Lofoten Islands where. Open left menu Lofoten Islands

The Lofoten Islands must be visited at least once in a lifetime. Their territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle, 1,800 km from St. Petersburg, directly to the north - approximately at the latitude of Murmansk. The road to them resembles a fairy tale and passes through green Finland, gloomy Sweden, and after the Keruna pass passes into bright Norway. Near the city of Narvik, a bridge was built on the Lofoten archipelago.

Experienced guides of the Adventure Time tourist club told about what to see in the Lofoten Islands, how to get there, what to eat, where to stock up, where to live and many other useful things.

Denis Alimov

Senior guide of the tourist club "Adventure Time", in active tourism since 2004. Program developer for Norway, Iceland, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand.

Dmitry Klimenko

Guide-leader, has been working in the Adventure Time club since 2007. Travel leader in Norway, Finland, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam.

Stas Piirainen

Guide-leader, has been working in the Adventure Time club since 2011. Travel leader for Norway, Iceland, Georgia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The material is based on the lecture “Lofoten Islands. How to get into a fairy tale with friends”, held in the Sport-Marathon store in autumn 2016. You can watch the video or read the blog. Unfortunately, there was a sound glitch in the video broadcast in the first minutes, so the material on the blog turned out to be more complete.

Lofoten Islands. How to get into a fairy tale with friends.

What to see in Lofoten?

First of all, mountains with snow-white tops and a non-freezing transparent ocean with many fish. But not only. Lofoten is also snow-white beaches, steep banks, forests, lush green meadows with many sheep. The islands are practically deserted.

If you look at the statistics, quite a lot of people come here during the season, the fact is that the season lasts 1.5-2 months. But even at this time there is no pandemonium. The islands have become famous largely for their panoramic views.

A large number of routes lead to viewpoints - and they are all summarized in a single guide. However, it is not enough to see the islands only from land, they need to be seen from the water. You can't think of anything better than a kayak for this - it allows you to go between small islands and see the peaks you were on yesterday. And feel the power of the ocean. Without a kayak, you will not be able to see, for example, the Laukvika lagoon. This is a deserted area, collected from many small islands with white sand beaches. It is very calm in the lagoon itself, but as soon as you go beyond its borders, you immediately understand that you are in the ocean. The surface of the water can smoothly rise by 3-4 meters - this is the so-called ocean swell. It is good to get to the Trollfjord by kayak, a narrow sea bay with sheer cliffs. Its depth is more than 100 meters, cruise ships go there. We also go there on kayaks, fish - and this is one of the most vivid impressions in Lofoten.

Leknes and Svolvaer are two relatively large towns in the Lofoten. Each of them has its own peculiarity. Svolvaer is a seaside town with a large port where ferries come from the mainland, while Leknes is the administrative center, it is inland and has no access to the sea. There are many more villages in Lofoten, colorful in their own way. For example, the famous small town Å is the last settlement in the Lofoten archipelago.

Mountain trekking in Lofoten

The weather on the islands is changeable, and in order to build your hiking trip correctly, this moment must be taken into account. Roads lead to the starting points of all routes: somewhere unpaved, somewhere asphalt. This allows you to move very quickly. It is very important to have blocks in stock that allow you to change routes - say, the one in the north, the one in the south, depending on the direction of the wind. This way you can change directions, save time and make your trip more productive. Almost all routes, even the longest ones, are one-day. They require an early exit, at 6-7 in the morning, but at the same time the whole journey can be completed at 17-18 hours. There are also two-day routes, with an overnight stay. However, it is simply impossible to leave on the islands for more than two days.

There are also very small routes that can be completed in 4-5 hours. But they are very cool - having climbed one peak, I want to climb the other seventy. Information on routes can be found on specialized sites.

During trekking, the long daylight hours are very relaxing - in June-July the sun shines for 24 hours, minus bad weather. By the way, about bad weather. On the route, you need to pay attention to where you can take shelter in case of rain, so as not to walk on a wet slippery path, which becomes quite dangerous. Changeable weather means careful attention to clothing. It is necessary, of course, to have a backpack with waterproof protection - it must have a change of dry clothes. Jackets and pants are made of Gortex. You also need to have good trekking poles and boots, because the mountains are quite steep and rocky. Take crocs with you on a trip (slippers that dry very quickly and weigh nothing - it’s better to buy expensive ones, they last longer). It is good to have rubber boots in the car, not very high, of medium length - with them the feet will definitely always be dry.

Lofoten food display

If you are traveling to the Lofoten Islands by car, then it is better to bring most of the products from Russia. However, keep in mind that vegetables, fruits, meat and dairy products cannot be imported into the Schengen area - they can be seized at the border. Keep this in mind when planning your layout. If you plan to pass through Sweden, it makes sense to buy something there. We recommend stopping by ICA supermarkets and stocking up on inexpensive potatoes, cabbage, onions, cheese, sausages, marinades (beets, cucumbers) and olive oil (take a five-liter bottle right away)

Why buy it in Sweden? Because everything is very expensive in Norway. For example, in a campsite, eating scrambled eggs for breakfast will cost 1,000 rubles.

Where to buy groceries in Norway? We try to visit chain stores - Rema1000, KIWI or Coop. Lofoten is a fish place, but you can’t buy fresh fish in stores, it’s mostly frozen and costs a lot of money. There are also relatively cheap products - for example, shrimp for 29 crowns, pasta for 7 crowns, and so on. It makes sense to buy butter, spreads, jams, jams, herring in buckets, yoghurts, milk and bread brand Kneip. By the way, a little trick - go for bread in the morning, because it is at this time that the so-called social products appear in stores, which come in small quantities and are not very expensive.

Lofoten cod

Fishing in Lofoten has always been associated with a very expensive activity, but it turned out that cod can easily be caught from a kayak. My first experience was terrible - in two hours I caught about 35 kg of cod. It wasn't fishing, it was a long, constant retrieval and storage of fish. Despite the fact that I did not take fish less than 2.5 kg. We then suffered a lot, cleaning the fish. And only then did they find out that they only need to take fillets. This year we got 15-16 kg of it - we ate for about four days.

