Short, sharp winter fix

A bit fed up with the mild Sussex winter, Graham McKenzie took a last minute short break to the Norwegian city of Bergen for a quick wintry fix.

"It may seem ridiculous but on several occasions these past three or four months I have Ionged for the cold, fresh, crisp thrill of winter. I wanted to experience the kind of temperatures that, when you breathe out, the air almost freezes. I dreamed of lighting bonfires, sleeping under an ice roof, drinking mead, eating raw whale meat and…well, not quite that far, but chilly enough to put a woolly hat on and some gloves. Not much chance of that in West Sussex in another damp, mild winter, so what was the answer?

I went to Sky Scanner (winner of a recent Mole Web Award) put in LGW to anywhere (cold) and up popped Bergen in Norway. Now I have been to Norway before and was slightly, well a lot, put off by the fact that you then had to incur the equivalent of the national debt of the UK just for a beer and a burger. After further research I found that perhaps the exchange rate these days is slightly more in favour of the pound and a night or two would not break the bank, just my account within it.

Norwegian Air flies twice a day to Bergen and it takes just under two hours to get there. It was worth it, for as soon as we exited the airport the nostrils were flaring and the breath, whilst not turning to ice, could be seen for kilometres around. Decorative fountains, designed presumably for warmer times, had indeed frozen and created the most glamorous twisty icicles you could ever want to see. It was looking and feeling just like winter should.

In Bergen, snow dominated the landscape. Known as the capital of the Fjords, steep sided mountains and hills monopolise the skyline. We took the funicular lift to the very top and enjoyed panoramic views of Bergen and its hinterland. The Fjords themselves can be explored by one of the regular three- to four-hour cruises that depart the quayside twice a day. The length of the cruise is dependent on the thickness of the ice in certain parts of the route. On ours we came to the ice line, banged into it (deliberately) and returned to base. We got excellent views of the how the glaciers have cut through the rock leaving huge deep gorges that have filled with icy Atlantic water to form Fjords.

Bergen is not without culture and heritage. Indeed, much of the port area is protected as a UNESCO world heritage area as it is made up of a wooden settlement that has been in operation for centuries. Whilst in the past they would have housed merchants and product, today they are mainly occupied by artisans, restaurants and tourism shops, but are none the worse or less interesting for that. The restaurants, unsurprisingly, feature fresh fish on their menus and we enjoyed a selection of delicious local specialities at a reasonable price.

As we made our way back to the airport the winter dream was complete and snow began to fall and the scenery took on yet another cloak of seasonal beauty. Bergen is only a short flight away but felt a long, long way from home."