0:00:03 > 0:00:05Reindeer.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08A majestic symbol of winter.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15These animals have been key to people exploring the frozen north...
0:00:16 > 0:00:22..so I want them to help me on a very special journey of my own.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28My name is Gordon Buchanan.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Over the years,
0:00:30 > 0:00:35I've filmed in some of the wildest places on the planet.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36Don't even think about it.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43Now I'm heading to Lapland, inside the Arctic Circle,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46to learn from the Sami -
0:00:46 > 0:00:49who are known as the Reindeer People.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58With their help, I'm going to try to earn the trust of my own reindeer.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Why have you got that suspicious look on your face?
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And attempt to travel across this harsh wilderness...
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Whoa-ho!
0:01:07 > 0:01:12..to film the phenomenon the Sami most revere -
0:01:12 > 0:01:14the northern lights...
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Come on.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22..but building a bond with a reindeer isn't easy.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Slightly stubborn at times.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Out here, we need each other to survive.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34There's something moving over in the trees.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37What is that, boy?
0:01:37 > 0:01:42And as winter hits, our ultimate goal might be out of reach.
0:01:42 > 0:01:48This is tantalisingly close to seeing what I've come here to see.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09I'm in Lapland, in Finland's far north,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12well within the Arctic Circle.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17It might look like a winter wonderland,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21but it is without a doubt one of the harshest places on earth to live.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27I've come to this wilderness to try and film a natural phenomenon
0:02:27 > 0:02:28that has always eluded me.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35I've wanted to film the northern lights for over 25 years.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39So now I've come to one of the best places in the world
0:02:39 > 0:02:44to, hopefully, see nature's greatest light show.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Also known as the aurora borealis,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55this magnificent light display
0:02:55 > 0:02:59is caused by charged particles from the sun
0:02:59 > 0:03:01colliding with our atmosphere.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07The lights remain mysterious and unpredictable -
0:03:07 > 0:03:11but what is known is that the particles are attracted
0:03:11 > 0:03:13to the magnetic North Pole.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19So I've travelled over 2,000 miles.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21This far north, the lights are reported
0:03:21 > 0:03:24to illuminate the sky regularly.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31To maximise my chances of filming them,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I'm going to meet the people who have a special connection
0:03:34 > 0:03:35with the aurora...
0:03:37 > 0:03:41..and who know this region better than anyone else.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47For thousands of years,
0:03:47 > 0:03:52this unforgiving place has been home to a remarkable group of people.
0:03:52 > 0:03:53They are the Sami.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Traditionally nomadic, the Sami have an unrivalled knowledge
0:04:00 > 0:04:03of how to survive in this world of snow and ice...
0:04:04 > 0:04:07..made possible thanks to their relationship
0:04:07 > 0:04:09with one incredible animal.
0:04:13 > 0:04:14The reindeer.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20The Sami people and reindeer are inextricably linked.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24They rely on them for everything - an entire way of life.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Food, clothing, shelter, transportation.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31It is very true to say that if there were no reindeer,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34the Sami would not have been able to survive in this part of the world.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42Reindeer are still one of the best ways to access
0:04:42 > 0:04:44the remotest parts of the tundra...
0:04:47 > 0:04:51..so I want to drive a reindeer sleigh into the wilderness,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54where the night sky is at its darkest,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58and I'll have the best chance of filming the northern lights.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Oh, look at this!
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Off the road! Off the road!
0:05:04 > 0:05:05Coming through. Coming through.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09There you go. That's an omen.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12It shouldn't be surprising that the only other living thing
0:05:12 > 0:05:14that I've seen on this entire drive so far
0:05:14 > 0:05:16has been a herd of reindeer.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18Off you go!
0:05:26 > 0:05:29A Sami family has agreed to teach me everything they know
0:05:29 > 0:05:31about the northern lights,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35reindeer and surviving in the Arctic wilderness.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- Hello, hello.- Oh, hello, hello.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41You are the man I've come this far north to meet.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I'm Gordon. Lovely to meet you. Nice to meet you, Petri.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49I read it's rude to ask someone how many reindeer they have -
0:05:49 > 0:05:50is that correct?
0:05:53 > 0:05:56I have no money in the bank at the moment!
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I can see there is, sort of, 40, at least here.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- Yes, I have...- I don't want to know.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02If it's rude, I don't want to know.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03I can count them.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Petri Mattus started looking after reindeer
0:06:09 > 0:06:11when he was just two years old.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17He comes from a long line of Sami reindeer herders,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21and still follows the traditional ways.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24So, your shoes, is that reindeer fur?
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Yes.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Really?
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Whoa! Really? So when it's down as low as -50,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43you don't see reindeer shaking and shivering?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Reindeer evolved during the ice age.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58There are reports of them living in temperatures as low as -70.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07Petri leaves me in charge of feeding time,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11so I can take a closer look at these incredible animals.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Hey, you. Over here!
0:07:14 > 0:07:15There we go.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19It is amazing to be eyeball to eyeball,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22nose to nose, with a reindeer.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28The first thing I'm struck by is their winter coat.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30It's up to three inches thick.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Fur covers almost every part of their body.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40It's almost impossible to sink my hand into this dense fur.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42It is unbelievably thick.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47You can't part the hairs and see the skin beneath.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Not only is the hair super thick,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52but each one of these hair fibres is hollow.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58So the animal is insulated and each individual hair is insulated
0:07:58 > 0:08:00with that air void in the middle.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05Everything about them, from their feet, to the tops of their antlers,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07and the tip of their nose, to the end of their tail,
0:08:07 > 0:08:13they've adapted to survive in one of the harshest environments on Earth.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24I'm here as the Arctic braces itself for the toughest time of year.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27Winter is coming.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33Daylight hours are retreating by ten minutes every day...