Going to Lofoten and not catching cod is stupid. But you need to prepare for fishing: buy a spinning rod, a reel, a cord (not a fishing line!), a lure. No permissions required. This is if we are talking about sea fishing. For river and lake there are a lot of restrictions, up to the disinfection of spinning rods. What are the nuances when catching cod? It is not forbidden to catch from bridges, but it is undesirable, because passing small vessels can catch on a lure and injure a person. In Norway, this is monitored and they can even call the police if they see someone fishing from the bridge. Keep in mind, if you have a watercraft, then you must have a life jacket - its absence will cause concern for local residents. You need to catch at a depth of 30 meters and at high tide - cod at this time comes and begins to feed (there are sites where the tide time is indicated, do not be too lazy to look there). It is best to fish from hills - from shallows or islands, where the bottom relief bends and where there may be crustaceans or small fish that cod feed on.

I recommend fishing with a strong spinning rod - and the simpler it is, the better. And preferably with a marine coil. Be sure to use a cord - its cod does not bite, although I had situations when even it broke off. But the fish will bite the line without any questions at all. You need to catch on a large lure - the more baubles, the more likely it is that the fish will bite. The spinner should weigh at least 100 grams, and no bait is needed. Keep in mind that it must be equipped with a carabiner, in case it breaks when eating. There must be a cord no shorter than 100 meters so that it can reach the hundred-meter bottom. Caught fish can not be cut, not gutted, just cut the fillet from the sides with a special knife. If the meat is not fried or frozen during the day, it will begin to decompose. Therefore, the catch must be prepared immediately - so the cod will be stored for much longer. What to do with fish waste after you cut the fillet? You need to collect them, put them in a bunch on the shore and continue to watch the battle between the seagulls. Within an hour, there will be no trace of the fish. Unfortunately, caught cod (fresh or frozen) cannot be brought into Russia. The first question at the border, when they find out that you are coming from Norway: “Are you bringing cod?”. But fried, dried and generally processed fish can be imported. The same goes for mushrooms, by the way.

In addition to cod, there are mussels in the Lofoten Islands. But it's not so easy with them. Firstly, they are on the rocks and you need to collect them at low tide. You need to take not everything in a row, but those that are at least half the size of a palm. (photo of mussels in a cauldron). You need to collect them with gloves (the most ordinary construction ones will do), because it is very easy to injure your hands. It’s also good to have a knife, like a construction knife, to separate mussels from stones. Where to look for mussels? Pay attention to the stones that abruptly go into the sea - whole colonies of these mollusks are visible on them. And the best way to cook them is to boil them first so that they open up (they should boil for literally 5 minutes). Then drain the water and fry the mussel meat in hot oil.

To Lofoten - by car

How to get to the Lofoten Islands? There are two ways. The first is by car. (map photo) Since we ourselves are from St. Petersburg, we are considering the road from there. The direct route is through Finland. There are several border crossings, the best option is in the city of Svetlogorsk. There are usually not many people there. The total distance to Svolvær (the administrative capital of the islands) is 1,600 km. It is logical to split the road in half and make a stop approximately in the middle in the town of Kemi (St. Petersburg - Svetlogorsk - Kemi, 826 km - 1 day), you can, of course, plan more stops. The very length of the Lofoten Islands on the road is about 190 km, that is, to see the islands, you need to wind about another 400 km. So you can cover all the most important places. In total, the entire trip to Lofoten will take approximately 11 days (including the road and being there), and the total mileage will be 3,570 km. You will need to spend about 500 euros on gasoline for a passenger car.

Lofoten and North Cape - by car

If you are driving your own transport and climbing so high into the north of Scandinavia, it is logical to get to the iconic point at the same time - the northern tip of continental Europe, the North Cape. We recommend splitting this trip into two, stopping somewhere in the Sibotna area (places where there are very beautiful mountains, similar to the Alps, with many trekking routes) or Alta (there is a rock art museum). These are additional 912 km: Svolvaer - Skibotn - 393 km, Skibotn - North Cape - 518 km. (photo map of the return route). It makes sense to lay the return route through the territory of Russia, because this way you will save on gasoline - in Russia it is still cheaper than in Scandinavia. The road passes along the new Cola track, which is very well done. However, you can also travel around Finland, it will be 200 or 300 kilometers less, but you will be more expensive. The route passes through Karelia, these are also very beautiful places. In total, the way back, if you are coming from the North Cape, will be more than 2,000 km (Nord Cape - Kandalaksha - 913 km, Kandalaksha - St. Petersburg - 1,110 km). The route with a visit to the North Cape will take a total of 14-15 days and will be 4,900 km (another 700 km to Moscow). It's quite stressful for those who haven't traveled long distances, but the upside is that you can load a lot of food and various equipment into the car.

To Lofoten - by plane

Airplane is the second way to get to the Lofoten Islands. Unlike the car, the way there will be one day (by car - two). And if you buy the right tickets, then 12 hours. Aeroflot flies from Moscow (morning flights), from St. Petersburg - the Rusline company (also a morning flight). From the same airport in Oslo, on a Norwegian domestic flight, you need to fly to the city of Evenes, from where it is a 2-hour drive to the islands. Rent a car or use public transport. But it is not always possible to pick up tickets so as to fly within one day - you need to try very hard to find them.

Where to live in Lofoten

Tent

The easiest option is a tent. This type of housing has pros and cons, of course. The advantages include the inexpensive cost of camping (and spending the night in a wild place is completely free) and solitude. The disadvantages are the limited amount of space and the lack of electricity and general amenities. It is not recommended to camp in a large camp outside the campsite in Lofoten. If one person or a group of people put up a tent on the beach for one night, this will not be a strong violation of the law. Lots of people do it, no problem. But if it's already two nights, then with a probability of 90% the police will arrive the next day. Norwegians treat nature as their own home, in their eyes, this situation looks like you came, say, to a summer cottage, set up a tent there and go to the toilet under the bushes. And the inhabitants of Norway are very strict about toilets and, as a rule, dig holes for these things. But on beaches and prominent places, digging anything for such a purpose is prohibited.

