Greenland Summer Holidays

The world's largest island extends way into the Arctic Circle, spanning the equivalent distance of Scotland to the Sahara. Its huge inland icecap covers just under 2 million sq km and in places is 3 km thick. Only a narrow coastal fringe is ice free in the summer, making overland communications impossible and travel by air and sea vital, to link the far flung settlements dotted around the coast. The coastline is mountainous and in some places deeply indented by fjords. Roughly one fifth of the population live from traditional hunting but fishing is the mainstay of the economy - only the far south is suitable for sheep farming.

The weather in summer is most stable in the Disko Bay area but variable elsewhere. Sudden changes do occur, which can disrupt travel plans and flight schedules. Summer temperatures average around 11°C but can feel surprisingly warm in the sheltered fjords and valleys. It can be cooler on the coast and in the north. For dog sledging trips in spring, temperatures of -27°C can be expected.

For the naturalist, Greenland is full of surprises. Over 500 species of plant and several thousand mosses, lichen and fungi make up the typically arctic flora. Among them are beautiful saxifrages and arctic poppies which lend a splash of colour to the landscape. There are no trees in Greenland - just a few dwarf willow and birch shrubs that grow in sheltered localities in the south.

The Greenlanders number over 56,000 and are a mix of native Inuit (Eskimo) and Europeans, principally of Danish descent. Ninety percent live in scattered settlements along the west coast, while the east is virtually uninhabited outside the Ammassalik area. The country is a semi-independent nation, known as Kalaallit Nunaat - Land of the People. Greenlandic is an Eskimo language, unlike any other - one word can often express a whole sentence in other languages. Most people also speak some Danish, but other languages are not widely spoken.

Anyone who is contemplating a visit to Greenland should be aware that it is a land ruled by the weather. Delays should therefore be expected. These are not usually serious, but occasionally can last for several days. Additional costs may be incurred by the traveller.