0:08:36 > 0:08:39..and soon, the sun won't rise for two months.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44On my journey to film the lights,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48I may face temperatures as low as -30.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54So Petri wants to teach me how the Sami camp
0:08:54 > 0:08:56in these extreme conditions.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I've got it.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Pretty tall.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10So how many people could sleep in a lavvu this size?
0:09:13 > 0:09:18This tepee style tent is called a lavvu.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20For over a thousand years,
0:09:20 > 0:09:25this simple shelter has helped the Sami survive in the Arctic.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27When it was first - when it was just two sticks,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29it was a bit wobbly, quite wobbly,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and then a third one, it was a little bit wobbly -
0:09:31 > 0:09:34but with every additional stick, you see,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36you get this really stable structure.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37There's more to add.
0:09:39 > 0:09:45The Sami leave lavvu poles at waypoints across the tundra.
0:09:45 > 0:09:46This is great.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50So all I'll need to carry with me on my journey is a canvas covering.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It's amazing how quickly the whole lavvu heats up.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58My trousers are getting nice and dry here.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00They're steaming.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03It might be approaching -20 outside,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06but thanks to the fire, I'm feeling very cosy...
0:10:09 > 0:10:11..but as I'm getting comfortable,
0:10:11 > 0:10:16Petri introduces me to a slightly unsettling Sami snack.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23- Blood pancakes?- Yeah.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- This is reindeer blood?- Yeah.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- Is your blood in the flask? - Yes.- A flask of blood.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33I'm glad that I didn't pick this up
0:10:33 > 0:10:35and think, "Oh, a nice mug of coffee,"
0:10:35 > 0:10:37and it's reindeer blood!
0:10:38 > 0:10:40It might seem odd to us,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42but over thousands of years,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45the Sami have learned to use every part of a reindeer.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51They value and respect these animals so much, nothing is wasted.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- Here you are.- Thank you.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Whoa!
0:11:02 > 0:11:03Mmm!
0:11:04 > 0:11:08I think I was expecting the flavour to be much, much stronger.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Mmm.- But it's very mild.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Kind of... Good winter food.- Yeah. - I like it a lot.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20The only thing that's putting me off
0:11:20 > 0:11:22is reindeer walking about outside
0:11:22 > 0:11:24as I'm eating a reindeer blood pancake.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49For the Sami, reindeer are a vital source of nutrients
0:11:49 > 0:11:51over the harsh winter months.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00That evening, Petri and his family
0:12:00 > 0:12:03invite me to a traditional welcome dinner.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I have a strong suspicion about what will be on the menu.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Thank you so much. It's so nice to be here, thank you.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Petri's wife, Kirsi,
0:12:16 > 0:12:21and his two sons Pietu and Penjami are dressed in the Sami outfits
0:12:21 > 0:12:24that their family have worn for generations...
0:12:26 > 0:12:28..and, yes, we're eating reindeer.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34This time, it's salted, and served with potatoes.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36A traditional festive meal.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38This is very nice.
0:12:40 > 0:12:41Please.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Do you think either of the boys will be reindeer herders
0:12:47 > 0:12:48when they grow up?
0:12:48 > 0:12:49Ehka.
0:12:52 > 0:12:53OK.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54That's good.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10I suppose that's part of living in a beautiful part of the world.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Why would you live in somewhere that is quite so difficult
0:13:13 > 0:13:15if you didn't love it?
0:13:24 > 0:13:27This is arguably one of the best places in the world
0:13:27 > 0:13:29to see northern lights.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32So, the boys have grown up with that just a part of their life.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37Did you ever, was there ever a point where you explained what they were?
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Or did you kind of tell them the folklore of the northern lights?
0:14:00 > 0:14:03It's great to learn more about Sami culture -
0:14:03 > 0:14:07a way of life that is over 4,000 years old...
0:14:09 > 0:14:10..and as a thank-you,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14I brought a slice of Scottish culture to share with the family.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I have this - it's called a clootie dumpling.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21It's like a fruit loaf. This is the sweet version of haggis.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25If you don't like it, I won't be offended.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Enjoy.- Thank you.
0:14:35 > 0:14:36It's definitely better hot.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Sunrise this morning is at 9:30.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59On my journey to try and film the northern lights,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02I'll have just a few hours of daylight.
0:15:05 > 0:15:11To help maximise travelling time, I need a reindeer to pull me and my
0:15:11 > 0:15:13equipment on a sleigh.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18Not every reindeer can pull a sleigh.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21It can take up to two years of training.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Here I come. Here I come.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26Hello, boys.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Hello, boys. You remember me?
0:15:29 > 0:15:30Hello.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Petri has two sleigh-pulling reindeer,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and the morning feed is the perfect time to get to know them.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Right. Let's try some following.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41Come on, then.
0:15:41 > 0:15:46I have the very difficult job of choosing between these two reindeer.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I need a reindeer to pull my sleigh.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51That age-old problem!
0:15:51 > 0:15:52I know how Santa feels.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55But he was lucky, because he's got eight -
0:15:55 > 0:15:57nine, if you include Rudolph.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Either way, however this decision goes,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03one reindeer is going to be disappointed.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06The first trial is,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09can your reindeer walk at heel?
0:16:09 > 0:16:10OK. Walk on.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12Trot!
0:16:12 > 0:16:16# I don't know what I've been told
0:16:16 > 0:16:18# A reindeer's tootsies are mighty cold. #
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Come on! Trot, trot!
