Easter trip 3 - An outdoor paradise in the north

And indeed. For a city that doesn't see the sun from November 27th to January 14th and puts its residents to the test with arctic weather conditions, it is quite attractive. The central city area can be reached via a bridge and is located on an island. Our task was initially to reach our accommodation within the city, which was a growing challenge due to the steep terrain. After exploring the location, we decided to spend the afternoon in Tromsø first with a coffee and then on Storsteinen. A mountain that can be reached by cable car and is supposed to offer a great view of the city. An hour later and 20€ per person lighter, we floated up the mountain in the gently rocking gondola and admired the shrinking city. The short ride not only took us to the top of the mountain, but also into an approaching cloud. Since the cable car station is located some distance from the actual summit, Gero and I decided to make our way from the station towards the summit. Due to the cold at altitude, there was a thick layer of snow covering the ground. Since I was not prepared for this in terms of clothing and footwear, I initially worried about the typical problem of snow in my shoes. However, despite an impressive height of about 150 cm on the surface, the snow cover was quite stable and we never sank more than 20 cm. As we moved away from the station, the approaching cloud enveloped us and brought us into a snowstorm. Due to the snow on the ground, in the air, and the white-gray cloud, we experienced a small "whiteout", i.e. we could look around and only saw white. The ground in front of us blurred with the sky, the view of the station was completely replaced by all-encompassing white. The moment was short-lived and the view of the city, with the sun breaking through the clouds, was revealed.

After enjoying the view for a while, I felt the urge to see how deep you could dig into the snow. I stole a shovel from the station and gradually worked my way into the ground while the others continued to enjoy the view. 20 minutes later, we inspected my work and I forced everyone to pose for a picture in the hole. With its size, getting in and out was a "big" challenge, especially for Francesca.

With our departure, we filled the hole again (we don't want anyone to break a leg during a snowstorm :P) and drove back down to the city. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing with Pad Thai and Viking series.

The next morning brought the certainty of our departure and the excitement that after another 8-hour drive, we would finally be able to experience the famous Lofoten Islands. So we got back on the E6 and said goodbye to the northernmost city we visited. After 4 hours, the landscape changed and the view increasingly opened up to the Norwegian Sea. The mountains simultaneously became rougher and higher, contrasting the landscape as they did on Senja.

Our optimism was only clouded by the fact that our Airbnb host apologized at the last minute that he could not accommodate us. At that time, there was a heated discussion among the local Norwegians about hosting tourists. The infection situation on the islands was fully under control with no reported cases, and the municipality wanted to maintain this under all circumstances. They issued a "strong recommendation" not to accommodate tourists. Although this wording does not imply a ban, as a local diving instructor later explained to me, disregarding this recommendation can still have consequences. This includes, for example, the mandatory requirement for the host to provide a negative test after accommodating guests. In addition, there is the social pressure from neighbors, which can be a significant factor in small towns. Our host felt the pressure and so we set out in search of new accommodation.

We parked in "Svolvær," the largest city on the Lofoten Islands with 4,400 inhabitants, and did some research. Shortly thereafter, we found a new Airbnb host and were able to explore the city with a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. The rainy weather, Easter holidays, and Corona created a deserted view of the city. It is incredible that in normal times, this is supposed to be a true tourist hot spot. Svolvær was empty, waiting with a certain strangeness. As the day came to an end, we drove towards the sunset and our new accommodation.

A spacious house with plenty of space awaited us. Since the Lofoten Cabins in "Kåkern" were located relatively far south, we had an optimal starting point for the next few days.

Lofoten is not only famous for its rugged mountain landscape but also offers breathtaking arctic beaches. So our first destination the following day was "Kvalvika Beach." The path to this beach, located on the west coast in the Lofotodden National Park, could be reached by us in just 15 minutes by car. We parked Peperoni cost-effectively for free in a parking bay between a few scattered houses and set off on the hiking "path." Path is probably a better description, as the trail presented us with a lot of scree and passages where surefootedness was required.

Nevertheless, hiking along the rocky path, past small meltwater streams, high-altitude lakes, and towering rocks on both sides, was an exciting experience in itself.

