Lofoten I

June 27+28 (Svolvær - Henningsvær)

After the mosquito night, we sleep incredibly long in Narvik. When we finally wake up, the weather report decides for us that we won't head further north to Senja but will stay at the same latitude and head directly to the Lofoten Islands. The first stop on the islands is Svolvær, the largest town on the easternmost island 'Austvågøya'. Since the islands are arranged like a chain, there is only one 'fast road' (big quotes on fast). We don't want to spend the day searching for a place to stay, and when I see an alternative to the Ice Hotel/Ice Bar on Maps, I know what we're going to do today.
At the entrance, we are given warming ponchos, and then we are led into a large cooled hall. It doesn't really have anything to do with a lively bar, but we didn't expect that either. There are many sculptures and pictures to admire, but the highlight is the large curvy ice slide. We slide down both completely unabashedly, much to the amusement of the elderly couple that is also in the hall. They naturally speak German (I sometimes wonder how it’s possible that no matter where you travel, a large portion are German tourists, yet Germany itself isn't empty??) and immediately offer to take a photo of us on the big ice throne :)
In the hall, despite the poncho, it quickly gets cold, so we decide to order our included drinks. Even though it's a bar, non-alcoholic beverages are served by default, which is just our thing. The bartender briefly doubts our nationality when I ask for my drink without bubbles and then hands us two still, alcohol-free, sweet drinks in glasses made of ice. I love being a big kid with my own money.

While searching for a spot to park for the night, it strikes us for the first time that we are in an absolute hotspot area. After the luxury in Sweden, the spots here are highly sought after and mostly occupied by 5 PM. We squeeze into a small spot at the edge of the road and are glad to be traveling in such a compact van.

The next morning brings the harsh awakening. I look for a classic Lofoten hike, the Djevelsporten near Svolvær. The indicated parking lot is bursting at the seams, quite expensive, and under camera surveillance. People in colorful outdoor jackets are lined up as small dots as far as the eye can see along the mountain. I start to panic and wonder if we should just turn back. We decide to attempt the hike since we’re already here... The traffic jam on the way up can, in addition to its popularity, also be easily explained by the seemingly endless Sherpa stairs. The stairs are also called devil's stairs because they lead to a cool rock formation called Devil's Door (Djevelsporten), but I can think of another explanation as well. We manage to ascend at a respectable pace and notice many small light blue flags along the way with 'Hoka Skyrace' written on them, something rings a bell... When a jogger overtakes us further up, I remember again. The eldest daughter of my Au Pair family proudly posted a picture of a race she did well in last summer. This is the route. She ran up this path, not walked, ran. I gasp, deeply impressed, while Henry fetches the water from the backpack. Unfortunately, it doesn't clear up higher up, and we have no interest in standing on the mountain for a picture. Instead, we continue along the path to the summit of 'Fløya', where we find the spectacular view and relative solitude we hoped for. A nice woman in a yellow shirt takes a few photos of us and shares that she spends two weeks of vacation alone every year and comes here. Despite the mixed weather, she loves the nature here and wants to do as many hikes as possible. She walks a bit further to the next summit while we descend the mountain. The paths here are only sporadically marked, and Komoot also reaches its limits. Nevertheless, we manage to return safely to the van and reward ourselves with cinnamon rolls at a local café. My personal favorite so far, with strawberry rhubarb topping.

We are a bit apprehensive about searching for a place for the night again, but this time we're out earlier and ready for a longer endeavor. On the way, we spot a beautiful bay with a sandy beach and stop spontaneously. The water is cold as expected, but it's enough for our legs, and the view over the water and up to a mountain is simply stunning. Next to us, a golden retriever is having the time of its life, repeatedly pretending to run over to us. Unfortunately, in the end, we can only observe it from a distance, but the good mood is contagious.
Thanks to our early search, we manage to secure a good parking spot right at the gates of Henningsvær and plan to visit the village the next day. Henry cooks us a cozy warm stew again, and we enjoy our new favorite veggie sausages from Quorn. Hopefully, this brand is available somewhere in Germany, as this combination is really perfect. We fall asleep with a view of the misty sea.