'Alpin' in Brensholmen

We honestly come to Brensholmen mainly because it is one of the few sport climbing areas in Norway and it is close to Tromsø. But we really want to have our first rock climbing experience in Norway and everywhere here is beautiful anyway.

As a parking space for the night, we share the parking lot for the ferry to Senja with several other campers, where a queue has already formed for the first crossing in the morning. Fortunately, we don't have to worry about that and so we happily march off with fully packed climbing backpacks after breakfast.

Whether it is due to the sparing route description in the climbing guide or our lack of navigation skills, it will always remain a mystery, but after a wrong turn in a swampy landscape, we finally end up with wet feet directly above our desired rock. But the effort was worth it for the view and we can abseil down without any further difficulties. From here you have direct access and a great view of the fjord, where we take a lunch break in the sun. As changeable as the weather by the sea can be, dense fog suddenly appears between the rock walls. However, the routes are still climbable and definitely worth it.

The routes in our sector, Panoramaveggen, are about half equipped with bolts, the rest has to be self-secured. The predominance of trad routes will pose some problems for us old sport climbing purists during this vacation.
We climb the king line "Panoramacafé" (6a) along a large crack. It seems to be a Norwegian tradition to divide sport climbing routes into multiple pitches. Maybe to maximize the possibilities of the different lines branching off higher up while maintaining the same start. Maybe to offer climbers in the lower difficulty grades something as well. Who knows? In any case, most of the starting pitches can be extended with some more difficult moves.

For this reason, we improvise with a small multi-pitch climb and build an anchor after pitch 1 to climb the various upper pitches one after the other. The view is excellent, but belaying is unusually strenuous and in the evening, despite a thick layer of sunscreen and a constant cloud cover, we both have sunburn.

Considering its proximity to the sea, the rock is surprisingly solid and grippy, and where bolts are present, they are extremely friendly and placed every two meters. The area is not heavily visited and we only encountered two other climbing parties during the day.
Just for the location and the great panoramic view of the small village of Brensholmen and the fjord, the visit is definitely worth it and we are glad we made the detour here.

On the way back, we pass a picturesque beach with white sand and are determined to take a swim in the cold sea until we come across countless jellyfish after a few steps. So, as often happens, our day ends with a refreshing "shower" on the way in a stream full of glacier water.

As they say, a jellyfish seldom comes alone.
For us, we continue to the much-praised Lofoten Islands. Until then, keep your ears stiff!

The climbing area 'Brensholmen' at a glance:

Location:

Right at the fjord, so the weather is unpredictable. Incredibly beautiful view!

Approach:

If you follow the right path, it takes about 20 minutes walk around the rocks.

Grades:

There are a total of four sectors and one boulder block. In Panoramaveggen, there are 16 routes bolted between 4a and 6c.

Rock quality:

Surprisingly solid granite considering its location by the sea. The bolts also seem robust.

Type of climbing:

Straight to slabby on open cracks, edges, and a prominent arete. Better bring material for a belay station.

Route recommendation:

Panoramacafé (6a) & Psycho L1 (6b+)