Published: 23.11.2025
Today, we traveled to the end of the world – or at least to the end of road E10. Our destination was the place with the shortest name in the world: Å.
Initially, I wanted to give the car a break today since everything went wonderfully with the bus yesterday. Plus, I had nice company today: I teamed up with a Swiss Interrail traveler. However, public transport in the Lofoten islands has its quirks. The bus was massively delayed (or maybe it didn't come at all?), and since we didn’t want to spend the day at the bus stop, we changed our plans: Back to the car, engine on, let’s go.
The drive to Å goes through spectacular tunnels and landscapes, but at the end of E10 awaits the bottleneck. In Å, there is a large parking lot, and here comes the good news: It’s free! (An absolute rarity here). The bad news: Everyone knows that. The place was packed. There are no alternative options – you either park here or turn around. We had unbelievable luck and just managed to snag the very last spot. Phew!
Å itself is a living museum. Everywhere, typical stockfish are hung out to dry, and the red rorbuer cabins are pure postcard material. We skipped the official museums (stockfish museum, etc.) and instead soaked up the atmosphere of the place. It’s bustling here, but somehow charming.
To escape the crowds in the village a bit, we took a hike around Lake Ågvatnet, which lies just behind the town. That was the perfect decision. While the people in the village were standing on each other's toes, it was quieter out here. The weather was almost too good to be true: again plenty of sunshine and summery temperatures. It feels like we’re sweating here in the north more than on a Mediterranean holiday. The path around the lake is partly rocky but beautiful.
In the evening, we headed back to Ballstad for the (finally!) last night in our 'special' accommodation. The anticipation for tomorrow is huge – not only because we are checking out of here, but because we are leaving the main islands. Tomorrow, we won’t go back to the mainland, but further out to sea. The ferry is booked: Next stop Værøy!
Daily Summary:
Social: Nice Swiss travel companion (Interrail up here is an adventure in itself!).
Lucky Moment: Getting the last parking spot in Å (for free!).
Activity: Hike around Ågvatnet in perfect weather.
Status: Bags are packed, leaving the mass dormitory!
