Cruise control

The Hurtigruten coastal voyage may have been operating for over 100 years, but with a fleet of new ships, there's never been a better time to explore Norway's magical coast. Simon Hertson climbs on board

The residents of Bergen have an advantage over the rest of us when it comes to telling the time. The big red and white ships of the Hurtigruten coastal voyage are as reliable a way to set your watches as any, leaving the port every day at 2.30 pm on a 12-day return voyage that takes you right up into the Arctic Circle and all the way to Kirkenes close to the Russian border. More importantly, it takes you as close to nature as it is possible to get.

Depending on the season, you can experience anything from the wonders of the Northern Lights to playing golf at midnight. Above all, you get close to the majesty and the power of Norway's greatest natural wonder—the fjords.

The Hurtigruten coastal voyage stops off at an amazing 35 ports along the way (any that it misses on the voyage north, it visits on its return journey south). It's been operating for over 100 years and is described as "a lifeline" to the longest coast in the world.

Hurtigruten is also unique in offering a combination of first-class passenger vessels and local working ships. And with a detailed and reliable timetable, it's possible to select the particular type of ship you want to experience each leg of the voyage.

You can sign up for the entire voyage, or a single leg and with some of the ships able to carry cars in their holds, it is possible to combine a cruise with a driving holiday.

On the first day out of Bergen you stop at the Art Noveau town of Ålesund and sail the awesome Romsdal fjord, with views of the magnificent Romsdal Alps. The next day it's on to the city of Trondheim in the Trondheimfjord, where you get several hours to soak up the atmosphere of this most spiritual of Norway's cities.

Day four sees Hurtigruten cross into the Artic Circle and if you are up early enough—between 7.00am and 7.30am—the ship passes the small island of Vikingen, where you'll see the Arctic Circle globe. This is the most southerly point where the sun never sets. After this the ship sails through a dramatic island landscape with many of these islands having been populated for generations. The ship then makes a short stop in Ørnes, an ancient trading post where some of the well preserved houses date back to the beginning of the 19th century. It's a fascinating look at the way people used to live.

In the afternoon the ship crosses the Vestfjord and passengers can admire the 100km Lofoten mountain range, which rises majestically out of the sea and provides shelter for countless fishing stations. Later, passengers can opt for one of the typical daily excursions, taking a ribbed inflatable safari to Saltstraumen—and experience for themselves the strongest tidal current in the world.

The next day there's a stop in Harstad on Norway's biggest island, Hinnøya. Hinnøya is also fertile farmland and if you're there in the right season, you have to try the local delicacy, the gorgeous, midnight sun-ripened Hinnøya strawberries.

Day five includes a visit to Tromsø, a city often dubbed "the Paris of the North". Then again, this is a city with many names as it's also called the Gateway to the Arctic and the Gateway to the Arctic Ocean. There's a lot to see here and the four-hour visit is barely enough to pack it all in.

On the sixth day out of Bergen the northern superlatives come in a rush. First there's the world's largest bird cliff, the huge Sværholtklubb, then the ship passes Kjøllefjord, where you'll see the world's most northerly birch forests. After that the ship rounds the Kinnarodden headland, which is the most northerly point of mainland Europe (the North Cape is on an island), before stopping in Mehamn. The Mehamn Hotel boasts the most northerly room in mainland Europe (room 301, if you fancy it). The ship then sails on to Berlevåg, passing the Sletnes lighthouse (you guessed it, it's the most northerly in mainland Europe).

At breakfast on the seventh day you arrive in Vadsø, from where the Arctic explorers Roald Amundsen and Lincoln Ellsworth began their flights over the North Pole in the airship, Norge. This is pure fishing country and especially in winter, when shoals of capelin arrive to spawn. It's also home to the recently arrived king crabs (you may have seen celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay diving for them on The F Word). After a brief stop the ship sails on to its final port, the border town of Kirkenes. The town lies between two time zones—Helsinki and Moscow—and has the feel of the classic border town.

From Kirkenes, Hurtigruten heads back south, stopping in places that it passes on the journey north. It arrives back in Bergen on day 12. Throughout the voyage there are daily excursions onshore, so you can experience the best of Norway from land and sea.

Key facts
• The 12-day round trip leaves from Bergen daily
• There are 11 first-class ships in the fleet
• Each ship features original works by Norwegian artists
• All ships offer first-class food and excellent service
• Many of the ships now offer internet cafés and all offer a range of bars and lounges
• The ships can also cater for conferences, some holding as many as 200 people.

For more information, visit www.hurtigruten.co.uk