We climbed a ridge and continued our way west, where we initially wanted to climb the mountain "Ryten," which offers a striking view of the beach. Indeed, with each step along the mountain slope, more of Kvalvika Beach came into view. The mountain slope was covered with large boulders, which not only provided a beautiful photo motif but also served as scenic resting places.

A bit lower down the slope than my companions, I was even able to observe two ptarmigans in front of me, which I had apparently startled from their nest. In addition to the view of the beach, Ryten itself also offers remarkable cliffs and cliffs that are worth a look.

We decided to descend the mountain along the slope to avoid the longer return route on the hiking trail and thus take a "shortcut." Or rather - I decided and convinced my companions to follow. It turned out to be a somewhat risky idea, as the lower part of the mountain slope was covered with rocks the size of heads to men, which provided a somewhat shaky surface depending on their position. The girls wished me death several times between each infinitely concentrated step on the next rock. Provided we survived this descent. In hindsight, and due to a healthy survival instinct, I focused on keeping my distance from the girls. Priority two was to scout out a stable path between the rocks that they could follow. Gero kept his nerves and also provided assistance for the descent. With teamwork, we made it to less rocky terrain.

We followed the remaining path to the beach along a meltwater stream. The occasionally muddy ground next to it invited you to sink into the mire up to your ankle with one careless step. Francesca didn't want to miss out on that! After I helped her out of the mud and reminded her to pay attention to the ground, she absentmindedly agreed and wanted to continue the descent. Her next step aimed at a spot that was even more obviously underwater than her last mishap. At the same time, I thought she was playing a joke on me and would immediately correct her step, she stepped into the wet brown with a perfect weight transfer. She endured her fate very calmly, with her muddy shoes and trouser legs.

Finally, at the beach, we noticed the man-high waves, which from Ryten still looked like little ripples. The size of the beach could only be fully understood from up close.

The washed-up and partly unfortunately left behind garbage did not detract from the beauty of this place. We decided to try to get to the second section of the beach by walking along the rocks. Everyone held up well on the wet rocks and narrow ridges. However, since the path eventually became somewhat risky even for me, the best choice was to turn around.

At the beach, we met another group of students from Trondheim. The woman who organized the trip for this group also contacted me before Easter asking if she could join us, but I had already promised Maëlle. So I approached her and our groups took a different way back. The way back also had huge rocks that had to be overcome step by step. The wobbly wooden paths were just another reason why hiking there is immensely diverse and fun.

The other group gave me a ride to our parking spot (we parked a few kilometers away in another location). I said goodbye and picked up Gero, Francesca, and Maëlle before we ended the day, marked by many impressions.

The next day we were scheduled to leave and instead of taking the land route back, we decided to take the ferry from Moskenes to Bodø, replacing 8 hours of driving with a 3-hour ferry ride. So we still had time in the morning to watch the waves at another nearby beach. Numerous surfers were in the water to conquer the arctic waves and many of them put on a real show for us.

In Moskenes, we parked at the dock and waited for the ferry. The foaming water behind it and the disappearing distinctive mountains in the distance meant our farewell to the islands. Who knows if any of us will find our way back there. For my part, I am planning a reunion in the summer.

Upon arrival in Bodø, we only needed 90 minutes to reach our final accommodation. The Arctic Cabins in "Misvær". There, finally, our last wish came true, and we spent the entire evening in the freestanding whirlpool, sweated in the sauna, and cooled off in the snow. Since the sky was cloudy, we couldn't see the Northern Lights in the pool, but the falling snow from above and the warm water from below still created a cozy atmosphere.

The last day of our trip arrived, and with a lot of perseverance, we reached Trondheim again after 8 hours. We are grateful to have seen and experienced so much during our 10-day trip. If the opportunity arises again, I recommend everyone who has an interest in scenic places in nature and appreciates exciting and challenging hiking trails to consider a trip to the north.

I hope I was able to give a good impression of the trip. In these times, it is difficult to see places other than your everyday home, and I hope that the situation in Germany will soon allow you to have such experiences again.

With Nordic regards

Tom

P.S.: A short compilation of the trip: https://youtu.be/Ect7LS09yQ4