More Cinnamon Rolls by the Sea

White sandy beaches, turquoise blue sea, nature upon nature.....mountains....wait! Mountains? In the Caribbean? Well, yes indeed, but in the Caribbean of Europe. That's what the Lofoten Islands are often called. The locals even refer to them as the most beautiful islands in the world. Of course, we have to take a closer look at that, so off we go. Right at the beginning of the island group, we have to admit that the landscape really has the wow factor. Small skerries in turquoise water, with a few trees here and there, and on the shore, mighty mountains rise up, reminiscent of the Alpine peaks.

By chance, we find a place for the first night that is actually intended for cyclists, but has also reserved a bit of space for motorhomes. Overnight stay for free on the Lofoten Islands, we are truly lucky! You should know that our research beforehand gave us the impression that, due to the popularity of the islands, it would be rather difficult to find a parking space or even to get by without campsites.

The next day, we head towards the small town of Henningsvær. Football fans may know it from a UEFA commercial, keyword: football field on a small island. If not, that's no drama, because it's not really spectacular anyway. Much more noteworthy, however, are the cinnamon rolls that we buy in a small bakery. After a short stroll through the stockfish gardens, Christian and Lilli absolutely have to try this delicacy in a small fish shop. We continue our journey to Unstad Beach. The small beach is accessible through a tunnel, which apparently hasn't been here for very long, which inevitably raises the question for us of how people used to get here, right in the middle of this bowl of mountains? The answer is quite simple, over a mountain pass, which in turn explains why there are only about 20 houses here. The beach is very popular with surfers, which is why there are also two surf shops in addition to the really manageable number of houses. We have wonderful weather, the sun shines almost 24 hours, there are no waves on that day, so we don't see any surfers.

A white sandy beach alone is not enough, which is why, after buying the best and most expensive cinnamon rolls in the world, we take a look at the beaches of Haukland and Uttakleiv the next day. By the way, we can agree with both, the cinnamon rolls were delicious and at 9 euros each, really expensive. If you eat so many cinnamon rolls, you have to move more. Luckily, the two beaches are connected by a really beautiful coastal hiking trail, where you can walk from one paradise-like beach, surrounded by turquoise blue water, sheep and lambs, as well as dreamlike photo backdrops, to the other.

We continue driving in the rain and very low clouds to Reine, where we actually find a spot in a hiking parking lot. Since the footpath to the village and the surrounding small photo motive islands is not far, we save the environment and leave our motorhome there for 2 nights to drive to Å (yes, the name is actually not longer) on the 3rd day. By the way, there are wonderful and inexpensive cinnamon rolls in an old, quaint bakery there. The small fishing village impresses with its charm and a small lake from which you have a wonderful view of the sea. However, since our ferry to Værøy only leaves the next day, we need a place to sleep again and, yes, you won't believe it, we find another gap in a hiking parking lot.

The next day is pure relaxation. Værøy is a small island that offers wonderful hikes and a decommissioned airfield as a parking space. We hike and enjoy the tranquility on the small island so much that we change our midday ferry to a night ferry in the early morning. In retrospect, we could probably have stayed there a few more days.

Although we usually travel without much planning, we took a closer look at the Lofoten Islands and travel reports with motorhomes beforehand. Almost they, especially Christine, who loves peace and quiet, almost deterred us from visiting this group of islands. Our feedback after 5 days: the Lofoten Islands are beautiful, the cinnamon rolls are top-notch, and definitely worth a visit, but we don't entirely understand the hype. Those who can overlook the many tourists and the consequent crowded roads and overloaded parking facilities will be rewarded with a breathtaking landscape and challenging mountain hikes. But for those who prefer it a bit quieter, there are places in Norway that are at least as beautiful but not as crowded. We felt more comfortable on Senja and Værøy, in any case.

The journey continues. We cross over to Bodø. We spend the 4 hours on the ferry reading and having a nice conversation with a Norwegian who tells us a lot about life above the Arctic Circle and the mentality up here ("Arctic circle! Many people wonder why it is not warm here, I ask them what they think the word arctic means").

After a short night, we embark on Route Lv 17, one of the many scenic routes in Norway. Off the main E6 route, we drive almost 700 km south along the old coastal road. We make stops again and again to hike to waterfalls or simply sit by the fjord, enjoying a coffee against a magnificent backdrop, which is why it takes us a good 5 days. The route is very diverse and is repeatedly interrupted by small ferries that have to be taken. By the way, you also cross the Arctic Circle again, which finally means nights with a bit of darkness for us. In the end, we treat ourselves to another highlight and cross over to the island of Leka. Leka is only 15x15 km in size and with a population density of 5 people per km², quite manageable. However, the island is also a geological national monument of Norway, as it has managed to bring rock from the upper mantle up to the surface, creating a unique landscape. There are countless hiking routes and kayak routes around the island. Due to the weather, we decide on the hiking trails. This also takes us to the foot of a rock where a little girl was found in the 1930s after being abducted by an eagle. You can find the story everywhere on Leka, it has been filmed and a book has been written about it. The girl still lives near the island today.

But the weather here in the north by the sea can be a bit stubborn at times. The weather forecast changes almost daily, which is why we take another driving day and enjoy the view between the raindrops. In the evening, it clears up again and we can admire a beautiful sunset in Hommelvik before heading to Trondheim the next day.

Trondheim, the student city, was not actually on our list, but the afternoon is perfect for a leisurely stroll through the city. We find Trondheim to be very relaxed, calm, and likeable. The old buildings are nice to look at and the cinnamon rolls from the organic bakery taste excellent. Just right for an afternoon.

In the next post, you can accompany us a little further on our way back to Alkoven.