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Trot on. Trot on.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Reindeer have been domesticated for around 3,000 years.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34They still have very distinct personalities...
0:16:36 > 0:16:40..and I soon discover the differences between these two.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42This one is definitely friendlier...
0:16:43 > 0:16:47..and, er, yeah, it seems more interested in me than this one.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54For me, this friendlier reindeer feels like the ideal companion -
0:16:54 > 0:16:58but ultimately, Petri will decide which one is best.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05All reindeer here eat the cladonia group of lichen -
0:17:05 > 0:17:08a nutritious mix of algae and fungi.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15It grows all over these northern forests...
0:17:18 > 0:17:21..so finding food, at least for the reindeer, won't be an issue...
0:17:25 > 0:17:28..but I'll have to take rations with me,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30and Petri has offered to help me gather some food,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33using a traditional Sami method.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this is done,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45cos I've seen ice fishing with a hook and line, but not with a net.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- Yeah.- This is new. This is uncharted territory for me.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Net fishing on frozen lakes has been perfected by the Sami
0:17:56 > 0:17:57over hundreds of years.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- So, we have to get the net from this hole..- Over there.- ..to over there.
0:18:05 > 0:18:06And I have not a clue...
0:18:08 > 0:18:11..how that will be done without a submarine.
0:18:11 > 0:18:12I don't have to swim, do I?
0:18:16 > 0:18:17A towel and some speedos!
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Petri may not have a submarine,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33but he has the next best thing.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37A uittolauta, made of wood and metal.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45It will travel under the ice with a rope attached.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Ah!
0:18:47 > 0:18:49This is the eureka moment!
0:18:50 > 0:18:52That is very clever.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55With each pull on the rope,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58the spike on the uittolauta digs into the ice.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02When released, it shoots forward.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06No.
0:19:06 > 0:19:07I've lost it.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11As I'm discovering, keeping track of it isn't straightforward.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13If there was no snow on top of the ice, it would be easy,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15because you could just look through the ice
0:19:15 > 0:19:18for a big yellow piece of wood -
0:19:18 > 0:19:19but I'm having to listen out.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22Go again.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Go.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I feel like a madman.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37OK, here it is, got it.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It's right here. It's just moving about.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42HE LAUGHS
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Moving about, maybe kind of half a metre at a time.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47It's very, very clever.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Once the uittolauta gets from one hole to the other,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56we attach a 160-foot-long net to the rope, and pull it across.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04The best part of fishing with a net, as opposed to a rod,
0:20:04 > 0:20:05is that once it is deployed,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08we can just go back to somewhere a little bit warmer and less exposed,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11and leave this out for hours and hours, leave it overnight.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18We'll check the net in two days' time, before I leave on my journey.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Today, sunset is around quarter past two in the afternoon.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31It's the ideal time to try out a specialist camera
0:20:31 > 0:20:34I've brought to film the northern lights...
0:20:36 > 0:20:39..and I've got the perfect subject to test it on.
0:20:42 > 0:20:43Hey, boys.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Watch, I'm coming through.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49I've got my own version of antlers right here
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Come on.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55This is one of the most light-sensitive cameras
0:20:55 > 0:20:56in the world.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02I have to say that these images look beautiful in this light.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06A short time ago, if you wanted to film in these light levels,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09you'd have to film in infrared,
0:21:09 > 0:21:11and then everything is seen in black and white,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14but this camera picks up colour, and that's what I really want.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It's not just to see the northern lights
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and the shapes they make in the sky,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20and to see that there are lights in the sky,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22but to actually see the richness of colour.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Hopefully, you can see colours that I can't even see with my own eyes -
0:21:26 > 0:21:28and filming the reindeer
0:21:28 > 0:21:32is a good way to actually just get a sense, at this time of night,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34of what this camera can do.
0:21:35 > 0:21:39And my favourite, friendlier reindeer, isn't camera shy.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43Get your antlers out of my lens!
0:21:48 > 0:21:49This is really exciting.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53I'm really looking forward to the next stage of this adventure,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56heading off into the wilds with my reindeer.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18I've got one more day left with Petri
0:22:18 > 0:22:21and today he wants to show me how to drive a reindeer sleigh.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26I know which reindeer I'd like to use,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29but I need to see what Petri thinks.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Hello, boys.
0:22:31 > 0:22:37See, I quite like...I quite like this one. He seems friendlier.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40This is a good one for pulling my sleigh?
0:22:42 > 0:22:43It's a better one? Why's that?
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Really? Because I was going for which one I liked the most!
0:22:51 > 0:22:53HE LAUGHS The friendliest one.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58It does make sense to take the bigger, stronger reindeer -
0:22:58 > 0:23:01but he just puts me a bit on edge.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06There's one thing I don't quite like about the reindeer -
0:23:06 > 0:23:08I should speak a bit more quietly,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10because I don't want him to hear me -
0:23:10 > 0:23:13is that it's got quite an aggressive-looking...
0:23:13 > 0:23:15..part of its antler, that comes straight out
0:23:15 > 0:23:17and every time I'm close to it,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19I think it's going to gouge my eye out -
0:23:19 > 0:23:23but I suppose it's about selecting the best reindeer for the job.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26The job is to pull a sleigh.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34To get to grips with sleigh riding,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Petri wants me to follow him on a five-mile circuit of a frozen lake.
0:23:43 > 0:23:44I'm positive I'm ready.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48In which direction?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53OK. 70km. Do you know where the hospital is?
0:23:53 > 0:23:54Hopefully, we won't need that.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00Ready?
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Let's go. Come on. Come on. Come on.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Come on.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12While he may be the strongest reindeer,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15it seems he's also the most stubborn.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19Come on.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Shoo, shoo!
