I stand here at the top of the steep mountain climb, a hike that has me reeling with vertigo and tricky steep climbs, grateful for a view that is unrivaled. The past couple days hiking in other areas of Lofoten have been too difficult for unequal views.
My favorite view over the Reinefjord
On my last day in Lofoten I have to return to the majestic Reinefjord. It is too difficult doing other hikes and having any other view than the sharp mountains surrounding the blue fjord. I set off to get into the middle of the fjord. The ferry is full, so I wait for the next one, but it is worth the wait.
The hike is steep and I get my boots caked in mud. It is a lot easier scrambling up the rocks then going down, although the trail is still very muddy.
The view at the top gives a great view over the spiky peaks of the kirkefjord. While the neighboring spires are covered in clouds, fortunately this peak is not, and the view remains unobscured the whole hike.
The path continues along the ridge, and it is not as dizzying as it first appears. The steep slopes on either side are more tapered and the path is plenty wide across. The view here looks down the other side towards Bunes beach.
Bunes beach
The trail down is a struggle, more of a slide than a hike. There is a long line to return on the ferry, so I find a shelter and review some of my thesis edits while I wait on my phone. This is my final hike in the Lofoten islands and in Norway, so I am happy to stretch it out as long as I can.
I sit on the summit watching the clouds roll in over the Reinefjord. Similar to Reinebringen, this hike has a panoramic lookout over this most iconic of fjords.
The view is stunning, and I luck out with timing as the sun is on full display, turning the fjord bright turquoise around the shallower parts. The peaks look great from this angle as well, and it seems as if I can see further to the next mountain range.
The clouds wrap around the familiar peaks of Bunes, which is how I first saw them.
On the way up, I pass the Mungebu hut where backpackers can spend a night. It is at the top of a mountain that makes my jaw drop every time I cross the bridge on the road below. Yet here at the top the view looks out onto a lake cascading into another lake with a spiky mountain backdrop, reminding me of Torres del Paine.
More mountain peaks come into view as I arrive at the summit. They disappear as quickly as they appear since the clouds roll in to smother the peaks.
View from the top
The start of the trail requires hiking alongside a very muddy lake. I climb up using chains past these snow covered mountains up to another lake. This path is still damp from all the wet weather. My boots get soaked and I struggle to keep my footing, sliding on my butt in the mudd. The view at the top near the cabin makes it worthwhile.
Beautiful but very muddy!
Filled with energy, I finish the steep, muddy climb to the summit to take in this spectacular view.
As if I couldn’t be more grateful for this view, as I watch the clouds roll in over the lake a sea eagle swoops down and flies overhead.
I begin the descent realizing I am not on the path I came up. I am grateful that it is easier, but I am unnerved as there is no signal to check the map I downloaded. Luckily I follow someone who tells me that it is the path back.
I see a rock ptarmigan, a bird in the grouse family, and her chicks darting about before the descent. A local who passed me earlier mentioned there are many different paths to return, and while this is less touristy, it is indeed the path I intended. He pointed out the path that veers off and he speeds ahead. I take my time admiring the higher vantage point over the lakes and cliffs as the clouds continue to come. Then it begins to sprinkle and I continue hustling along.
At first it is very muddy; I feel bad trampling precious alpine vegetation to avoid getting muddy. There is a flat bog with no way around and my feet get soaked. I think I made a mistake going off the main tourist path again, and that maybe it would be easier to stick to the most popular paths.
However, it is actually not so bad past this lake, which turns out to be a dam. I see the campground below and continue down the steep path. I am told how tricky it is, but going down is not so bad at all, even less muddy then the other path. I make it back safely, though a bit muddy, to the campsite below.
Looking out over what is probably the most scenic view of my life so far, I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the Reinefjord in Lofoten islands of Norway.
I am filled with awe and gratitude for this sole sunny day on my trip here and for the clear views of the striking mountain peaks. I look back at past day to see how I got to this point.
Reinebringen hike viewpoint.
I am met with fog and rain in the morning after setting up camp near the ferry dock. I sleep in and just hop on the bus until I find a patch of sun. I can finally appreciate the turquoise waters and have a picnic on an island meadow before deciding that the clouds would obscure any attempt at a hike.
