Up North to Capture Norway’s Landscapes - Lofoten Islands & Senja
As an outdoor filmmaker and photographer, I always dreamt to explore and capture the unique Norwegian landscapes. The dream became true when I landed in Tromsø (Norway) located In the Arctic Circle. Together with my partner, Nila and I started a 15 days hiking trip to discover Senja Norway’s second largest Island and the world famous Lofoten Islands. From the scenic beaches to the top of the fjords, follow our adventurous journey UpNorth.
1 - Sommarøy, Tromsø Region
Accessible by car | Directions
It is late at night when we arrived in Tromsø, a city located in the Arctic Circle. My partner Nila and I are too excited to sleep so we decided to drive to Sommarøy to enjoy our first sunrise in Norway. After we captured the first light we drove to Brensholmen to catch the ferry which was supposed to bring us to Senja. Unfortunately, all ferries were not running that day so we had to find another way.
Quick Tips : If you are staying long enough and from the advice of a local man working at Europcar Tromso, following the coastline is a much better way to go to the Lofoten Islands than taking the E10 which is the main road. Note that it’s a longer way and you are dependant a lot on ferries.
2 - Ersfjord, Senja
Accessible by car | Directions
After quite a long drive we arrived in the afternoon at Ersfjord Beach where we had a well deserved nap. We had an easy and quick diner facing the beach and ended our day by a walk on the beach. And from nowhere as we were walking back to the car the sky turned like fire and we ran back to the beach to enjoy this epic moment.
Quick Tips : As you probably understood this is a great spot to watch the sunset over the ocean. Also, a nice spot to camp overnight as you have some public toilets available.
3 - Husfjellet, Senja
630m elevation | 5 hours return | Directions
After a short night we started our first hike from the small village of Skaland and headed toward a summit named “Husfjellet” with the help of our headlamp and the moonlight. The hiking trail brought me some New Zealand’s memories and reminded me how slow going you can be when the pathway just mainly consist of mud. A few hours later we were standing at the summit with a beautiful view on both side of the fjords – Unfortunately, today’s sunrise was cloudier than expected but there will be many more opportunities.
Quick Tips : Around midway on the track you will see a junction - you can take the right pathway to avoid a large paddle of mud on the left (main pathway). Note that this pathway is steeper and a bit more exposed but it will lead you to some nice views.
(These photos were taken on another day. We decided to return to this place before leaving Norway)
3 - Barden, Senja
659m elevation | 4-5 hours return | Directions
After our hike Husfjellet we had a well deserved breakfast at Ersfjord Beach where we did some research and decided to drive to Fjordgard to do our first overnight hike in Senja.
The hike start from a small car park on road number 275 and go up through some bush and mud (once again). On the way I took care to check any thunder/rain shelter just in case we needed to go down the mountain as the weather was quite unstable. Once the muddy section past us, the pathway followed a ridge and offered some stunning views all the way up to Barden. Few meters before the summit we found the perfect spot to set-up our tent and one of the few level place.
Once at the summit we could see the dark stormy clouds passing by the east-side of the fjords.. We were ready to make a move back down at any moment when suddenly the sun appeared behind the clouds and the landscape turned like gold. From Barden summit we could see in a distance the well known peak of Segla.
Quick Tips : For an overnight hike, I recommend you to pitch your tent down before the summit, the ground is level and they’re plenty of space. Bring enough water and food (no water source).
4 - Hamnøy, Lofoten Islands
Accessible by car | Directions
This morning we woke up early and walked down from Barden summit to the car park. After a few days spent in Senja, we enjoyed today’s storm to drive all the way down to the Lofoten Islands in the picturesque villages of Hamnøy and Reine. Luckily, the sun showed up through the clouds and offered me some great light and contrast even tough it was mid-day.
Quick Tips : At the entrance of the village you will find a small car park on the left and on the right, from there you can walk on the bridge from where you can enjoy this beautiful scenery. I also recommend you to visit this place at blue hour as well, there is nobody around and it is magical.
5 - Reinebringen, Lofoten Islands
448m elevation | 2 hours return | Directions
After yesterday's failed sunset we tried our luck again this morning and walked up the 1978 steps. On the way up we could already see the clouds turning pink, we climbed the last steps and there it was! The moment we were waiting for finally arrived : a clear sunrise over the fjors and the village of Reine.. Mindblowing.
Funny fact : Do you know why this place is also named “Stairway to Heaven” ? The pathway is a long and steep stair of 1978 steps with an elevation of 448m and only 1.1 km long that leads you to one of the most beautiful point of view of the Lofoten Islands. It is very steep but don’t be afraid by the sign saying 2-4 hours return - It took us about 45 min to go up and 25 min to go down which makes it the perfect hike to enjoy a sunrise or a sunset.