At 19-30 MS "Midnatsol" leaves Bodø and continues its journey to the North. Tonight we have to overcome one of the most unusual sections of the route: first, a 102-kilometer open sea crossing to the Lofoten Islands; then we will get acquainted with one of the most amazing Norwegian archipelagos, make an interesting transition from Stamsund along the islands to the neighboring town of Svolver, after which we will head through the narrow straits to the neighboring archipelago - Vesterålen, where we will stop at midnight in the town of Stokmarknes, on the embankment of which the Hurtigruten museum and the historic Finnmarken ferry towers majestically on a pedestal. However, first things first.

Leaving Bodø, we head to the open sea (of course, if we are to be thoroughly meticulous, we can’t call it completely open, but compared to other sections of the coastal line, this concept is quite suitable here) and heading for the barely visible on the horizon archipelago of the Lofoten Islands. The passage to Lofoten takes about four hours - to the left of us stretches the open space of the Norwegian Sea (however, still protected from the harsh Arctic Ocean by the distant ridge of Lofoten), and in the distance to the right in the direction of travel, the entrance to the narrow part of the Vestfjorden Bay is more likely to be guessed than observed, at the farthest tip of which (the daughter fjord Ofotfjorden) is Narvik - a fairly large city and port on the coast of Norway, to which, by the way, part of the Hurtigruten ships are assigned.

7. We are heading for the Lofoten Islands, the ridge of rocks of which is visible straight ahead on the horizon ... Lofoten is 100 kilometers from here:

The Lofoten Islands, together with the Vesterålen archipelago, located to the north, are an amazing and fabulous world. The largest of the islands are Moskenesoy, Vestvagoya and Austvagoya. At the southernmost tip of the Lofoten archipelago, which protrudes far into the Norwegian Sea, there is a village with the short name O (Å), and even further into the sea, the islands-rocks of Veroya and Rösta, separated from the rest of the archipelago by the Moskenstraum Strait, protrude. Here, in the Moskenstraum Strait, there is one of the most powerful and famous whirlpools in the world - the Maelström (or, which is also often used, the Maelstrom). This whirlpool has been known for several centuries and appears in the denouement of Jules Verne's famous novel "20 Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" - when the submarine "Nautilus" spun in this deadly whirlpool, Professor Pierre Aronnax, his faithful servant Conseil and the whaler Ned Land made a daring attempt to escape from the Nautilus and managed to escape from the captivity of Captain Nemo. In general, I really love Jules Verne, and this book is one of my favorites: whoever has not read it, I highly recommend it! But in fact, the Maelström is not as scary as the famous French writer describes it. At this point, the Norwegian Sea joins the Vestfjord through the narrow mouth of the Moskenstraum Strait, only 4 kilometers wide and 60 meters deep. Linked by a strait, the Norwegian Sea and its Vestfjord Bay are much deeper. A whirlpool in the strait arises as a result of the interaction of tidal and ebb waves with a complex bottom topography and a heavily indented coastline and is a complex system of eddies - in the center of the whirlpool, even in calm weather, water “boils” with a roar.

But back to the islands. The famous Lofoten Wall is formed by countless islands that seem to storm the sky, rising from the sea. Sheer cliffs are replaced by gently sloping shores, where you look - fantastic, grandiose landscapes. Along the verdant land oases stretches a chain of picturesque fishing villages on stilts. Well-defended bays contrast with impregnable sheer cliffs whipped by storms. Through the cold transparent emerald water, the seabed is visible to a depth of up to ten meters. Despite the fact that the archipelago is located beyond the Arctic Circle and much north of Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon - the cold poles of the Northern Hemisphere, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream on the islands of the archipelago, the temperature of even the coldest month of winter is almost always above zero. At the same time, the weather here changes instantly - the Lofoten Wall, which forms a barrier between the open sea and the mainland, keeps rain clouds, so it often rains on the islands. The inhabitants of the Lofoten Islands are distinguished by a cheerful and calm disposition. These are hard workers living far from the mainland and sacredly honoring mutual assistance and mutual assistance. When schools of Arctic cod come here from January to April from the Barents Sea, fishermen from all over Norway come to Lofoten.

10. Meanwhile, we have overcome the wide expanses of the Vestfjord Bay, and four hours ago, the rocks of the Lofoten Islands, visible only on the horizon, now rise in front of us in sheer cliffs. MS "Midnatsol" enters a secluded bay and at exactly 19-00 moored to the pier of Stamsund - a small fishing village with a population of about a thousand people, located in the heart of the Lofoten archipelago.

12. For a short half-hour parking, you can manage to get around the quarters of the village closest to the pier, and also climb the rocks, from where a very beautiful view opens.

Stamsund, like Lofoten in general, is a deep Norwegian province, where life is measured and leisurely, and people are much simpler and more direct than in big cities. Although with all this, we need to make an adjustment for the fact that we are in Norway - in Stamsund there is everything for a normal comfortable life: excellent housing equipped with the latest technology, good roads, through 3 bridges, 7 tunnels (the two longest of them - 6370 and 3337 meters respectively) and one ferry crossing connecting Lofoten with the mainland; there is a modern connection, communications, supermarkets, a hotel and even a restaurant with a pub. Province, yes ... :))

And we, having walked around a small cozy town, hidden among the rocks by the sea, continue our journey and head for Svolver - a town also located in the Lofoten archipelago. The harsh beauty of Lofoten:

It was here, in Lofoten, that one of the most long-awaited divergences on our route took place - the Richard Wise ferry, named after the legendary founder of the Hurtigruten line, was heading towards us. Ferry Richard With was built in 1993 in Germany. Passenger capacity of the vessel - 691 people; sleeping places - 490; places for cars - 45; speed - 15 knots (approximately 28 km / h); length - 121.8 m; width - 19.2 m; draft - 4.9 m; gross tonnage - 11,205 tons.

