The Heroes of Telemark

Seventy years ago today, during WWII, a small group of Norwegian saboteurs put their lives at risk to stop the Germans gaining access to a substance called Deuterium Oxide or 'heavy water', a secret ingredient crucial in the Nazis attempt to make an Atomic Bomb.

In 1943 the only place producing 'heavy water' was the hydroelectric power plant at Vemork, near Rjukan. The Allies wanted to destroy this factory, but its location ruled out a low-level bombing raid, so the answer was a direct assault which had to negotiate a narrow bridge over a three hundred foot gorge. To avoid detection, the saboteurs were dropped high up in Northern Europe's most inhospitable environment, the high mountain plateau of the Hardangervidda. The men then travelled through this harsh mountain environment towards their ultimate target, finding shelter as they went.

It is not the commando raid that captured my imagination, but the saboteurs' ability to survive in these mountains and endure the horrendous conditions that actually made Operation Grouse possible. That is why I am heading to Norway...

Despite being a novice skier, I plan to undertake an adventure similar to this remarkable journey. I will not be retracing the exact ski tracks of the Norwegian saboteurs; instead I will traverse the plateau from North to South.

My starting point will be Finse, the highest point of the Norwegian Railway System, located at 1222m above sea level and the training grounds for the ill-fated Scott expedition to the South Pole. It was also the place where George Lucas chose to shoot the ice planet Hoth in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

After six nights out on the vidda, I will arrive in Rjukan to see the actual attack route used by the saboteurs and visit the Vemork museum to give further insight to the original operation and to round off what I hope will be a memorable trip.