
less than 10% of them

'follow this traditional
way of life.

'To find out more about them,
back on the train,

'for the final stretch
of my journey to Bodo...'

TRAIN WHISTLE

'..|'m joined by Sami
cultural coordinator Maria Heroes.'

So, who or what are the Sam?!?

Indigenous people of Norway, Sweden,
Finland and Russia,

so Scandinavia
ancl also northern Russia.

Yeah? In an area
that we would call Lapland?

Yeah, or Sapmi,
in Sami language.

We have a really sad history
of Norwegianisation, we call it.

Like being Norwegianised.

They were not supposed
to speak Sami, be Sami,

show off their Sami heritage
or culture.

So you kind of...

hide it.

So how did the Norwegian government
try to assimilate the Sami people?

They had, like, boarding schools,

where the first clay of school,
you are supposed to speak Norwegian

and this is what you do.

If they were reindeer herders
or nomadic,

they had to go to school anyway,
and boarding school anyway.

'In fact, Maria's own mother
was sent to boarding school,

'unable to speak
any language but Sami on day one.'

This book actually
has a picture of my mum

when she was a child.

This is her.

'The Sami children who were forced
into the Norwegianisation program me

'were taught
to be ashamed of their roots.

'Sami shoes were a big giveaway.'

People used to hide their identity,
and shoes was something...

There are so many stories about
people finding shoes in the attic

and like, "Oh, were we Sami really?"

Like, they are trying
to erase the history. Oh, really?

I have a picture I want to show you.
Yes, please.

The photograph
is scratched at the bottom.

Yes, his family have scratched out
his shoes

because that would be
the only significant sign

of Sami-ness.

Oh, I see.

So, there was a sense of shame
and you had to hide

the fact that your member is Sami.

So, how do Norwegians now
see the Sami culture?

I think people respect it much more.

We still have a long way to go

because people still don't know
enough about Sami culture.

But it is a different world today
than it was before.

'We've come to the final stop
of my train journey now.

'Beautiful Bodo.'

So, this is
the end of the line in Bodo.

But not the end of my journey,

as there's one or two things
I want to do here

in the Arctic Circle.

'I've set myself one final
challenge,

'and it's just along the coast.

'It's time to fully embrace
the Norwegian outdoors.'

I found out there's a group
called the Bodo Penguins,

who are people who go
cold-water swimming in the ocean.

And they've invited me
to come along.

And as I'm here in Norway,
and that's what people do,

I feell ought to join in.

But let me tell you,
it takes me 20 minutes

to get into a swimming pool
when I'm on holiday with the kids

in a warm climate.

I hate cold water.

But you have to take
these things on, don't you?

Hello. Dagmar?

Hello, nice to meet you, Nick.
Nice to meet you.

I would love to present you
to Bodo Penguins.

Hello, Penguins.
Hey.

I think you're all mad.

No, we are just happy.

Yeah, but...
And I know that for a lot of people,

cold-water swimming
makes them happy,

it's good for their mental health.

I hate cold water.

Yeah, but then you can learn
to love it.

You have to try, give it a try.

Right,
I'm just gonna get myself ready.

And then I'll come and join you, OK?
Yes, very good.

'The sea temperature
is near freezing,

'so it's essential to wrap up
before diving in.'

I'm putting my bobble hat
back on top.

'By the way,
this vest has no thermal quality.'

If nothing else,
I'll keep my ears warm.

'It's for modesty
more than anything else.'

Right.

Righto, ladies, I'm ready to...

rumble.

I just don't know, why do you do it?

It's... You will realise.

It's wonderful.

It's very close to nature,

and you get this wonderful
endorphin kick.

Ancl you are coming out happy.

Ancl you are coming out, thinking,
"I can conquer the world."

THEY LAUGH

Look at them.
They're not even pausing.

Argh, no.
This is horrible.

Oh, it's ridiculous.
Focus on exhalation.

Arghg

Oh, no!

Oh, the next bit,
I've got to get my undercarriage

under the water.

Oh, I can't feel my legs already.

Argh! This is horrible.

Why did we... Argh.
Ah, that's my bits.

Oh, that's my bits under. Argh!

Ah...

Breathe, breathe.

Exhale, exhale.

LAUGHTER

Oh!

CHEERING

Oh! I'm swimming!

I'm under the water!

It's horrible!

CHEERING

'It's been truly wonderful,
but now it's time to go home.'

I came to Norway
looking for friluftsliv,

which is love of the great outdoors.

And I think I found it
in many places.

'The scenery here is breath-taking.'

Well, I wanted to see snow.

'And I've had
some unforgettable experiences.'

This really is quite extraordinary.

But, yes, it rains a bit,
and it snows a bit,

but the sun comes out

and it's one
of the most beautiful countries

I've ever visited.

And I've challenged myself
and succeeded.

Whoo.

Let's see if I can get
some hot chocolate.

What a trip.