28. Shortly after the divergence, the ferry makes the next stop - from 21-00 to 22-00 MS "Midnatsol" stands in the town of Svolver (Svolver) - the capital of the municipality of Vagan, the largest settlement of the Lofoten archipelago.

Outdoor enthusiasts are increasingly heading to the coast of the Norwegian Sea. Where the rocky area is cut by sandy beaches and fjords. Powerful rocks of the most bizarre forms are reflected in the mirror surface of transparent lakes and bays.

Picturesque area that inspires

Locals call this corner the Lofoten Wall. rising straight out of the water and almost reaching the clouds, forms a 150-kilometer barrier between the North Sea and Vestfjord, Norway's largest and widest bay. When viewed from the water, the coastline really resembles a powerful wall, the height of which exceeds 500 meters. Mountain reliefs covered with frozen glaciers also attract creative people who rush here for inspiration.

No one knows exactly when the Lofoten Islands were settled, photos of which excite the imagination of foreign travelers. Archaeologists have established that this happened more than ten thousand years ago.

Some facts about the archipelago

The Lofoten archipelago is located in the northwest of Norway. An amazing corner of virgin nature is famous for its snow-white beaches, picturesque bays and unforgettable landscapes.

The Lofoten Islands, with a total area of ​​1227 m 2, consist of seven large and many small land areas surrounded by water. They are recognized as the oldest rock formations, because their age is approximately three billion years. However, the modern look of the lost paradise was formed 10 thousand years ago, after the end of the ice age.

The largest island of the archipelago is Eustvogey with an area of ​​526 km2.

Between Feret and Maskenese is the most famous whirlpool in the world - the Maelstrom.

There are small fishing villages in which about 25 thousand people live.

The inhabitants of a large archipelago divide the islands into two parts. The inner ones are pressed against the Vestfjord, and all the settlements are located on them, while the outer ones, immersed in constant fogs, go into

Weather in the archipelago

Tourists who dream of visiting the Lofoten Islands will not be afraid of the local weather: it is ideal for outdoor walks. Despite the fact that they are located beyond the Arctic Circle, the average temperature in winter is about 2 o C, and in summer - 15 o C. This is explained by the influence of the Gulf Stream - a warm current that warms the northern land. Rainfall here is very rare.

However, it is worth considering that the weather changes overnight, and powerful storms test the strength of the wooden houses of local residents, and huge waves crash against dark rocks with noise. It is the Gulf Stream that is the culprit of the strongest winds blowing out all the heat.

Rorbu - a colorful fishermen's dwelling

For many centuries, the Lofoten Islands (Norway) have been a fishing kingdom, and its inhabitants live in rorbu - small houses on stilts that first appeared in the 12th century. Colorful dark red dwellings are reflected in the clear water, standing out as bright spots against the backdrop of emerald slopes and gigantic mountains crowned with snow-white caps. Now fishermen rent their homes to travelers, for which they get pretty good money. It is even recommended to book them in advance, especially if vacationers plan to come in the summer. Rorbu is a small cottage that has all the comforts inside, including a fitted kitchen and a fish freezer.

Rorbu costs NOK 500 per night and bed linen is extra. Most of the houses are habitable all year round.

The main occupation of the islanders

A boat is assigned to each dwelling, and guests can go fishing. The Lofoten Islands are an amazing place where everything smells of the sea and peace.

Local residents have been engaged in industrial fishing for several centuries. Here you can catch huge arctic cod and dozens of other fish. Tourists prefer to visit the archipelago in the summer, but the main events for the indigenous people take place between January and April. It is at this time that cod spawn here: fish are born here, then they live in the Barents Sea for seven or eight years. And only then does he return to his homeland to give life to a new generation, overcoming a path of more than 800 kilometers.

In the 19th century, the authorities of the Lofoten Islands set the start time for morning fishing and the water limits in which cod could be caught. Elders were elected in each settlement to keep order. To this day, the waters of the archipelago are divided into several zones, and fishermen on ships are required to remain within the same area. But tourists who want to sit with a fishing rod have the right to fish wherever they want. Local residents take vacationers on their longboats and take them to the sea, conducting an exciting excursion.

However, not all Lofoten live by fishing. For example, on the island of Westvogay they are engaged in agriculture, raising cows and sheep.

Lofoten Islands: how to get there?

There are three ways to get to the archipelago: by water, by plane and by car.

Tourists who choose the latter option get on the E10 highway, which begins in Sweden, in the small town of Tere. The road to the islands leads from Narvik - a commune in Norway, located in Rumbaksfjord. The city and Lofoten are connected by a modern bridge.

You can also use the air route - the fastest and easiest. There are daily flights from Oslo to Evenes Airport, a town in the northwest of the country, that will deliver guests in about two hours. Services are provided by SAS and

In addition, every day there are flights from the city and the commune to A. The flight to Lofoten will take only half an hour.

You can also get to the fabulous corner by water. Ferries depart from Narvik Harbor every day, in all weathers, with a journey time of 30 minutes. As tourists say, you can come here in any way, but it is best to leave that way. When the rocky coastal wall gradually dissolves into the milky fog, every traveler understands what a fabulous place he has been to.

What to do on the islands?

In summer, there is a polar day here, and the sun does not set below the horizon until September, so travelers can go for a walk in the mountains along special routes even at night. Hiking is chosen by those guests who are not very friendly with sports, because on all the islands there are numerous hiking trails of varying degrees of difficulty. As vacationers admit, they got incredible impressions. Lovers of hiking romance are not sorry to spend the whole day climbing and descending to admire the fantastic views.