Quick Tips : The place can get very busy during the day as it is a popular and easy hike. By going at sunrise you will avoid most of the crowd and make better photos. Highly recommend to bring a wide angle to capture the immensity of the scene. If you have a drone this will offer you an additional angle as you are quite limited on the ridge.
6 - Munken, Lofoten Islands
800m elevation | 6-7 hours return | Directions
Right after our sunrise at Reinebringen we drove to Sørvågen to start our second overnight hike on the Lofoten Islands. A 4 hours hike passing by different type of terrain (river crossing, mud, rock scrambling, etc). It can be a challenging hike if you are not an experimented hiker and it can be hard to find your way so make sure to have a gps app with the track available offline. We arrived at Munkebu Huts which from there was only an hour walk steep up the mountain to reach the summit of Munken. We reached the summit at 7pm when and with not much surprise we were the only one which was great because rare were the camping spot up there, rocks were all over the place.
The views from Munken are outstanding, a 360° views over the fjords and multiple alpine lakes. Camping up there is a must-do as both sunset and sunrise are wonderful to witness. They are plenty of photography options, take the time to slowly walk around the summit and remember to be careful as some parts can be very exposed.
Quick Tips: Make sure to check the weather forecast, without visibility it can be dangerous at the top and there is no shelter. Bring enough food and water because there is no water source at the summit. The easiest and safer option if you want to stay overnight will be to camp down at Munkebu Huts where there is a water source available and go up Munken at sunset or sunrise.
7 - Uttakleiv, Lofoten Islands
Accessible by car | Directions
The hike at Munken left us with no energy. It was time to get a nice and well deserved night of sleep at Solsiden Brygge Rorbuhotel. But first, we made sure to reserve a table to eat one of their delicious pizza. From the restaurant window the sky started to open up and we spontaneously decided to go at Uttakleiv Beach to check if you could see the sunset. When we arrived the weather was still quite overcast but few minutes later the sun passed through the clouds and we were able to captured some beautiful images.
Quick Tips: It is the perfect spot to see the sunset over the ocean and the sceneries around are magical. Note that the access to the beach is regulated and you will have to pay 50NOK for 3 hours or 250NOK if you want to camp overnight.
8 - Nusfjord, Lofoten Islands
Accessible by car | Directions
Few days ago we passed by a sign indicating a village called “Nusfjord” and as we had some spare time due to the rainy weather forecast we decided to go and see by ourselves. Which I thought was a normal village was in fact an old village acting like a museum and as for many museum you have to pay an entry fee which is 100NOK per person. Free to you to go or not to go but we were curious to discover and I had great fun capturing the spirit of this old village.
Quick Tips: Definitely try the Cinnamon Bun at Hansines Bakeri.
9 - Kvavilka Beach / Ryten, Lofoten Islands
550m elevation | 3-4 hours return | Directions
After a long day under the rain exploring the surroundings of Reine I noticed a patch of blue sky on the west side of the Lofoten. We followed our gut feeling and drove to the starting point of the track leading to Kvavilka beach & Ryten summit.
The wind was so strong and the clouds were moving fast – which also meant that the sun were getting closer. Once at the top, we had to wait an hour before the sunset, wrapped in our down jackets that kept us warm. Summer days in Norway can be quite cold, the average daytime temperature in August was 10 degrees so make sure to bring enough layers.
The sun finally breaks through the clouds and offered us some comfort and a beautiful soft golden light illuminating the surrounding peaks as well as Kvavilka beach.
Quick Tips: For an overnight adventure, I highly recommend you to camp at Kvavilka Beach - watch the sunset from the beach and go up the Ryten Summit the next day for sunrise. So you can capture both the beach and the views from the summit.
10 - Hesten / Segla, Senja
512m elevation | 3 hours return | Directions
Our trip in Norway is coming to an end. As the weather were not looking good in the Lofoten we decided to drove back in Senja to enjoy one more hike in one of the most iconic place in Norway : Segla.
The hike start from the village of Fjordgård. I highly recommend you to park your car at the mountain trail parking located here. From the parking, it’s a short walk in the village until you reach the start of the hike.
It was an easy hike and from the top we could witness this 639m high peak that running directly into the fjord. What a magical way to end up our adventurous holiday and to say goodbye to Norway until next time!
Quick Tips: Going up the ridge will offer you another great point of view to take photos. I also recommend you to bring a wide-angle lens - I was limited with a 28-75mm lens and had to captured four photos to recreate a wide-angle shot.
Bonus - Houses & Rorbu Cabins, Lofoten Islands
While driving in the Lofoten Islands I encountered many houses & rorbu cabins. Here are some of my favorites.
Quick Tips: Find the exact locations for each of them on my Mapify Profile.
I hope you found this blog article useful and if you want to follow my adventures feel free to follow me on Instagram (@daynmoron)
