View along a road ideal for running in the Arctic Circle. Yellow lines down the middle. Green fields to either side of the road, snow capped mountains in the distance, and a blue sky with a few fluffy clouds

Running in the Arctic Circle.

1st - 6th August 2022 - New Experience Number 14.

Jump to 'Try it yourself'

Running in the Arctic Circle may sound as though I was wrapped up in many layers as I traversed sub zero landscapes. In reality, it wasn’t quite that dramatic and epic.

If you’d said I would be running in the Arctic Circle in August, I would have imagined I’d be cocooned in a jacket, leggings, hat, gloves and maybe even two pairs of socks. 

Actually, I was in my shorts and vest – and on wetter days my raincoat too. I had not expected that. 

Maybe it’s always a nice temperature that far north in the summer, or perhaps it is more evidence of our planet overheating.

Challenge Fifty-Two, A white woman in black shorts and vest taking a break by a picturesque fjord when running in the Arctic circle
There were so many amazing views to take in

Amazing ‘Jog’-raphy

The Arctic Circle runs at around 66° north of the equator. It is moving though! It’s drifting north at approximately 14.5 metres per year as a result of tidal forces and the tilt of the earth on its axis.

66° north of the equator means the Arctic Circle doesn’t just include the North Pole, but also encompasses northern parts of Canada, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Norway.

We didn’t quite make it to the most northerly point of Norway on this Norwegian road trip, but we did venture a fair way into the circle.

A building with a dark roof which says 'Arctic Circle Centre 66 degrees 33 N. A clear landmarker for Running in the Arctic Circle
There isn't an actual line to cross into the Arctic Circle, but there is a visitor centre!

A Run-derful Place

The places I ran were ridiculously beautiful. Norway really did pack a punch in terms of scenery for the month we visited on a campervan road trip.

It was like the Scottish Highlands on steroids.

View across a fjord on a sunny day. On the other side are green hills and snow capped mountains. There are some huts near the water. A specatcular piece of scenery seen when Running in the Arctic Circle
Fjords reflect the beautiful mountains

Majestic mountains rising up from crystal clear fjords and bubbling streams. Waterfalls around almost every bend, and further north, vast green forests blanketing the landscape as far as the eye can see under huge expanses of sky. Remote, peaceful and epically stunning.

A road winds off into the distance through green hills and dense forests. Just one of the roads travelled when Running in the Arctic Circle
Empty roads wind through thick forests

Passing into the Arctic Circle and the vistas were just as spectacular for the 6 days that we were there. 

I often didn’t see anyone else on my runs and it was just an incredible feeling to be out in such remote and beautiful places.

Below are the details of the six different places I ran in the Arctic Circle.

It is daytime, it's a blue sky with some wisps of white clouds. We're looking at a snow capped mountain in the distance to the left. There are some green hills in the middle ground. In the foreground to the right is a concrete block that says 'polar circle' on it, and a geometric metal shape sits on the top
As well as a visitor centre, there are lots of markers such as this one welcoming you to the Arctic Circle

Fjord Running In The Arctic Circle

I ran alongside a fjord at Sommarset. The only downside with running next to the water is that it can be hard to find a loop for a route. 

Feeling dwarfed by the mountains (which I was very grateful I didn’t have to run up), I followed a there-and-back route. 

It took me past some secluded red wooden houses ubiquitous in Norway, and I was incredibly lucky to see a dolphin swimming through the water as I ran the last few steps.

View looking across a fjord on a nice day. Some clouds in the sky. In the foreground to the right is a stony shoreline. Further behind is some green hillside with some red houses and trees. To the left of the image are hills with trees. A scene from Running in the Arctic Circle
Traditional red houses of Norway
View looking along a road. To the left is a gravel hill side, and a yellow sign that reads ' Sommarset'. The right side of the road is lined with trees. It's a fine day, with some clouds in the blue sky. A good spot for running in the Arctic Circle
Running around Sommarset
View across a fjord on a nice day. Blue skies with some white clouds. Bit of shoreline at the front of the picture. Green hills on the other side of the fjord. The hills and clouds are reflected in the water on the fjord.
Incredible morning running views

Northerly Running

We visited the Lofoten Islands where I firstly ran on a drizzly morning to Andenes on the tip of the north island of Andøya. 

Andøya was an amazing place. For somewhere so remote there seemed to be a lot going on, including the Andøya Space Centre. Rockets have been launched from the site since 1962, just 5 years after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1. 

I didn’t see any rockets taking off whilst I was running, but I did follow a solar system trail with scaled planets and facts – something I didn’t think I’d see when running in the Arctic Circle!

An empty road leading through green fields to a mountain. It's a cloudy and drizzly day. A great place for running in the Arctic Circle
Splashing through the puddles on another empty road
A blue sign post in a green field with a small stream running through it. The sign says Andenes. It is a cloudy day for running in the Arctic Circle.
Andenes, a grey day but plenty of green
Looking down from a hill to a white sandy beach, and turquoise sea. A view seen when running in the Arctic Circle
The amazing sea at Andoya looked inviting when the sun shone

Island Running

I ran on a tiny island with an area of just 1.4 square kilometres. Børøya is not entirely cut off as bridges connect it to the larger neighbouring islands. 