Reinefjord in the early morning mists Fredvang bridge views
I go out on the fjord from the cute town of Reine, a fisherman’s village and base for many surrounding hikes. The clouds reveal more of the mountainsides as the ferry makes its way along the dark blue waters. A stunning waterfall runs alongside a towering peak. I make conversation with a few expat Americans travelling here and befriend a girl from Taiwan, Sunni, who helps me capture some of the beauty of this fjord.
We hike through the valley of the mountains to the beach where there is a shrubby overlook. There are so many wildflowers in bloom and we hike up a bit to get a nice view of the beach and wait for the sun to reveal more of the mountains.
The sun comes out just as I scramble down to the beach and take in the view. I dip my feet in the icy cold ocean until they go numb and I warm up on the sand with a snack. It is nice to see the grassy dunes, and the wind has formed an interesting design, blowing sand past shells scattered on the beach.
The sun comes out more and the fjords become even more majestic as the clouds dissipate. Sunset is spectacular as the mountains begin to glow.
The full beauty of the Reinefjord is revealed in the early morning as I look out from the harbor. Beginning the assent to the summit is demanding, up 2000 stairs. It is cold in the shade, but I heat up quickly to remove all my layers. The view over the ocean and surrounding hillside keeps my mind off the struggles.
Finally at the top lays the iconic view over the Lofoten island chain. Smaller islands connected by the road below look particularly stunning beneath the mountains.
The sharp peaks surrounding the Reinefjord are revealed and have so many bizarre twists and angles. There is still some snow reflected in a lake. The water is bright aqua along the shallow edges and a fantastic deep blue along the fjord. I savor this view, hiking up a little further for some solitude from the crowd gathered at the top.
The flight to Bodø goes smoothly, though I do pay $55 to check my bag.
I arrive to Bodø at midnight and miss the last bus, so I end up sleeping at the airport. This is probably my worst night sleeping so far. I get up and ready for the first bus out to catch the first ferry to Lofoten islands.
My airport bed
It is cold and rainy, so the mountains are disguised in mists. Their splendor is revealed to me slowly, so I will share them with you in the same way.
Large towers of rock shoot up from the sea, surrounded by mist. I sleep on most of the ferry, but wake up on arrival to see the mysterious green mountains. I wait for a bus and work on my thesis edits before I choose to venture out during a pause in the rain to go food shopping.
I stop for some waffles at a cafe as it begins to pour again. I wait it out, but as the cafe is about to close I explain how I was planning to set up camp nearby. Feeling some sympathy, the cafe owner offers me to stay in a room out back, since I have my sleeping bag already and it’s not much trouble to set up. I pay $20, dry my wet clothes, and wait for another break in the rain to explore the area.
I can see the mountains better as the clouds pass. The rain returns and I get soaked, but eventually I make it to Å. The town, Å , is a historic fishing village with red cabins on stilts and is famous for salting and drying fish the same way for a thousand years. While it is hard to appreciate in the cold and rain, I still see it’s charm and venture out to a nearby viewpoint.
At this point I am soaked, so I take the last bus back, but all my clothes dry by the heater. The clouds finally clear, and I can see the cabin looks out onto a lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains. I munch on some baked beans as I enjoy the view. I notice the shapes of the peaks are so jagged and bizarre.
Rorbu, traditional fishing cottages, in the town of Å, the end of the road in the Lofoten islands
I return in the morning with the sun to see Å in it’s full glory. A lake surrounded by mountain is fully visible, with clouds swirling around the peaks. This stellar view is even better up on a small hill, which I carefully summit as it is quite slippery.
I see these same mountains as I leave on a ferry, which is free for carless passengers, the view from the harbor even is spectacular, and I continue down the coastline and see the familiar rim of the lake and new jagged mountains lying in the background. This is the most stunning vista I’ve seen, like a bunch of mafate mountains in a line. I would love to hike to the other side across the lake, but I choose to go to another island.
The Lysefjord is beautiful in its craggy appearance with patches of green, but it seems rockier than the other fjords. I am particularly impressed by the beautiful mountains surrounding the end of the fjord around a settlement called Lysbotn. The view is spectacular from up top, and this is one of my favorite campsites of my trip.
