Svalbard is one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas – and certainly isn’t for everyone.
As resident Cecilia Blomdahl reveals.
The Swedish author moved there from Gothenburg in 2015, because it ‘felt like a fun adventure’.
There is fun, but from her cabin near the town of Longyearbyen, the largest inhabited area of the Svalbard archipelago, she tells MailOnline Travel that life at the top of the world on the Arctic Ocean island, is full of challenges, too.
Temperatures can plummet to -30C, she notes, there are months of darkness – then daylight – at a time, brutal storms, and polar bears.
Cecilia, 34, describes Svalbard, which lies close to the North Pole, as a ‘land of extreme seasons and weather’, explaining that the sun sets at the end of October and isn’t seen again until early March.
She says: ‘In summer, the sun stays above the horizon for nearly four months. The extreme seasons could be seen as both a highlight and a hurdle. I find the polar day quite challenging.’
The frigid temperatures and permanently frozen soil mean that no chances can be taken with house construction.
Cecilia Blomdahl moved to the Svalbard archipelago – one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas – in 2015. She’s pictured here drinking coffee in her cabin
Cecilia lives in Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen, the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. She’s pictured here on a February hike with her dog, Grim
Cecilia explains: ‘When constructing a cabin here, it’s essential to use poles anchored in the ground, as the permanently frozen soil can shift quite a bit. Additionally, we have well-insulated floors and walls, and our windows are triple-paned to minimise heat loss.
‘For those severe winter storms, we also have a backup heater that doesn’t rely on electricity, ensuring we stay warm and comfortable regardless of the weather.’
And what about those polar bears? Cecilia reveals that encountering a polar bear in town ‘isn’t a daily or even annual occurrence’, but they ‘can be encountered anywhere on Svalbard at any time’ – so residents ‘typically carry a firearm and often a flare gun as well’.
Cecilia continues: ‘Polar bear encounters have happened in the past. The protocol in such situations is to first move to a safe location. After that, you call the sysselmester (the governor), who will chase the bear out of town for everyone’s safety.’
Despite the extremes – and the peril – Cecilia says that residents ‘accept the challenges that come with life on Svalbard’ and reveals numerous plus points.
For one, she loves the dark season, commenting: ‘Each season has its own unique magic, but if I had to choose a favourite, it would be the polar night [November 11 to January 30]. It’s a special time of year when we sip coffee by moonlight, spend our days under star-filled skies, and, if we’re lucky, get treated to the breathtaking display of the Northern Lights.’
The landscape also offers special experiences.
Cecilia says: ‘I think one of the biggest reasons many of us choose to live here is the stunning nature. I usually spend my free time outdoors.
Svalbard lies on top of the world – near the North Pole
Pictured above is Cecilia’s cabin, which lies a short drive outside Longyearbyen. She reveals that abodes on Svalbard are triple-paned and have backup heaters
Cecilia reveals that polar bears ‘can be encountered anywhere on Svalbard at any time’ – so residents ‘typically carry a firearm and often a flare gun as well’. Pictured above is the polar bear sign at the edge of Longyearbyen, looking into Advent Valley, that reminds residents of the polar bear danger
Longyearbyen’s main street during the polar night season, decorated with the Christmas lights
Cecilia reveals that Longyearbyen (above) has ‘one of everything’ – ‘one supermarket, one post office, one gym, one gas station, one library, one airport, and so on’
Pictured above is a polar bear outside Cecilia’s cabin
‘In the winter, we love exploring the island on snowmobiles, whether it’s checking out glacier caves or spending a few days in a cosy remote cabin.
‘When summer rolls around, the fjords are the place to be. You can spot all sorts of whales as well as walruses lounging on the beaches. Hiking is always a great option, no matter the season. It’s a fantastic way to soak in all the incredible scenery that Svalbard has to offer.
‘We have reindeer and Arctic foxes. In the summer, the area comes alive with a variety of bird species, including puffins, as well as numerous whales like blue whales and beluga whales.’
The celebrations on Svalbard are fun, too.
She adds: ‘There are many unique local celebrations throughout the year. On the first Sunday of Advent, we welcome Santa Claus back to the village with a torchlit walk.