On the Lofoten Islands, famous for their amazing nature, safaris are held on boats or inflatable boats, and vacationers watch the life of marine life. In the warm season, divers from all over the world rush to Lofoten to enjoy the inimitable beauty of the underwater world. The islands are very popular among climbers, and not only professionals, but also beginners come to conquer the local mountains. And lovers of winter recreation will not be disappointed: ski centers operate here.

In addition, the archipelago is a wonderful place to observe the northern lights.

Tourists can take a boat ride next to the famous Maelstrom whirlpool. It's not as dangerous as many people think.

Here you can also visit the karst caves, in which rock paintings were found that appeared in the 5th century.

What are the tourists talking about?

The picturesque place is adored by tourists, as evidenced by their reviews. The Lofoten Islands are amazing landscapes that attract thousands of holidaymakers. Pointed mountain peaks covered with glaciers, soft emerald grass carpets, wooden houses on gray rocks - all this makes an indelible impression.

No wonder they say that the nature of the archipelago is its main attraction. However, tourists who have been here also note the amazing friendliness of the islanders, whose openness and hospitality are simply amazing.

Discover another Norway

Recently, Lofoten has experienced a real tourist boom, and every year more than 200 thousand guests from different countries visit one of the most beautiful places on our planet. As vacationers admit, in order to understand the lost paradise, you need to visit it. In a unique place, several elements collide, waging a real war with each other. And the hearts of the guests of the polar region now shudder with horror, then tremble with delight.

It is worth at least once to see with your own eyes a magical corner by buying a tour to the Lofoten Islands. Its approximate cost for 12 days is 1500 euros per person (this does not include the price of air tickets). A fascinating journey will allow you to discover a completely different Norway, and even nature here is distinguished by brighter colors than on the mainland.

Our first day:

1. The area of ​​the archipelago is 1227 km², and its population is 24.5 thousand people. The main occupations of the inhabitants are fishing and sheep breeding. Norway is generally the least populated country in Europe. On average, it has 12 square kilometers of territory per inhabitant. The population of the whole of Norway is about a quarter of the population of Moscow. Can you imagine how much space they have for life and freedom?


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2. Lofoten (Old Scand. Lófót) - sometimes confused, incorrectly calling "lofoten". The word consists of two parts: ló "lynx" and Old Norse fótr "foot". Apparently, the shape of the islands resembled the foot of a lynx. The photo shows the beautiful and unique Hemnøy.

3. Cod fishing has been carried out in the Lofoten Islands for about a thousand years, especially in winter, when cod migrate south from the Barents Sea and gather in the Lofoten Islands for spawning. The cod caught is redirected to Bergen, a large city in the southwest of Norway, and from there to the rest of Europe. These are poles, large structures, and serve to dry cod. In summer, unfortunately, they are mostly empty - and you can see dried fish only in the museum...


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4. At the fjords, sheds (called "stabbure") are placed on vertical logs for drying and storing fish, for storing fishing equipment and boats, as well as a bathhouse with an open hearth ("badstyue") and a barn for drying grain. Traditional buildings - with a gable roof. On top of the boardwalk, it was previously covered with birch bark and turf. Now, of course, new materials are winning, but before, almost all residents did this. And old houses (and many have been preserved since the century before last) can often be seen with a whole forest on the roof. Log cabins were sheathed outside and inside with vertically placed boards. The platbands, cornices, and sometimes the ridges of the roofs of a residential building (stuve) were covered with skillful carvings.

5. Stuve, painted in traditional red, green or blue, with white architraves and ends of log cabins, and now look very picturesque against the backdrop of the harsh Lofoten peaks. And the fishing villages are located along the banks of Lofoten, with characteristic fishing huts (“rorbu”).

6. Lofoten - the oldest rock formations on Earth, their age is approximately 3 billion years. Their current appearance was formed 10,000 years ago, when the last Ice Age ended.

7. The most popular islands, Eustvogey, Vestvogey, Flakstad and Moskenes, are a favorite holiday destination for writers and artists, as well as all lovers of outdoor activities. Most Norwegians come here from southern cities just to relax, fish, hunt.

8. The bridges of Norway are amazing: with wide spans, massive, but at the same time looking very light - they lie between fjords, backwaters. This, of course, is not the famous Stortezand Bridge, stretching into the sky, but it is also beautiful. In this place, I remember an interesting incident that happened to my friend Dimka at this fork. We jumped forward a little, and he caught up with us - and went to the wrong place (just in the direction of this bridge: apparently, he liked the landscape). And all that remained for me from the mountain was to watch how my group was going in one direction, and Dimka in the other. Well, nothing, Sasha then “drowned” - he caught up with Dima ...


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9. At any stop there is a recreation area, observation decks and birdwatching towers, as well as cyclists' rest houses and cafes. Some recreation areas resemble entire architectural monuments, fitting well into the landscape (straight, sharp lines, wood and concrete). And some are simpler:

10. The Lofoten Islands are also called "Lofotveggen" or "Lofoten Wall". The archipelago looks like a closed wall, about 100 kilometers long and 800-1000 meters high.


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11. It seems to me that thanks to the production of fish for the whole of Norway and the export that the Vikings have been doing since the 15th century, the country is now the richest in the world (counting per person). Traditionally dried Lofoten cod comes to Spain, Portugal and Italy, where it can be found in abundance on restaurant menus. Maybe it's because fishing requires a lot of patience, work and respect for natural resources? Speaking of respect for nature: fish are now grown like this, in enclosures. Although around - the open sea with "inexhaustible riches" ...

12. In general, cycling around the Lofoten Islands is quite easy, but during the high season the roads were filled with cars, vans and trailers. Everyone is very decent, but the roads are narrow and sometimes a traffic jam accumulated behind us. The snow-white beaches of Lofoten are very good. You step on the sand - and it seems as if there is snow under your feet ... The soul rests when you see the azure sea, the peaks of the mountains, you feel the soft sand.