The view doesn’t last, as a thick fog sets in making me stay in my tent working on my thesis edits. I pack up and get a hot chocolate hoping to wait it out, but no luck. I get the last bus back to town through the fog and into the shining sun just up the road. The bus soon renters the fog in what I’d call the “valley of the giants”, for the giant green cliffs shrouded in mist that the bus passes through.
Sunset over Lysefjord
Going from A to B in Norway is usually a spectacular scenic ride.
Valley of the GiantsStavanger
The city of Stavanger has a cute neighborhood full of wooden houses in the classic style. There are also lots of bars in typical houses along the harbor. There is a street full of colorful houses and street art that is also mostly restaurants. I listen to some live music before making my way back to my campsite.
I set up camp near the bus station in Jørpland, a small suburb on the fjord. I miss the bus up to the trail because the ferry is late, but here seems as good a place as any to set up camp.
The view of the fjord is fantastic, and there are lots of nature paths around. I set off on one along a creek before finding a small field where I can finally set up a decent camp and dry my stuff.
I get up, move my tent and stuff out of site, then set off down the trail towards Preikestolen. Big mistake. Not only does it take over 2 hours, the hike is mostly through wet marsh, and my shoes get soaked again. There aren’t many views here, just logged forest, but I finally make it to the road to begin the hike.
The trail starts off uphill through pine forest over a big lake. About halfway the uphill ends and the stairs turn into flat open crag. I love the view from here over the lakes, and you can even see the fjord and Stavanger, the largest city, from here. On the other side, the trail looks out over Lysefjord. This one seems less dramatic than the Naeroyfjord, but still looks beautiful. The cliff here becomes very steep and I get a preview of what’s to come.
The crowd thickens, and the trail, which was already crowded, becomes like a line at a theme park. I make my way through the crowd to Pulpits rock, Preikestolen, which is a square cliff edge that plummets into the fjord below.
The view is excellent over the Lysefjord, with a lake and mountains on the other side. It is amazing seeing such steep cliff faces. I cautiously peak my head over the edge. I crawl on my belly to look down and see the steep drop down until the vertigo gets to be too much. The true fear and shaking of my legs is a feeling I can’t seem to get enough of as I go back for another peak after a snack on the other side.
I continue climbing upwards for better views of the cliff and eventually all the way to the summit. The views aren’t as good from here as the lower cliff face of the surroundings, but there is a feeling of accomplishment making it to the top.
I am happy to be safely down and continue taking glances over the edge, watching pebbles tumble down into the waters below.
I watch a ferry do a spin creating an aqua blue whirlpool in the fjord below. Update: turns out this was the captain from my ferry!
I sprint back down the trail in an hour to make a bus, which gives me plenty of time to pack up my camp and get over to the next ferry. Now I cruise the Lysefjord from below.
Lysefjord
View from below: pulpit’s rock is the rectangular shape jutting out!
After long bus stopovers on a return to Odda, the sun has finally returned. I gather food supplies for the next couple days of camping and let my clothes and equipment dry in the sun.
One last stop in Odda!
The bus ride south of Odda passes waterfalls galore, and I am dropped off at a bus stop to transfer with the most spectacular vista. My itinerary vanishes when I look again at Google maps, so I get nervous, but following from the previous day’s itinerary I expect a bus any minute. Instead is a small taxi insisting they are the bus, and he is charging 22 Euros? Apparently it is just Norwegian Kroner which is about $2. I don’t believe it, but with no other choice I get in the taxi and ride for an hour along the most scenic lake and fjords.
Roldal and Suldal lakes.
I chat with a Norwegian girl, the first I’d have to say, and she tells me about how she was staying in a cabin and loves hiking Juttenheim with the mountains. There are multi-day tracks and will have to return when I am prepared or with a car. There is also a lot of snow this summer still so paths may be blocked.
Sand
The car drops us at a shuttle which we take to Sand, a beautiful little town on the fjord. I enjoy the ferry ride through the fjord to smaller towns as the mountains transition to rolling green hills, still with their fantastic Fjordian features including dramatic drop offs.