‘According to Longyearbyen legend, Santa lives in an old mine on the side of a mountain, and every Advent he returns to visit. For this event, the entire town’s lights are switched off, so only our torches light up the darkness of the polar night.
‘Children drop their wish lists into Santa’s postbox, and we all gather on the main street to light up our Christmas tree, which is specially flown in from the mainland, since we have no trees on Svalbard.’
She adds: ‘My other favourite celebration is the day we welcome the sun back to the village. Everyone gathers by the old hospital staircase, the first spot where the sun’s rays touch as they come around the mountain for the first time in four months. Together, we sing and cheer to celebrate the return of sunlight to our village after the long winter darkness.’
Cecilia at one of the viewpoints overlooking Longyearbyen in the middle of the polar night season
LEFT: Longyearbyen, which has ‘a variety of bars and restaurants that tend to be bustling on evenings and weekends’. RIGHT: Cecilia on the east coast in front of a huge block of Glacier Ice
Cecilia says: ‘In the winter, we love exploring the island on snowmobiles, whether it’s checking out glacier caves or spending a few days in a cosy remote cabin. When summer rolls around, the fjords are the place to be. You can spot all sorts of whales as well as walruses [above] lounging on the beaches’
Cecilia is pictured here during the polar night sub-season, gazing at the Northern Lights
Cecilia (above on a snowmobile) said: ‘For the foreseeable future, I see myself right here on Svalbard’
Cecilia shares the joys and challenges of adapting to an inhospitable climate in her book, Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole
The local culture comes with some unusual rules, too – such as cats being banned to protect bird life and people taking their shoes off ‘in hotels and other public buildings’, according to Cecilia.
But it’s all part and parcel of a life that’s accepted by young and old.
Cecilia notes: ‘There are quite a few families living here. About 300 children under the age of 15 live in Longyearbyen, out of a total population of 2,595. There are two kindergartens, a primary and secondary school, a folk high school, and even a university.’
Longyearbyen – located on the largest island in the archipelago, Spitsbergen – isn’t without amenities, either, despite its remote location. Cecilia notes that the town has ‘one of everything’ – ‘one supermarket, one post office, one gym, one gas station, one library, one airport, and so on’.
There is also lots to do, the author explains: ‘We have a variety of bars and restaurants that tend to be bustling on evenings and weekends. One popular event is the knitting hosted by a local café on Thursday evenings. If you’re into sports, there are various weekly sporting events to attend, such as badminton, or you can join the local hiking group.
‘For shopping, we have several stores offering outdoor gear and clothing and a women’s clothing store (where I used to work) that sells trendy, everyday attire. Longyearbyen may be small, but it’s surprisingly well-equipped. There are several nice hotels for visitors and a variety of activities to explore the island.’
The islanders might even have a better internet connection than those of us who live in more hospitable environments. The Swede adds: ‘We have high-speed internet via fibre-optic cables from the mainland (the Svalbard Undersea Cable System), and Svalbard is the home to KSAT, the world’s largest satellite ground station, with clients like Nasa.’
Other benefits include lower taxes compared to Norway, which governs Svalbard, and universal healthcare.
Cecilia explains: ‘Medical visits cost us very little since they’re covered by our taxes.
‘Our hospital, situated on the main street, offers all the essential services, including doctor’s appointments, urgent care, dental services, a child health clinic, physiotherapy, and routine X-rays. For any specialised treatments that can’t be handled locally, patients are referred to the mainland, with the flights covered by our universal healthcare system.’
On top of taxes, renters on the island pay between 8,000NOK (£559/$726) and 15,000NOK (£1,049/$1,362) per month.
Fancy a life on the island? You might just fall in love with it, as Cecilia has.
She adds: ‘All I know is that I love my life here with my boyfriend, Christoffer, and our dog, Finnish Lapphund, Grim. For the foreseeable future, I see myself right here on Svalbard.’
To see more from Cecilia, follow her on Instagram under the username @sejsejlija or YouTube under @CeciliaBlomdahl.
Cecilia shares the joys and challenges of adapting to an inhospitable climate in her book Life on Svalbard: Finding Home on a Remote Island Near the North Pole (dk.com/£27)