13. In Lofoten you will find many cozy rorbu cottages. Initially, these cottages served simply for the overnight stay of fishermen. In the fishing villages, you can see large buildings near the pier ("sjøhus"), in which fishermen once stored their catch. You can stay in a campsite, hotel or youth hostel. Prices are quite moderate (by Norwegian standards, of course;)). So, renting a rorba will cost about 100 euros per day.

14. During the cycling route, you constantly have to gain height. And on a boring gray day (and there were most of them), it sometimes makes you immerse yourself in your thoughts, somehow forget about the surrounding mountains, fjords and valleys ... And in this place there were wonderful blueberry fields. And another interesting thing: everywhere in the wooded areas there are fences and obstacles on the road for sheep. Obstacles - pipes laid so that the sheep will fall through them with their hooves, which should discourage them from continuing the walk. And the fences seem to be energized (I didn’t want to try).

15. Sometimes the weather is completely spoiled - and you feel that a troll is watching you from the darkness ...

16. The wonders of Lofoten do not end there: there are very picturesque lakes and rivers along the way. Once I saw a sign at a tourist camp with the inscription "You can drink water in all bodies of water in Norway."

17. The hotel theme for the story is the low tide on the fjord. Of course, it greatly spoils the “photogenicity” of the place: brown algae, the remains of parts of ships, gray sand instead of smooth water. But, as it turned out, you can ride a bike through the fjord at low tide! So I took a bike with wide tires from Denis and went to travel around the fjord at sunset (this is 2 am, almost a polar day). And so ended our first day in Lofoten.

18. And the next day the route was like this:

19. And again bad weather. It happens: gray clouds hang over the islands - and they don’t want to leave. It saved me that my comrades waited a bit, and I managed to catch a gap. Apparently, this is the frame of an old ship abandoned by a storm on the shore.

20. The Lofoten Islands are one of those places in Norway where life is intertwined with nature, with the sea. According to National Geographic magazine, the Lofoten Islands are ranked third in terms of attractiveness among all the islands of the globe.


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21. If you are traveling by car, you can drive through Finland to the Arctic. Then you can look at the northernmost point of Europe - the North Cape ... And it's best to return along the coast, through all the fjords of Norway.

22. Winter in Lofoten is quite warm, despite the fact that the islands are located beyond the Arctic Circle. Such high winter temperatures are characteristic of the islands due to the warm Gulf Stream and its derivatives: the North Atlantic Current and the Norwegian Current. On the islands of Röst and Värøy in winter, the temperature is most often above zero, which is generally not typical for areas located above the Arctic Circle. In summer it is quite cool, but dry. The average July temperature is +15°C. Strong wind often blows.

23. The midnight sun does not set over the area in the summer. In the Lofoten Islands, this phenomenon can be observed from May 25 to July 17. We just in the first days and got into these "wonderful" around the clock. For photography, this is terrible - no sunsets, no sunrises, just a constant gloom in the sky.

24. And this is a riddle for you. I announce a competition to guess the purpose of this structure. The answer is in the next part of the story about the Northern Islands of Norway.


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25. I found an interesting story about Lofoten on norse.ru:
The captain told us that all fishermen are very superstitious and respect signs:
- you can not start Putin on Friday. Never.
- You can't whistle.
- no waffle cakes.
- never say the word "horse".
- halibut cannot be called halibut.
- when a black bird sits on the mast, you need to cut off all the nets and swim back. Here Harald remarked: "I didn't do it, but my father did."
- for successful fishing, you must definitely spend the night with a beautiful girl. Then the captain sighed: "It used to be like that ...".
(http://norse.ru/geography/norway/lofoten.html)

26. One of the churches in the suburbs of Svölvaer, on the banks of the fjord.


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27. Next to the church lay "Trollstein" - a stone of trolls. To talk about Norway without mentioning the trolls is unforgivable.
Troll legends originated in Scandinavia. According to legend, they frightened the locals with their size and witchcraft. According to other beliefs, trolls lived in castles and underground palaces. In mythology, trolls are not only huge giants, similar to ogres, but also small, gnome-like creatures that usually live in caves (such trolls were usually called forest trolls). The details of the image of trolls in folklore are highly dependent on the country. Sometimes they are described in different ways even in the same legend. Most often, trolls are ugly creatures, from three to eight meters tall (sometimes they can change their size), almost always an attribute of the troll's appearance in the images is a very large nose. They have the nature of a stone (born from a rock), turn to stone in the sun. They eat meat. They often eat people. They live alone in caves, forests or under bridges. Trolls under bridges are somewhat different from the usual ones. In particular, they can appear in the sun, do not eat people, respect money, are greedy for human women (they see them not as food). There are legends about troll children and human women. (wiki)
With the Christianization of Norway, the trolls had a new enemy - Olav the Holy. Olav had a special gift: he could control mountains and rocks, he knew how to turn trolls into stone. Subsequently, the giants tried to fight with the churches.

28. There are stories that trolls sometimes appear among people in human form. Usually a person can not immediately guess who he is dealing with. However, it is recommended that if he suspects something is wrong, he should never shake hands with a stranger. They can also take the form of a dog, a black goat, or a friendly man with a tail. The main thing is to know how to deal with them. First, keep your name secret. Do not accept treats from the troll and run away so that your tracks form a cross with the furrows of the plow on the arable land. If you meet in a gorge, invite the troll to follow you into the light: he will petrify with the appearance of a bright sun.
When you drive along the roads of Norway, clouds gather over the mountains and darkness sets in - you seriously start to think about trolls ...

29. Trolls often kidnapped people. However, folklore tradition provided several ways to defend against or resist trolls. First of all, this, of course, is the Christian cross, the sound of church bells and everything else that is connected with the Christian religion. If a troll captive was to be freed from the mountains, then bells had to be rung. If the church was so far away that the bell ringing did not reach the mountains, then the bell was brought to the mountains and rang there. Later in Moscow, Sasha even gave me a wonderful book about Trolls, which very clearly describes how to deal with them. The photo is just about the descending twilight on the fjord:


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30. And another photo of the outgoing light:

31. Almost nothing is grown in the northern lands. Norwegians simply mow the grass from the fields - and sell it to feed livestock. We have never seen grain fields ...