The ferry captain asks to speak to me. I thought I was in trouble for paying on-board instead of beforehand. The captain asks me to follow him up front in the cabin. Controls are everywhere including lounge chairs for co-captains. They ask me if they can skip my stop because they are running late. Confused, they show me an alternative route and offer to pay for the fare. After some discussions over route planning on the app (each region has their own, of course) I agree. The stewardess offers me some chocolates and snacks as compensation. The captain escorts me to the bus stop—Norwegian hospitality at its finest! Update: I see him again on the way out of Stavanger and he takes a picture of me to show to the crew. Now that I’ve showered and am on my last clean pair of clothes I’ve hopefully made a better impression.
The bus ride is actually kinda cool and goes through the world’s longest underground tunnel to get to the island. There are lots of neon light designs along the way purple and green to keep you entertained.
There is a half hour wait for a minute staring into infinity. I feel a rush of vertigo as I look over the edge and I jump back.
The lookout at Trolltunga, meaning “troll’s tongue,” is not as scary as it looks because there is not such a steep drop as it appears, and the rock is securely attached as it has been for thousands of years.
The hike there is beautiful with lots of snowy mountains surrounding Odda in the distance. I set up camp in the alpine marsh at the beginning before the steep climb. My stamina is good but my toes begin to jam walking downhill.
The alpine landscape with its classic Norwegian mottled lichen-covered rocks looks straight out of a movie. The snowy peaks on the other side come into view around some alpine lakes and waterfalls. This is the protected zone, though I take a lunch break over the view of the gorgeous lagoon.
This lagoon is actually the fjord, I soon discover, and trolltunga juts out over it. The water is a nice aqua as the sun comes out. This halfway point marks an impressive gulley carved by ice, forming the classic “U-shape.” Beautiful waterfalls cascade into the basin. The circular shape almost reminds me of a crater, like Quilotoa, although this rock was carved patiently by glaciers expanding and retracting over millenia.
The mountains glow blinding white, and I continue around the bend to where I see the Trolltunga lookout . Though not the best view of the hike, it is quite stunning especially out on a ledge. The cliffs are not as steep as the Naeroyfjord, but it is still a force to be reckoned with. The cliff above the edge is quite steep.
I wait 30 minutes and take all number of pictures until there was no line left after 3pm. Because I set up camp, I wait a long time until the framing is right.
The wind picks up and I head back, stopping to cool off from the heat in an alpine lake. The sun is in full force finally, although I was sure to come today because of the one sunny day on the forecast.
I watch as the green lichens and grass shine with a new hue and marvel as the sun dazzles through the clouds over the snowy capped mountains. I walk leisurely back through the tundra, mostly downhill. I am beat and blistered from the hike. I struggle to find my tent, but see the wind tipped it over. Luckily the rain fly did not blow away, as it comes undone really easily. The tent kept blowing over once the wind picked it up. With nothing to anchor it on the rocks, pretty exposed low shrubs, and against the rules to move rocks to anchor the tent, I pretty much spent the morning anchoring the tent myself, running around outside to briefly change position as the wind rolled me right over along with the tent. Changing the angle and moving my bags as weight in the right places helped. Or the wind died down and I was so tired I fell asleep anyways.
Though it was a windy night, this was still one of my favorite camping spots.
The next morning is beautiful and the mountains around the Odda fjord look spectacular. Taking shuttles down I get plenty of time to appreciate what appear to be glaciers and waterfalls on the way out.
I thought today would be relaxing: sleeping in, busing over to the next town on the fjord, and taking the ferry across to Aurland, the UNESCO world heritage site. The plan was to camp at the trail entrance to hike up the fjord.
The ferry ride is downright majestic. The captain narrates the journey as we enter the Nærøyfjord, the UNESCO world heritage site and inspiration for Arendelle of Disney’s Frozen. Soon, I spot a small town Undredal, with a large mountain backdrop that could be mistaken for the imaginary Frozen town. Peeking inside the fjord, I realize it is a detour to see a large waterfall. The Nærøyfjord is stunning and I can’t wait to hike it after hearing from the captain about the view from the summit.