0:24:22 > 0:24:24I really hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Shoo! Shoo, shoo!
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Shoo, shoo!
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Shoo, shoo, shoo!
0:24:42 > 0:24:47Once my reindeer does get going, I can enjoy the ride.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49Come on.
0:24:51 > 0:24:55There's something, very, very nice about being pulled along
0:24:55 > 0:24:57through the snow by a reindeer.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00You can see why Santa's done this all these years.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05It's not something you grow tired of.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06Shoo!
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Reindeer make driving a sleigh easy.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17A gentle tap with a rope is all that's needed to keep them going.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Their splayed hooves act like snowshoes...
0:25:22 > 0:25:23Come on, boy.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28..so they can pull hundreds of kilos in weight -
0:25:28 > 0:25:32and if the conditions are right, they can cover 30 miles in a day.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39It's quite...I suppose it's moving at a pace that I could walk out,
0:25:39 > 0:25:40but the one thing it does do,
0:25:40 > 0:25:45it gives me the opportunity to look around and enjoy...
0:25:45 > 0:25:46..the world about me -
0:25:46 > 0:25:49and it's beautiful. It is a winter wonderland.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Come on, boy. Ho!
0:26:09 > 0:26:13You don't need a licence to drive a sleigh in Lapland
0:26:13 > 0:26:15and after a day's practice,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18I feel in good shape for my journey...
0:26:18 > 0:26:21Fabulous. That's great.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23It's quite something.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25It's the way to travel round about here.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I could load up this sleigh, and just keep going,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31heading off into the wilderness.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Keep going until we see the northern lights.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35That's the plan.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41..but I've got to admit, I'm still wary of this reindeer.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43I'm just not sure he likes me.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56That evening, my ambitions to film the northern lights
0:26:56 > 0:26:59are dampened further by the Arctic weather.
0:27:04 > 0:27:05No. This is not happening.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08There's no chance of seeing the northern lights
0:27:08 > 0:27:09while it's like this.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13There's complete cloud cover. It's just grey -
0:27:13 > 0:27:16and what makes it doubly frustrating
0:27:16 > 0:27:20is that on this very clever aurora app that I have,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24it shows you that there are spectacular northern lights
0:27:24 > 0:27:28taking place right here, right now, in this location,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30but they are happening, kind of,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34up there, above the layer of cloud.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35What it does also show me
0:27:35 > 0:27:39is the best northern lights on the entire planet, right now,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41are in Claremont, in Canada!
0:27:41 > 0:27:47That's just 3,425 miles from this exact spot.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49So if my reindeer could fly
0:27:49 > 0:27:52with kind of Santa-like speeds across the world,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54which would probably take us,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57I would say, a couple of minutes, we could go off,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00film the northern lights, and then be back in time for dinner.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13It's the morning of my departure.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Petri and I are up early to check the fishing net.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20It's been a couple of days,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23so hopefully we've caught something for my journey...
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Come on!
0:28:33 > 0:28:35I say six, you say five.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- Oh, here we go, one white fish. - Yeah.
0:28:39 > 0:28:44- Whoa! Trout. Ah, wow! That's a nice fish.- Yeah. One trout.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49..but after the initial haul,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51the net comes up empty...
0:28:53 > 0:28:57..and I'm reminded how harsh this winter wonderland can be.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00There is, kind of, one view of looking at this scene,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02and it's all snowy and white.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05It's very different just standing here.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09It's freezing cold, my feet are cold, my hands are cold,
0:29:09 > 0:29:12the wind is cutting through the clothing that I have on
0:29:12 > 0:29:16and this is just the start of my journey.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18It's a very daunting, the fact that things, undoubtedly,
0:29:18 > 0:29:23are going to get a lot harder, a lot tougher, in the days to come.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25I'm just worried that I'm not prepared for that.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29I'm worried that I'm not quite tough enough for this place.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44But I won't have to face this wilderness alone.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47If I can make friends with him,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51perhaps this reindeer WILL be a good Arctic companion.
0:29:51 > 0:29:52Good lad.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56Don't run away. Don't run away.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58He may not be my first choice,
0:29:58 > 0:30:03but I trust Petri's call that he's the best reindeer for the job.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05Come on, you.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09You know me. You know me.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Why have you got that suspicious look on your face?
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Traditionally, the Sami don't name their reindeer,
0:30:17 > 0:30:22but I'm beginning to think I should call this one Grumpy.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Things are starting off on a bad foot.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27He knows that I'm up to something.
0:30:27 > 0:30:28He knows I'm trying to catch him.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37An important part of this is to bond with my reindeer -
0:30:37 > 0:30:42which I want to do, but he has absolutely no desire whatsoever
0:30:42 > 0:30:44to be anywhere near me.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48Hey!
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Right, I think I'm going to have to resort to bribery.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56In my pocket, I have some lichen.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01You know lichen. You love lichen.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Look. Oh, yes.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06I've got you now. Look at it.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09You cannot, you cannot resist it.
0:31:11 > 0:31:12This way.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Putty in my hands.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Come on. Look at that.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21I think we're making progress.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26I would like to have not had to resort to bribery to get him,
0:31:26 > 0:31:31but I think every moment that I spend with this reindeer
0:31:31 > 0:31:32is valuable.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35I think it's just kind of our friendship is growing
0:31:35 > 0:31:38in sort of baby steps, one step at a time.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Let's go, pal. Come on.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42HE MAKES CHIVVYING NOISES
0:31:45 > 0:31:49Before I leave, Petri has a farewell gift for me.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58They are great. Thank you very much.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01So when you put yours on, you just keep them on for the whole day?
