Viking Travel: Where, Why, How? - Handy Information for Key Stage 2 Students

Where:

Vikings were expert sailors and navigators and, thanks to their advanced ships, they were able to travel to many distant lands.

Vikings travelled to places as varied as Britain, Russia, and Iran. Astonishingly Vikings even made it all the way to Greenland and North America.

Why:

Vikings travelled to raid and gather riches and slaves. Lindisfarne Monastery, York and even Paris fell victim to Vikings going "Vikinging".

Vikings also travelled to trade, this is why Viking artefacts can be found in countries all over the world.

Finally Vikings travelled to conquer and settle. It is believed that farming conditions in Scandinavia did not provide enough food to support the population, forcing them to spread further afield.

How:

Vikings would travel on vessels called Longships (or Dragon Boats). Find out more about Longships here.

Further Reading:

• Viking Longships - Quick Facts

• Viking Craft Activities for Kids

• Viking Trade

• Viking Navigation