Walking In Norway
Waterside village
I’d read as much as I could; I’d studied every website, every photograph I could find, and now here I was – peering excitedly through the window of the small plane that was flying me across the ocean to a remarkable archipelago of islands that had enthralled me ever since I’d first heard of them.Staring ahead, I soon saw what had become a familiar sight in my mind’s eye, the famous ‘Wall’, a seemingly impenetrable barrier of jagged peaks stretching from horizon to horizon, with no apparent way through, and nowhere for man to land, let alone settle and eke out an existence.
The Wall
As I got closer, the mountains of the Wall begin to reveal their secret – they are not one solid form, but myriad islands with low-lying coastal plains and quiet valleys, separated by deep blue channels, scoured by some of the fastest-flowing currents and tides in the world. At the head of sheltered inlets, tiny villages of brightly coloured wooden houses become visible, each linked to the next by one of Europe’s most graceful roads: a silver, shimmering line that winds its way over the islands, dipping through deep tunnels and arching over elegant bridges all the way south to the tiny hamlet of Å (pronounced ‘O’).
These are the Lofoten Islands, lying off the north-west coast of Norway, way above the Arctic Circle yet basking in a surprisingly benign climate due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. Comprising nine major islands (Andøya, Hinnøya, Langøya, Hadsel, Austvagøya, Vestvagøya Flakstadøya, Moskenesøya and Vaerøya) plus hundreds of smaller islets and rocky outcrops, the Lofoten archipelago offers dramatic yet contrasting landscapes, from small coves of the finest white sand and huge boulders polished by the sea, to scattered patches of sheltered trees and open peat moorland which separates the sea from the bare rock of the high mountain peaks.
For millennia, the rolling waves of the northern ocean have pounded away at the sheer cliffs, creating low-lying shelves of land that have long been colonised by man. Since Viking times, people have lived here, making a living from the plentiful fish stocks that breed in the nutrient-rich waters. Today, fishing is still very much the mainstay of the local economy, although tourism plays an increasingly major role, too.
drying fish
To walk in Norway is an honour and a privilege. The landscapes are humbling, with breathtaking views around every corner, stopping you in your tracks. Indeed, one of the hardest things about travelling through the islands is reaching your destination – you feel morally obliged to stop and stare in awe at every view that presents itself. Despite the rugged appearance of the islands, there are plenty of accessible walking routes – along the coast, through mountain passes or up into the mountains – and all are clearly marked with the bright red ‘T’ of the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association, to guide you safely to your next magnificent viewpoint.
For mountain hikes, drive south beyond the picturesque fishing villages of Hamnøy and Reine on the island of Moskenesøya and walk into the heart of the mountains following a series of crystal-clear lakes that lead you to Monkebu for spectacular views down Djupfjorden to the sea; ascend the peak of Justadtinden on Vestvagøya for far-reaching vistas over the southern islands; or walk round the rugged Brustolen headland from the port of Ballstad and climb to the airy plateau for a huge panorama south across the sea to the Norwegian mainland.
Equally exhilarating are the many walks that follow the coast beneath towering cliffs and mountainsides, which have the added advantage of offering the chance to come upon white-tailed sea eagles swooping low over the waves before lunging onto an unsuspecting fish; or to see a pod of killer whales cruising by as they orchestrate a carefully choreographed hunt for Arctic cod. Simple log bridges make access over rivers easy, as here on the coast of Flakstadøya between Napp and Sørdalen, while chains embedded in the rock aid scrambling through the boulder fields.
From the tiny hamlet of Nesland on the southern tip of Flakstadøya, a wonderful walk takes you along the shore to one of the prettiest villages in the entire archipelago, Nusfjord, a UNESCO-designated settlement of traditional red rorbu (fishermen’s stilted huts); from Eggum on Vestvagøya, follow a coastal route past one of the island’s iconic art installations, ‘The Head’, with nothing to impede your view north over the ocean (the next land mass is Greenland!); or drive to remote Fredvang and walk over the ridge to descend to the golden sands of the deserted beach at Kvalvika, where the only sound is the crashing of the waves on the shore and the screech of seagulls soaring above the pounding surf.
This is one of those places that can rightly claim to be like nowhere else on Earth. It’s impossible to deny the staggering beauty of the landscape – such terrain simply demands to be explored on foot. What’s more, arrive in summer and you can walk all day – for this is the land of the Midnight Sun, when, for a brief period each year, the sun never sets. This year, for example, there was 24-hour-a-day sunlight between 28 May and 14 July and at all the along the western shores, you can watch the sun approach – but never reach – the distant horizon!
Author Bio
Peter Williamson is an experienced travel writer and walker, having spent the past five years as copywriter for specialist travel company, Inntravel, the Slow Holiday People. During this time he has travelled extensively throughout Europe, researching and writing route notes for the company’s self-guided walking holidays, as well as writing for Inntravel’s brochures and website. Prior to this, Peter was a freelance writer and author for many years, writing on a wide range of subjects across a wide range of industries. He has published a number of popular walking books, including ‘Castle Walks in Yorkshire’, highlighting his love of his home county; history (he has an MA in Historical Research) and, of course, walking.
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Cliff Chapman
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