0:32:01 > 0:32:03- Yeah.- There we go.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- Oh!- Is that good?- They're brilliant.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10They're so comfortable.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12- Yes.- My feet are already warm in them.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Don't worry. I'll look after the reindeer. Come on, you.
0:32:18 > 0:32:19Time to go.
0:32:21 > 0:32:22- OK. Bye.- Bye.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Hup!
0:32:25 > 0:32:26Shoo, shoo, shoo!
0:32:28 > 0:32:33It's 11 in the morning and I've got a 12-mile journey ahead of me.
0:32:36 > 0:32:37Good lad.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41I need to make a good time, as the sun will set before two.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Petri has planned my route and today, I'm heading to a forest
0:32:50 > 0:32:54where I should find my first camp.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55Shoo!
0:32:56 > 0:33:00It isn't long before I'm fully in the Arctic wilderness.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04It's beginning to feel a little bit desolate.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Even when it's cold when you're in the forest,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09it still feels quite comforting.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13Out here, I feel a little bit more exposed -
0:33:13 > 0:33:17like I feel the temperature has dropped quite considerably.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24The first time since I've been here that I've felt really quite cold.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29It's not only the environment that's challenging.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33Walk on. Come on. Shoo, shoo, shoo!
0:33:33 > 0:33:36My grumpy reindeer is still being difficult...
0:33:38 > 0:33:43..and, as we approach the forest, he slows to a complete stop.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Good boy. Walk on. Come on. Shoo, shoo!
0:33:47 > 0:33:49Come on, you.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50Come on, lazybones.
0:33:51 > 0:33:52He's really reluctant to go.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Come on, you. Come on.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58I don't want to drag you. I'm not dragging you and a sleigh.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Baby steps. Come on.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05Good fella. There you go. Shoo!
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Come on. Right, come on.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10I'm not going to do this.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11Oh!
0:34:12 > 0:34:14That's interesting.
0:34:14 > 0:34:20Right here, there's some tracks - kind of faint here,
0:34:20 > 0:34:22a bit better along here.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27It looks like a very small wolf.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29These are very fresh.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34I reckon from this morning or maybe through the night.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Lapland has many predators.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45WOLF HOWLS
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Wolf packs regularly target lone reindeer...
0:34:50 > 0:34:54..while ambush hunters like lynx lurk in the forests.
0:34:57 > 0:35:02In Finland, it's estimated the Sami lose up to 20,000 reindeer a year
0:35:02 > 0:35:03to predator attacks.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Is that a worried expression?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I haven't seen that before.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17As we get to know each other, we get to know each other's ways,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20each other's looks and that looks like a slightly...
0:35:20 > 0:35:23..a slightly worried look that you've got.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Years of filming animals has taught me to trust their instincts.
0:35:29 > 0:35:34I need to help him through this potential predator hotspot.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36I'll go first. Come on.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38I'll go first. Come on.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40Walk on. HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Come on. That's a boy.
0:35:42 > 0:35:43That's a boy. Come on.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Once we've passed the tracks, I can jump on the sleigh again.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01But now, being in this remote forest is making me feel uneasy.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07I was feeling quite confident and now I feel a little bit...
0:36:07 > 0:36:09..mmm, kind of out of my depth.
0:36:09 > 0:36:16I'm on my own without Petri's help and all I've got is a reindeer
0:36:16 > 0:36:17to get me out of trouble.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Good boy. That's it.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Excellent.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Did that pretty well.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Made it look easy. Oh, hang on.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Whoa, my harness is coming off.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37Whoa, boy.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Whoa! Whoa! That ain't good.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Why did that happen? Has it snapped?
0:36:44 > 0:36:46It has snapped.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Right, stay, stay, stay there.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53The harness, the halter part of it has just come off.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56It's not broken. It's just come undone.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00It's one thing to feel comfortable and confident
0:37:00 > 0:37:03with something new like this,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06but you don't want to be lured into a false sense of security,
0:37:06 > 0:37:08thinking there's no potential problems
0:37:08 > 0:37:10and there's nothing bad around the corner
0:37:10 > 0:37:14and I think this is quite a good little reminder
0:37:14 > 0:37:16that things can go wrong -
0:37:16 > 0:37:17unexpected things can happen.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable around this reindeer.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27We are definitely bonding.
0:37:27 > 0:37:28Shoo, shoo!
0:37:28 > 0:37:30At least, I think we are.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32Don't leave me. Don't leave me.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35Don't leave me. Don't leave me, don't leave me.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39Don't leave me. Keep going. Come on.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Sorry about that. That's not quite what I planned to do.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46OK, right,
0:37:46 > 0:37:49if you see me being dragged along through the snow,
0:37:49 > 0:37:51I want you to stop. OK?
0:37:51 > 0:37:53Shoo! Come on. Shoo!
0:37:53 > 0:37:55I've got to be a little bit quicker.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Hoi! Here we go. That's it.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00Good boy. Shoo.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Good lad.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07Oh, chilly on the hands, chilly on the hands.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11My first camp will be in this forest.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17The Sami leave lavvu poles resting against trees
0:38:17 > 0:38:19so they don't get hidden by thick snow.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Should be around here somewhere.
0:38:24 > 0:38:30In fact, right here at the side of the track.
0:38:30 > 0:38:31Perfect.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36A little bit further. Good lad.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Whoa.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40Whoa, boy. Good boy.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Stay there.
0:38:43 > 0:38:44Right, let's tie you up.
0:38:49 > 0:38:50Right.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55This can be done by one man.