32. In one day in Lofoten, you can slip through a huge number of picturesque places. In each of them you want to stay at least for the whole week. Maximum for life.


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33. Sometimes it is not at all clear where the lake ends and the fjord begins. You won't know until you taste the water or look at the shores. Sometimes the rivers mix with the water from the fjord.

34. Our second day has come to an end. Trolls do not seem to be around, so we go to bed. Although the desire to photograph the troll is still alive. And our next day began:

35. This day has so far broken all records for inclement and boring weather. The tide is out again on the fjord, a gigantic desert.

36. In the spring, on the coast of Norway, on the way north, to the polar nests, millions of birds flock. In places like Jeren, south of Stavanger, you can spot loons, grebes, herons and other wild birds. On a dull gray day, I decided to arrange a photo hunt for such birds. What kind of bird it is, I don't know.

37. By the way, this photo hunt was the first for me, just before the trip I bought Nikkor 70-300.

38. In July and early August, the banks of Lofoten are overgrown with grass and Ivan tea. On a rainy day, they add color well to the landscape.


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39. Norwegian tunnels are very famous. How much labor does it take to build such a number of tunnels for the convenience of its citizens? It seems that if some grandmother from the fishing village wants to go for berries not through the pass, the government will build a tunnel especially for her.
In terms of the length of tunnels, Norway breaks all records. The longest road tunnel in the world is the Norwegian mountain tunnel Laerdal (24.5 km), which is part of the high-speed road connecting Oslo, the capital of Norway, and the country's western port, Bergen.
To be honest, the sensations are still the same when you drive into an underwater tunnel: you go down for 15 minutes without pressing the pedals with only one thought - how much to turn up then! And downstairs it’s great: wet walls, drops dripping from the ceiling. Stones rustle against the walls of the tunnel... Some of them are not ventilated (even 3-5 km!). And obviously you feel the lack of oxygen.

40. Yes, and on a gray day you can shoot something unusual. For example, here is such a large panorama of an ordinary lake.

41. The day ends. Not rich in "catch", but simply pleasant. Again the ferry, fjords, lighthouses, mountains... At night we get up right near the shore, slightly rising from the ferry station. With a view of the fjord.

42. For this day we planned to climb Moisalen, a big mountain above the fjords.

43. But it didn’t work out: there are clouds over the mountains. It's raining. We would definitely not be able to see anything at an altitude of more than a kilometer. It's a pity. But there is a reason to return.


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44. This weather is coming to Norway. The sun and rocks would be too deceptive.

45. In many parts of Lofoten - no one. On a cloudy day, life seems to freeze. Silence and peace.


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46. ​​We leave for the dirt road to the Zigelfjord. Near the road - swamps and houses in the swamps;)

47. Here is our primer. Driving on asphalt is boring. Although the roads in Norway are very good. It's amazing how they manage to keep the road surface in such good condition. After all, the rains wash everything away, and the rock moves.

48. In the evening it began to rain heavily. We were all soaked to the last thread. But we were not broken in spirit. The reward is a beautiful sunset. 30 minutes of amazing light over the fjord.

49. Rain is dripping, the sun brightly illuminates the heavy lead clouds with its rays.


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49(2). And one more frame:

50. Shades of green change every minute.

51. And this is the river flowing into the fjord, taken on the other side of the fjord. Clouds settle on the mountains ...


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52. Beams of the setting sun… Miracles did not end there. We wanted to dry off in the “hutte”, this is a house in the mountains especially for tourists and hunters. But, unfortunately, the hyutta was busy that day. And we were about to get upset, when a local hunter approached us and invited us to live in his house. He apologized to us for a long time, saying: they say, guys, I don’t have a toilet and the house is very small. But we were amazed at how neatly everything was done there. Wood, soft beds for the first time in a week, warm radiators. This was a gift for us. But we were not indebted either. They made him pancakes in the morning with blueberry jam, just made. True, he fed them to us. We also met his little curious spaniels in the morning.


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53. Here is our next day. We decided to cut the route a little: we did not have time. We decided to take a high-speed ferry from Harstadt in the evening directly to Finnesnes, to Senya.


54. In the morning we went down to the fjord and boarded the ferry. The ferry was only 10 minutes, but the “luxury” here was traditional (remembering the Sevastopol ferry with wooden benches). Any ferry is usually decorated with paintings by local artists. Be sure to have a cafe with traditionally high prices.

55. This day has now definitely broken all records for "dullness". Here are such pacifying landscapes replaced one another.

56. You almost fall asleep on the go from such an idyll ...

57. In the afternoon we already arrived in Harstadt, walked around the city, and in the evening we boarded the ferry, which carried us like the wind to Finnessnes. The ferry itself runs to our destination - to Tromso. But we still have Senya and Lingen Alps ahead of us! The ferry is not a cargo one, it travels very fast - cutting through the expanse of water. It is amazing to watch from the window how quickly it cuts the waves and picks up speed, like a plane on a runway.


Evening - and we are already on the "Seine" ... About this island - a separate story in the next part.

in the archipelago (150 km) the largest islands are Austvogoy, Vestvogoy, Flakstadöy and Moskenesoy, surrounded by skerries and rocks that birds have chosen for themselves, there are entire colonies of them. On some mountains (height up to 1266 m) even snow lies, and in the coastal strip there are many swamps, lakes and meadows. Winters are mild and summers are relatively cool; there are wonderful places for recreation for lovers of fishing, hunting and rock climbing.

The main source of income for the islanders is fishing, mainly cod. Large schools of cod come here at the end of January, migrating from the Barents Sea. Some females reach a length of 2 m. At the same time, herds of killer whales come here looking for easy prey. About 4,000 fishermen go to sea.

