THERE are simply ‘snow’ limits to how far people will go with their copy of the Review.

The champagne was quite literally on ice as Dave and Sally Chappell of Yorkley Wood celebrated their two milestone birthdays towards the end of 2017 and their 40th wedding anniversary this year with a round-trip up the west coast of Norway from Bergen.

And of course, they took along their favourite newspaper to pose for a photo with it in a unique snow hotel.

The spectacular 11-day trip was undertaken on the ‘Coastal Express’, a fleet of boats combining postal and passenger services, with one sailing each day.

The trip involved crossing the Arctic Circle and continuing right round the north of Norway as far as Kirkenes, only a few miles from the Russian Border.

“We wanted to do something special to celebrate our 40th anniversary and it was an amazing experience,” said Sally, a retired lecturer.

The Snow Hotel in Kirkenes, where Sally, 75, and retired electronic research engineer Dave, 70, displayed the Review, is rebuilt every year from snow, while the furniture and fittings are sculpted from blocks of ice, with guests sleeping on reindeer hides on an ice bed. It was just one of many colourful ‘photo opportunities’.

“We saw wild moose and took a dog-sleigh ride and I even went riding on Icelandic horses – a unique breed with a fifth gait known as a ‘tolt’, which is like a very fast trot,” said Sally, who took up riding again on her 75th birthday last year after a break of 40 years.

The Coastal Express calls at 33 ports on the north and southbound journeys. At some they dock and depart again within 15 minutes, while at more major ports they dock for several hours, with sightseeing excursions arranged to nearby locations or activities.

“The boats play an important role in supporting the local economy. Some of the food on the menu, for example, was sourced from the places we visited – including a dessert featuring dandelion syrup, made from flowers picked by local schoolchildren,” Sally explained.

The couple shared their unforgettable adventure with an ‘ecletic mix’ of passengers, including Norwegians, Dutch, Germans and Croatians.

As for their picture with the Review, Sally explained, “We didn’t have a chance to read it before we left, so we thought we’d take it with us.”