0:38:55 > 0:38:56HE LAUGHS
0:38:56 > 0:38:58But can it be done by THIS man?
0:39:01 > 0:39:05I've got a little kind of idea of my own -
0:39:05 > 0:39:09if I actually get that kind of basic structure up,
0:39:09 > 0:39:15I think if I lash these three poles together, raise them up as one,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and then start to spread the legs out.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Right, let's see how this is.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25I'm not sure my reindeer is impressed
0:39:25 > 0:39:27with my lavvu building skills.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31One out like that.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35After all, he's watched the experts do this many times.
0:39:38 > 0:39:39Oh!
0:39:43 > 0:39:48But my reindeer has underestimated the persistence
0:39:48 > 0:39:50of a very cold Scotsman.
0:39:50 > 0:39:51It's good.
0:39:53 > 0:39:54I'm very pleased with that.
0:39:59 > 0:40:04With the poles up, all I need to do is wrap my canvas around
0:40:04 > 0:40:06and I've got shelter for the night.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Mr Door, where are...? Oh, there we go.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Is that you, Mr door? Yeah, that's you.
0:40:18 > 0:40:19Right, boy.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23My reindeer might not give my lavvu top marks,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25but I know how to win him over.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29The way to a reindeer's heart is through his stomach
0:40:29 > 0:40:33and while he can dig beneath the snow for lichen,
0:40:33 > 0:40:35it also grows on trees.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38This is what I'm looking for,
0:40:38 > 0:40:42but there's a problem here. It's way too high up.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44I need to find one that's lower down.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46He'll love that.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49This one here. I think I can get that.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51This might be achievable.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55It is positively festooned with lichen.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Do you see what I'm doing for you? Do you see what I'm doing?
0:41:06 > 0:41:07Hup!
0:41:09 > 0:41:10HE SPLUTTERS
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Perfect.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22Hey, Mr Reindeer, your digging days are over.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Well, this digging day is over!
0:41:24 > 0:41:28Come on, you, look. Lookee, lookee!
0:41:28 > 0:41:29What do you think of this?
0:41:29 > 0:41:30This is like...
0:41:32 > 0:41:35..delicious, fresh from the vine.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37HE CHUCKLES
0:41:37 > 0:41:38There you go.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43Your lips are perfectly designed just to nibble the lichen off.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Here we go. Look at this bit. Have you seen Lady and the Tramp?
0:41:45 > 0:41:46The famous scene?
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Good boy.
0:41:56 > 0:42:01That evening, yet again the Arctic clouds smother any chances
0:42:01 > 0:42:03of me filming the lights.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11It's -18, the same temperature as my freezer at home.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14It's frozen solid.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19But with a roaring fire,
0:42:19 > 0:42:24the Arctic whitefish from Petri's lake cooks in minutes.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Oh, man, that is great.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Mmm! Mm-hm, mm-hm, mm-hm!
0:42:34 > 0:42:37At six in the evening, I try to get some sleep...
0:42:42 > 0:42:46..but after dark is when the forest wakes up.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51Most predators here are nocturnal.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59I do worry about the reindeer out there -
0:42:59 > 0:43:03not because of the cold, but there's many predators around,
0:43:03 > 0:43:05so I think that's kind of keeping me awake, as well.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11This is when my reindeer is at his most vulnerable.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16Normally he'd be with a herd,
0:43:16 > 0:43:19so while he's on his own, I need to look out for him.
0:43:19 > 0:43:20GRUNTING
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Is that my reindeer grunting out there?
0:43:24 > 0:43:26GRUNTING
0:43:31 > 0:43:32OK.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36There's something moving over in the trees.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43I can hear it. What is that, boy?
0:43:45 > 0:43:47BRANCHES MOVING
0:43:51 > 0:43:53It's close, whatever it is.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55This might be about...
0:43:55 > 0:43:59GRUNTING
0:43:59 > 0:44:01Ten metres.
0:44:01 > 0:44:02What the hell is it?
0:44:04 > 0:44:07GRUNTING
0:44:07 > 0:44:11Oh, for God's sake - it's a reindeer!
0:44:13 > 0:44:15Two reindeer, in fact.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17What are you doing out here?
0:44:18 > 0:44:20Scared the life out of me.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25What are you doing, worrying a lonely traveller like me for?
0:44:27 > 0:44:29Panic over. I didn't know what that was.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35A lynx, at least.
0:44:35 > 0:44:36A yeti, at worst.
0:44:38 > 0:44:39Oh, God, it's freezing.
0:44:41 > 0:44:42Freezing, freezing.
0:44:47 > 0:44:51This morning, dawn is at 9:45.
0:44:54 > 0:44:58I had a sleepless night worrying about my reindeer.
0:44:58 > 0:45:00HE COUGHS
0:45:03 > 0:45:07How was your night? Are you coming in here?
0:45:07 > 0:45:10I don't think you'd like it in here. I think it's too hot for you.
0:45:10 > 0:45:11Did you sleep OK?
0:45:12 > 0:45:16Were you cold? Because I was blooming freezing.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20I felt very thirsty at one point,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23then I realised I made a schoolboy error and didn't put my water bottle
0:45:23 > 0:45:26inside my sleeping bag with me, so it was frozen solid.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38I have around four hours of daylight to reach the next camp.
0:45:41 > 0:45:46Today, we've got to climb a big hill and drop down into the next valley.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51In places, the snow is a few feet deep.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53Come on. Shoo!
0:45:55 > 0:46:00It's heavy going on my reindeer, but spending all this time with him
0:46:00 > 0:46:02means I'm beginning to understand when he's struggling.
