Hiking in the Lofoten islands with friends
and fantastic weather – summer 2014

Presentation

To begin, we’d like to thank the site which enabled us to play at being tour operators, on our own!!!!!
3 couples from Haute-Savoie in France, keen hikers....wanting a change of scenery....so we all left on 30 May!

The trip is a bit long. By plane from Geneva to Copenhagen, then Copenhagen-Oslo, Oslo-Bodø, rent a large car, spend the night in Bodø (a town without charm built following the bombings and, on that particular day, cold and rainy).

The following afternoon, ferry from Bodø to Moskenes (we had pre-booked on the internet, it wasn’t the high season yet and those that hadn’t booked had no trouble). After driving an hour and a quarter we reached Gravdal on Saturday night and the lovely house we’d rented (completely red of course with grass on the roof and trolls on the shelf!!!!)

We’re off!!! And, another stroke of luck, fantastic weather all week (in our suitcases we had woolly hats, fleeces, thermal jackets...completely useless...we needed shorts and sunhats...in fact you have to be prepared for anything here).
It wasn’t yet the high season, so we had the scenery all to ourselves!

Photos and text by Laurence Jacquot

Day by day

Sunday, we begin hike 18 quite relaxed in the direction Nusfjord-Nesland (it was early in the seaon and so entry into Nusfjord was still free of charge). Nusfjord is a typical, charming village, the hike not too difficult but not too disorienting either.
Monday hike 7 Munkan....extraordinary... one discovery after another...lakes at every level, the sea always present in the background, the summit (which we managed to reach easily despite the remaining snow) is really great, alpine landscapes (at only 775m altitude with the sea below).

Monday hike 7 Munkan....extraordinary... one discovery after another...lakes at every level, the sea always present in the background, the summit (which we managed to reach easily despite the remaining snow) is really great, alpine landscapes (at only 775m altitude with the sea below).

Thuesday hike  1 ...kvalvika...marvellous... our folk from Brittany even went swimming on Whale Beach (according to our landlord the water was around 6°C..). I think the climb up Ryten should not be missed as the view is really breathtaking!!

Wednesday head north on hike 31 to Matmora. GPS point used to find the starting-point, a gate without any signs, we hesitate...and, with a stroke of luck, because of our hesitation we see, just opposite the starting-point, a beautiful, fat seal showing off on its rock!!!
Come on, let’s climb! and we are soon overlooking a stunning lagoon so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes...we keep climbing...we lose the track (we stay too far to the right...not careful enough about the cairns), so for much of the climb we are very exposed (whereas the proper track found on the way back is easier). The summit has a breath-taking 360° view (snow-capped mountains, sea, lagoons, lakes, etc.).

Thursday more relaxed, hike 28 plateau of Ballstadheia, magnificent view and great return journey back down with views over the small islands in a turquoise, ultramarine, setting...

Friday, boat from Reine (magnificent village) to Vinstad. We thought we’d be with a hoard of tourists but again, we were alone.
The boat is more of a shuttle (cheap) for the few inhabitants of the end of the fjord. Under an hour’s walk to the beautiful beach at Bunes. The boat times are not very clear...which was a bit stressful...we thought we might have to spend the night at the very end of the world...what a relief when the we saw the boat arriving at 10 p.m.!!!

Saterday...the last day...we have to get to Moskenes to take the ferry back. We must allow ourselves extra time...Only one road in the Lofoten islands... road-works...so frequent closures...2 hours or more.... we also had the same problem when a rock fell on the road...before boarding we visited A (with a dot over it), magnificent but you have to try to avoid the tourist coaches...

Photos of the stay

(Clic to enlarge the photos)

Our house was really cosy, we were fortunate to have fishermen as neighbors, they caugh us delicious cod, and our house was in the sun round the clock !!!! evening meal on the terrace ... the clothes could dry in the midnight sun ... When you do not look at the clock, you easily end up dining at 11pm ... you need to be very motivated to go to bed (in those houses which are without window shutters) and force yourself to close your eyes !!!!!

The locals are very sympatic and love to talk, they all speak English very well.
Only positive !!! We will come back (already spotted on the “ski tour” some cross contry ski topos for April ... ??? hope we will see some northern lights ....)!