On the shore, the fish are hung on poles to dry, this is an amazing sight. The cod has been destroyed in many places, and the area has not suffered as much, although fishing has been practiced here for over 1000 years.

Not far from the coast of the farthest island of Moskenesøya is another natural phenomenon. This is a giant whirlpool called the Maelstrom, caused by several fast currents. The whirlpool was first mentioned 2000 years ago by the Greek explorer Pytheas. (Pytheas). Later, it was regularly depicted on nautical charts.

Tourism is another source of income for the region. Travelers can go on a tour and see the Maelstrom and other attractions, including the Refsvikhula Cave with Stone Age cave paintings. You can see colonies of seals and sea eagles, puffins and otters, and the mountains are ideal for hiking and rock climbing.

Eustvogoy Island

Svolvaer

Svolvaer (Svolvaer)- the administrative center of the Lofoten Islands is located on the southern coast of the island of Eustvogoy. Town (about 4000 inhabitants)- the largest fishing port in the region and the commercial center of the archipelago. Nurnorsk Art Center is located on Svineya (Nordnorsk Kunstnernesentrum), which presents works of artists inspired by the beauty of the islands. To the north of Svolvaer is the sheer mountain of Blotinn (Blatind, 597 m); experienced hikers need 5 hours round trip). From the top there is a magnificent panorama.

Troll fjord

From Raftsund (Raftsund) A narrow canyon leads to the Trollfjord, from where a beautiful view of the snow-covered millenniums rising from the mountain lake Trollfjordvatn opens up.

Cablevog

10 km south of Svolvær (by bus) located Kabelvog (Kabelvag) with magnificently restored old wooden houses of the 19th century, today small hotels are arranged in them. Be sure to check out the Fishing Museum and the Lofot Aquarium, home to the marine life of the Vestfjord. The well-known city gallery "Espolin" presents the works of the Nordland artist Kore Espolin Jonsson.
Opening hours: 15 June-15 Aug. daily 9.00-20.00, beginning June-con. Aug. until 18.00.

Henningsvær

On the southwestern cape of the island of Eustvogöy at the foot of Mount Vogakallen (rise - 3.5 h) lies Festvog (festvag), from there the bridge leads to the fishing village of Henningsvær (Henningsvaer) where the local fishing fleet "winters". The port of "Northern Venice" is a favorite photo subject. The gallery of the Norwegian painter Karl-Erik Harr was opened.
Opening hours: daily 10.00-18.00, Wednesday June-ser. Aug. 9.00-21.00.

Vestvogoy Island

Stamsund

On the southeast coast of Vestvogøy (11 thousand inhabitants) there is a large fishing center of the archipelago and a transport hub of the western Lofoten Islands - Stamsund (Stamsund). Wickspollen bay (Vikspollen) famous for its fantastic beaches with the finest white sand - and this is against the backdrop of green mountains of bizarre shapes, but the water in the sea is very cool even under the bright sun.

Ruins of a Viking house

14 km from Leknes (Leknes) in Borg (along the highway E 10) the ruins of a Viking house were found - perhaps the largest of that era. The farmstead, measuring 80 x 8 m, most likely belonged to the leader. The reconstructed building houses a magnificent museum of the ancestors of the Norwegians. In the residential part of the house, you can see how life was during the Viking times, how their women spun, wove, knitted and dyed fabrics. And in the former common hall, visitors are offered dishes cooked according to old recipes.
Opening hours: con. May-early sept. daily 10.00-19.00, other time 13.00-15.00.

Flakstadøy island

Ramberg

On the northwest coast of the island of Flakstadøy there is a place called Ramberg (Ramberg) (holiday houses in the village of Nusfjord). A little to the east - in Flakstad - a driftwood church (1780) . Three hundred residents admire the view of the magnificent sandy beach of Ramberg every day.

Nusfjord

Passing the Nappstraumen Tunnel (Nappstraumen) and after driving for about 10 km, be sure to turn onto a dirt road to the charming village of Nusfjord (Nusfjord), where historical monuments have been preserved and the atmosphere of an ancient Lofoten settlement is still alive. The village is under the protection of UNESCO. Rorbu for every taste is at the service of tourists. Fishing enthusiasts can go to sea with experienced professionals (dress warmly!).

Moskenesoy island

Reine

The administrative center of the island of Moskenesoy is the fishing village of Reine (Reine, there are rest houses) on Kirkefjord, where artists and climbers like to visit. 10 km southwest of the village is a tiny place called O, where the Lofoten highway ends. From the hills of the coast, the Maelström whirlpool, described by Jules Verne and E.A. By ("Descent into the Maelström"). It occurs twice a day between Cape Lofotodden and Mosken Island.

Trip to Vary Island

From Reine you can go to the island of Värøy (Vseray), however we recommend it only "sea-resistant". 760 people live on the island. In the south of the island there is Mount Mostad - a real bird's paradise: in summer up to 1 million birds hatch here - Atlantic puffins, guillemots, cormorants, terns and white-tailed eagles. You can get to the bird markets by boat (20 minutes.) from the town of Veroy. There are still a few relic six-toed dogs left on the island, which are called Lundehunds here. They go hunting puffins with them.

bird markets

From the Reine (5 h) or Värøya (2 hours 25 minutes) by boat you can get to the last stronghold of civilization - the Röst group of islands (Riast)- almost 100 km from the mainland. Here on the rocks - a great variety of bird colonies (Vediay, Storfjell, Stavay, Trenyken and Hernyken). The largest bird colony in Scandinavia includes, among others, almost 3 million puffins and rare petrel species - this is a large and small storm petrel, as well as a fulmar.

Excursions

Among excursions to the Lofoten Islands, a one-day excursion to the Trollfjord is especially popular: by bus from Svolvær via Fiskebol to Stokmarknes and from there by the Hurtigruten liner along the Trollfjord and back.