0:46:04 > 0:46:06Come on. Walk on.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12It turns out his stubbornness is his way of asking for help.
0:46:12 > 0:46:13I'm not dragging you the whole way.
0:46:13 > 0:46:15Come on. Come on, then.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17Come on.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20Good lad. Come on. Come on.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26This makes me feel much less guilty walking up the hills.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30I think sitting on the sleigh, being pulled uphill -
0:46:30 > 0:46:31that is a little bit unfair.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36Getting very attached to this reindeer.
0:46:36 > 0:46:37He's actually very good company.
0:46:37 > 0:46:40He doesn't say much.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42He's very useful.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43He's always there when I need him.
0:46:45 > 0:46:46He's slightly stubborn at times.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51Good lad. Come on. It's starting to level out.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53There we go. There we go.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Come on. Good boy. Come on, you.
0:46:56 > 0:46:58Up we go. Good lad.
0:46:58 > 0:46:59Up we go. Good boy.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13At the peak, I'm reminded how cold the Arctic can get.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20Now that we're up higher,
0:47:20 > 0:47:22the trees have thinned right out.
0:47:22 > 0:47:26Instead of there being a tree every metre,
0:47:26 > 0:47:29there's a tree every ten or so metres.
0:47:29 > 0:47:30It's very, very different...
0:47:32 > 0:47:36..and every single one of the trees up here is just laden -
0:47:36 > 0:47:39not with snow, it's frost.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42That would have just started with a little dusting of ice
0:47:42 > 0:47:45on each one of these branches,
0:47:45 > 0:47:49and before too long, it looks as if every single tree
0:47:49 > 0:47:52has been dipped in sugar a hundred thousand times.
0:47:57 > 0:48:01There's something kind of otherworldly about it.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05At times, I feel like I kind of need to pinch myself
0:48:05 > 0:48:10just to make sure that this is real, that I'm really here.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17This is such a magical place -
0:48:17 > 0:48:20but its greatest wonder is still eluding me.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25I'm desperate to film the northern lights...
0:48:26 > 0:48:30..but today, like every day I've been here, is cloudy...
0:48:32 > 0:48:34..and I'm starting to lose hope I'll ever see them.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39As much as I'm enjoying hanging out with the reindeer,
0:48:39 > 0:48:40being in this place,
0:48:40 > 0:48:43I do really worry, because with the northern lights,
0:48:43 > 0:48:45there's absolutely no guarantee,
0:48:45 > 0:48:47so despite the fact that I am in the best place,
0:48:47 > 0:48:50at the best time of year, it's far from certain.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55I think, when it comes down to it,
0:48:55 > 0:48:59there is still a huge element of luck to seeing them.
0:49:02 > 0:49:07So I think maybe I just need to enjoy as much of this experience
0:49:07 > 0:49:12when I can, because my ultimate goal might not be achievable.
0:49:15 > 0:49:16Good boy.
0:49:20 > 0:49:25As we approach the downhill, my blues are quickly blown away.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27Over. Over we go. Whoa-ho!
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Good boy. Shoo!
0:49:33 > 0:49:37# Dashing through the snow on a one-horse open sleigh
0:49:37 > 0:49:41# Over the fields we go laughing all the way. #
0:49:41 > 0:49:44Oh, my goodness. You are dashing through the snow.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49Reindeer can reach speeds of up to 37mph,
0:49:49 > 0:49:52and we're soon making up for lost time.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56# Jingle bells, jingle bells jingle all the way
0:49:56 > 0:50:00# Oh, what fun it is to ride on a one-horse open sleigh. #
0:50:00 > 0:50:03It's not a horse. # Jingle bells, jingle bells
0:50:03 > 0:50:05# Jingle all the way
0:50:05 > 0:50:08# Oh, what fun it is to ride on a one-horse reindeer... #
0:50:08 > 0:50:10No.
0:50:10 > 0:50:11# Sleigh. #
0:50:11 > 0:50:12Good boy.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18Whoa, boy. Whoa.
0:50:21 > 0:50:22Whoa.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25Whoa. Good lad.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28Well done. You're the best.
0:50:28 > 0:50:30You're the best.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Boy, are you hungry?
0:50:33 > 0:50:39After all that activity, my reindeer deserves a quick feed.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41MUNCHING
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Because the forest is so quiet,
0:50:43 > 0:50:47you can hear a lot of strange noises that you wouldn't think a reindeer
0:50:47 > 0:50:51would make. The noisy munching is one thing,
0:50:51 > 0:50:54but all these kind of gurglings and garglings and rumbles
0:50:54 > 0:50:57from his stomach are really quite peculiar...
0:50:58 > 0:51:00..and that's because he's a ruminant.
0:51:00 > 0:51:05He's ruminating on partially digestive food,
0:51:05 > 0:51:08so he'll chew it on the first pass, swallow it,
0:51:08 > 0:51:11and then that food will be regurgitated to be re-chewed.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14MUNCHING
0:51:14 > 0:51:16He can eat for the rest of the morning
0:51:16 > 0:51:19without actually having to find any new food.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21Four stomach chambers
0:51:21 > 0:51:26allow reindeer to squeeze every bit of energy out of lichen.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29MUNCHING
0:51:29 > 0:51:32I can't believe that I was actually scared of you to begin with.
0:51:32 > 0:51:33Not scared of you,
0:51:33 > 0:51:37but scared of that big prong you have coming out of your head.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40I think because you were a bit nervous with me initially,
0:51:40 > 0:51:42you were moving your head around a lot more -
0:51:42 > 0:51:45but now, you're calm...
0:51:45 > 0:51:47..I'm calm.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Just a couple of buddies making their way through the forest.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04Within hours, we arrive at the place Petri recommended...