I took a route around a very quiet estate, past numerous houses proudly flying the Norwegian flag, and ended with a refreshing paddle in the fjord.

Seaweed on the rocks infront of the fjord. There is a big road bridge in the distance. A great spot for Running in the Arctic Circle
One of many impressive bridges in Norway, such as this one in Boroya
Close up of a pink clover in some green grass next to an empty road
Quiet road in Boroya, ideal for a morning run in the sunshine
Red houses typical in Norway, on green grass banks next to a still fjord.
Traditional Norwegian red summer houses and boat sheds in Boroya

The Morning After the Night Before Running

A more challenging run in the Arctic Circle was the morning after Trevarefest. An impromptu visit to the festival resulted in a particularly late night!

There were a fair few festival goers still milling around the village of Henningsvær as I ran over the big bridge and through the small town where the coffee shops and pastries looked oh-so inviting, and to the football pitch which is possibly one of the most spectacular football grounds in the world. 

It is only a small pitch, but it’s the setting which makes it so impressive. Sunken into a rocky outreach of land in the archipelago, the Norwegian Sea laps just metres away from the grass, and numerous wooden racks line the perimeter with a duel purpose of drying out fish, and preventing the ball from going into the water! There are some incredible pictures of it, sadly mine was on a grey morning taken with my phone which didn’t show it off at its best.

View looking along the path of a steep bridge which is wet from rain but the sky is blue with some white clouds. A tough place for Running in the Arctic Circle
This was much steeper than it looks!
A green football pitch next to the sea where there are some rocks. It's a cloudy day and looks like rain.
The amazingly remote football pitch
A big fjord with a tall mountain and a small red house. It is a cloudy day and looks like it might rain.
Running by the fjord at Henningsvaer

Road Running In The Arctic Circle

Whilst still in Lofoten, I took a short run in Vestvågøy. 

Starting on a fast road, puddle spray splattering me when the lorries roared on by. Passing a lake where some little boats bobbed about, then turning to run on a quieter route flanked by luscious green hills. Then up to a small timber church as a slight smattering of drizzle passed over making way for the sun to light up the hillside.

Rainy Running

My last run in the Arctic Circle was in the municipality of Meløy, just south from the village of Ågskardet. 

It was perhaps the rainiest day we had encountered up to that point on the trip, yet there was a beautiful quality about the moody light on the mountains. I splashed through the puddles and followed the road as it hugged the hillside next to the fjord.

Running Wild

There are plenty of signs about in Norway for moose and reindeer. I never for a minute though we’d actually see any.  

We were lucky enough to see some reindeer by a beach and a family of moose crossing the road! I never saw any when I was out on a run, and I’m quite grateful as I’m not entirely sure what you’re meant to do if you come face to face with a moose!

Moose in a field near a farm building. Spotted when running in the Arctic Circle
Never thought we'd actually see moose in the wild!
a reindeer with big antlers in a field of overgrown grass
The reindeer crossed the road and went for a lie down on the beach!

Breathtaking Beauty Running In The Arctic Circle

These were such breathtakingly beautiful places, and the entire trip around Norway was filled with stunning scenery that if you ever get the opportunity to visit – then don’t think twice. 

I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to go running in the Arctic Circle, exploring such incredible places and feeling like I had the world to myself.

Since writing this post, we have been back to Scandinavia in the campervan! We had unfinished business with Norway and on our second visit in 2023, I went running at Nordkapp – the most northerly point in mainland Europe!

Want To Try It Yourself?

  • If you are heading into the Arctic Circle, why not take your trainers and running kit with you?

  • Running is free, there are plenty of routes, and I felt very safe.

  • I use the free website Plot A Route to gain a rough idea of where I’ll be able to safely run. You can set it to show footpaths and trails which I find really useful as it’s nice to get away from busy roads.

  • I also have a look at the free app Strava to find where there are segments. If there is a segment then it means that it’s definitely somewhere that can be run.

Cost Of Experience

  • The running itself is free!
  • The expensive part is getting there and will depend on which country within the Arctic Circle you are travelling to, and how you choose to get there, so it’s really had to put a price on this one.

Recommendations

  • Dress appropriately. It will depend what time of year you go as to what the temperature will be. It’s probably wise to take layers.
  • Don’t forget that the hours of daylight are significantly shorter in the winter months in the Arctic Circle so you might want to add a head torch to your packing list depending on when you visit.
  • There are often new events popping up with Parkrun There are Parkrun events in Scandinavia so why not check if there is one you might like to join if you are visiting?
  • Let someone know where you’re running, or share your location if you can. I felt perfectly safe every time I ran in Norway, but it’s a good idea to let someone know in case you have an accident or need help.
  • Don’t forget your camera! Even if it’s your smart phone, you’ll want to capture some of the beautiful places you might run.
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