Undredal
We continue through Aurlandfjord past the town of Aurland, similar to Undredal in that it has an impressive view. This fjord is gorgeous in its own right and I throughly enjoy admiring the landscape from the deck.
I take my time in the town of Flåm to pick up some tourist items and do food shopping for the hiking the next day. I proceed to overpay for the bus to the next “town” over, Gudvangen. I discover the bus schedule is from 2021 and have to walk 5km to the campsite. I could’ve hitchhiked, but I couldn’t swallow my pride. It was exhausting, but the hike through the Naeroyfjord is unlike anything else. There is also a high risk of landslides in this area, so I continue on without lingering. This is definitely the best part of the whole larger Sognefjord (or at least the most narrow, which is the meaning of “Nærøy”).
The campsite when I arrive is, of course, full. There is another down the end of the road, but it is full as well. I begin hiking the trail to see if I can camp there, but it is just too steep. After 500 meters up I drop my bag and go about halfway, another kilometer, before giving up and heading back down. It’s too exhausting with my bag, and I regret even trying to hike down the steep hill. I sneak off trail to what looks like a safe distance from the camp site to put up my tent.
The trail is not much further than where I ventured the day before. The clouds swirling in obscure the view, but give what remains a mystical feel. It begins to rain as I get to the viewpoint so I turn back, resting lots along the way down. I am exhausted from the day before so I just go to bed early, leaving the next morning. The clouds have a morning stillness, and the rain stops. Gudvangen at the end of the fjord looks particularly magical with its cascading waterfalls.
The first thing I notice are how clean and modern Oslo is and all the flowers and green space everywhere!
I follow the way to the ferry unwittingly passing the downtown area. I have to say it does not stand out much, but I was also distracted.
I overpay for the bus ticket by €15 (thanks 7/11) and take the ferry over to Langøyene.
This ride past all the islands is a great intro to the fjords, as I pull past one after the other some inhabited by small villages. The destination is the only one allowed for camping, and on one side is protected forest.
Nobel peace center in central Oslo
I see loads of wildlife including small rodents, maybe voles, a big black slug, and lots of birds. I plop my tent down at the first plot I see exhausted after the red eye flight followed by a London airport transfer.
I walk around a bit to see the large meadow with other tents and a fire pit. In the morning, after figuring out how to set my gear and an early wake up from the gulls, I find them wading at the beach. Small water foul run across the field with their babies. A grebe dives underwater and the chicks hurry back to shore lost.
I walk along the coast to find where the prime camp territory is, as I look out over the fjord to another island and the outskirts of Oslo. The rocky coast juts into the water I am reminded of the resilience of nature if given a chance to recover.
I go past all the iconic monuments again on my way to lake Sognsvann, a 45 minute tram and then bus ride away. The lake is beautiful and has that mystical feel with an island in the center and jagged rocks along the shore.
Lake Svartkulp
No camping is allowed here, so I make my way into the forest and set up my tent by a smaller lake.
Opera house
Finally time for some sightseeing as it starts to thunderstorm. I get trapped as I get off the bus and shelter with some lunch at Barcode Street food. The barcode area is my favorite in the city with jutting skyscrapers and a cool bridge connecting over the train station. But I have to come back for this as I take off for the iconic opera house. The architecture is unique and modern with sloping roofs I walk up. I am careful not to slide down in the rain, but I appreciate the view of the fjord and town.
Barcode district
From here I see the town hall, which I ran past before so I go to shelter in the rain but it’s closed. Meanwhile the sun is out so feel no need to visit the art gallery and Nobel peace center with steep entrance fees.
I explore the 13th century fortress on the hill, with small old-style houses in the surrounds. A lot of this street is art nouveau, though some have the classic old style.
The fortress is interesting but you can’t go inside, and actors reinacting scenes of the past scamper around.
I get some Indian food for dinner across the bridge and then make my way to the sculpture garden. I first see a sculptured tower of bodies stacked together. Perhaps it shows we all have to build upon others to get to the top? It’s weird but pretty.
The royal palace, the first place I ran past, is underwhelming but the guards have cool outfits.
I have to be honest here I’m a bit dissapointed in Oslo. However, it is a clean, organized city that is easy to get around, making for a good introduction to Norway.
Krauss-ing The World 