0:52:06 > 0:52:09..and it looks perfect.
0:52:11 > 0:52:16One great thing about this place is there's a big wide-open area -
0:52:16 > 0:52:18A lot of distance between me and the trees,
0:52:18 > 0:52:21so the horizon stretches all the way round to there,
0:52:21 > 0:52:24and if the lights appear maybe on that side,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27I can go out further out into the lake -
0:52:27 > 0:52:29but the one good thing today,
0:52:29 > 0:52:33despite the fact that there's some low-lying cloud,
0:52:33 > 0:52:36up above, it's looking a little bit blue...
0:52:37 > 0:52:38..and that's a good thing.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54Finally, with the skies completely clear,
0:52:54 > 0:52:57I get a glimpse of the phenomenon I've been searching for.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01It's not what I was expecting.
0:53:02 > 0:53:06It's like a big sort of smear across the sky.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09It stretches round in a kind of rainbow,
0:53:09 > 0:53:10a sort of single colour of green,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13all the way around to the horizon on that side.
0:53:17 > 0:53:21What I'm really hoping for is that classic northern lights,
0:53:21 > 0:53:24big flowing river of light, a big ribbon through the sky.
0:53:24 > 0:53:30This is tantalisingly close to seeing what I've come here to see.
0:53:35 > 0:53:36As quickly as they appeared...
0:53:39 > 0:53:41..the lights vanished.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47I've no way of telling when or if they will come back.
0:53:50 > 0:53:55Without cloud cover, temperatures plummet to -25.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Oh, oh!
0:53:59 > 0:54:04You might wonder why I'm standing in these conditions with no gloves on.
0:54:04 > 0:54:09The simple fact is, that this hi-tech piece of equipment
0:54:09 > 0:54:12needs the warmth of a human hand to function.
0:54:12 > 0:54:17It's touch-screen, so as much as I want to keep my gloves on,
0:54:17 > 0:54:20I can't actually operate the camera with them on.
0:54:22 > 0:54:28As the hours pass, standing out in the Arctic begins to take its toll.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30Oh, goodness me!
0:54:30 > 0:54:34This level of coldness actually makes you really tired.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36You're using up a lot of energy
0:54:36 > 0:54:40just to stay warm without even moving around.
0:54:40 > 0:54:42It's like everything is cold.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44You feel the cold coming up from the ground.
0:54:44 > 0:54:45It's coming in from all sides.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47It's just all-consuming.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52I'm just wondering if there is - if I have a cut-off point,
0:54:52 > 0:54:54if it's going to get so cold
0:54:54 > 0:54:58that it's not going to be possible to stand out here.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04My eyes begin to play tricks on me,
0:55:04 > 0:55:07and I start to question what I'm seeing.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11There is something happening
0:55:11 > 0:55:13in the sky
0:55:13 > 0:55:15but neither my eyes nor my camera
0:55:15 > 0:55:17can fully see it as the northern lights.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20It's weird because at times it looks like...
0:55:21 > 0:55:25..little clouds moving very fast and then, as it is at the moment,
0:55:25 > 0:55:28look at that, it's just burst into life!
0:55:28 > 0:55:29Holy smokes!
0:55:29 > 0:55:31Gee whiz!
0:55:31 > 0:55:33That is phenomenal!
0:55:35 > 0:55:37It just changes in an instant.
0:55:37 > 0:55:38Look at that.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42My goodness, that is something else.
0:55:45 > 0:55:47It starts off as a sort of...
0:55:47 > 0:55:53almost an underwhelming cloud and suddenly it starts to shift
0:55:53 > 0:55:57and take form and the lights start to dance
0:55:57 > 0:55:59and flicker and move
0:55:59 > 0:56:03and what is just a smear becomes this sort of rich texture
0:56:03 > 0:56:07that's moving across the sky from horizon to horizon.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20Every single second is precious,
0:56:20 > 0:56:23and you get a sense, every moment you watch this,
0:56:23 > 0:56:27that as far back in time, all those millions of years,
0:56:27 > 0:56:29that this has been taking place,
0:56:29 > 0:56:32it has never been like this before...
0:56:33 > 0:56:35..and then it changes again.
0:56:52 > 0:56:57After a couple of hours, the aurora builds to an incredible crescendo.
0:57:05 > 0:57:11These particles from the sun have travelled nearly 93 million miles.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15It's quite hard to take it all in.
0:57:15 > 0:57:20It is just... It is so grand, so spectacular.
0:57:21 > 0:57:23It is... It's mind-blowing.
0:57:35 > 0:57:39I couldn't have filmed any of this without my reindeer's help.
0:57:40 > 0:57:46After a bumpy start, I can't imagine being here with anyone else...
0:57:47 > 0:57:51..and I want something special to remember our time together.
0:57:52 > 0:57:55That's a boy. Handsome, handsome man.
0:57:56 > 0:57:58You're a good fellow.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01Who says reindeers don't like hugs?
0:58:01 > 0:58:03Good boy. Right, OK.
0:58:03 > 0:58:05Right...
0:58:05 > 0:58:08We'll do a selfie. You know what a selfie is, don't you?
0:58:08 > 0:58:10Everyone does. Even reindeer.
0:58:10 > 0:58:12You've got to lift your head. Best smile.
0:58:12 > 0:58:14Right, boy. Look this way.
0:58:14 > 0:58:16HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:58:16 > 0:58:18Three, two, one...
0:58:21 > 0:58:24This has been an incredible journey
0:58:24 > 0:58:28and to top it off, I think I've got my Christmas card sorted.