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Lofoten Islands

Norway

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Walkopedia rating91
(Top 100)
Beauty
35
Natural interest
 16
Human interest
 7
Charisma
 33
Negative points
 (0)
Total rating
 91

 Vital statistics

Length:
Variable
Maximum Altitude: 1,029m
Level of Difficulty: Strenuous

Key information: Lofoten Islands

  • Extraordinary chain of granite mountain-islands off the coast of northern Norway, inside the Arctic Circle.
  • Ice-hewn peaks and spires rising sheer from the sea with fishing villages clinging to any scrap of flat land, often on stilts above the rocky shoreline.
  • A wide variety of outstanding walks, up among the crags and lakes of the mountains and the wild Atlantic coastline.


Walk summary

This chain of granite mountain-islands was carved by the last ice age into fantastic spikes and smooth sheer cliffs, gashed by deep fjords. Lying well inside the Arctic Circle, this is harsh but extraordinarily beautiful scenery. You can enjoy the rugged coastline or gasp at some of the world's most thrilling views from the high ridges.

 

From a distance, the Lofoten wall seems like an unbroken mass; close up, it reveals itself as a series of improbably carved peaks and ridges up to 1,150m (nearly 4,000ft) high, rising straight out of the sea, separated by deep sounds and sheltering inlets which cradle ridiculously atmospheric fishing villages with brightly painted houses - sometimes built on stilts out into the water. The whole area has been submitted for World Heritage Site status.

 

The Lofotens are reminiscent of the beauties of Milford Sound in New Zealand's Fjordland and - wait for it - Hong Kong, with its vast slopes of ice-smoothed granite and its remote little stilted wooden fishing villages (even the stink of the fish processing is strongly reminiscent). Maybe the water here is a little cleaner.

 

The islands are composed of ancient granite, sharing their origins with the Scottish Highlands and the Appalachians of the USA. They were ground into their current shape relatively recently: this area was at the edge of an enormous ice sheet, up to 2km thick, that covered all of Scandinavia and which tore and polished the rock into the extraordinary peaks, crags, lakes and fjords that we now see.

 

It was a tough life for the itinerant fisherman who rowed up in the dark of late winter for the cod fishing season. While fishing remains important, artists have moved up, attracted by the scenery and the long hours of cold summer light.

 

The Lofotens are a walker's paradise, every hill beckoning you and the coastline threaded with trails, the best along the wild, northern coast, where you can see dolphins and seals sporting in the surf. The whale watching can be superb here, and you can encounter elk on Austvgoy. Delicate arctic flowers bloom in early summer and rich colours and berries decorate the brief autumn.

 

Try to walk on more than one island and vary the drama of the high viewpoints with at least one coastal path. There is no single outstanding walk, so you are free to choose. The walks described here are some of the best known, listed (approximately) from west to east. These walks take a day or less, but can be connected with other walks to form a longer expedition, involving stays in guesthouses, old Fishermens cabins (rorbuer) or camping.

William Mackesy's account of this walk

The jagged, sheer Lofoten Islands face the North Atlantic like a line of tough veteran legionaries awaiting some wild enemy. From a distance, the “Lofoten wall” seems like an unbroken mass; close up, it reveals itself as a series of improbably carved peaks and ridges up to 1,150m (nearly 4,000ft) high, rising straight out of the sea, separated by deep sounds and sheltering inlets which cradle ridiculously atmospheric fishing villages. The whole area has been submitted for World Heritage Site status.

The Lofotens are reminiscent of the beauties of Milford Sound in New Zealand's Fjordland and – wait for it – Hong Kong, with its vast slopes of ice-smoothed granite and its remote little stilted wooden fishing villages (even the stink of the fish processing is strongly reminiscent)......

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Practical information for walking in Norway, Lofoten Islands

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Community comments and photos

Name: Roger
Posted on: 05/01/2011
The walksworldwide trip looks great BUT doesn't seem to attract interest. I've booked twice, but it didn't run in either year for lack of support

Your comments on this walk, your experiences and suggestions, and your photos are very welcome. Where appropriate, you will be credited for your contribution.

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Anyone planning an expedition to this place should see further important information about this walk.

Responsible travel matters, a lot. How you travel will make a real difference - for better or worse. PLEASE consider this when making plans. Read more