What about crossing the Lofoten Islands on foot? (page 2 of 3)

Oh, totally get it about the sun! I experienced rain, gloom, and cold in Swedish Lapland in 2022—it really wears you down after a while. It would’ve been funny if we’d crossed paths without realizing it. That Lofoten Beach Camp looked amazing—so much more spacious. I considered it, but it added even more kilometers to the detour, and even if it wasn’t much, every bit counts when you’re on foot...

10/08 – Day 8 – Ramberg – Selfjord Bay (Moskenesøya Island)

Last night, it was Jean Marie who got up at 3 AM.



6:30 AM, the alarm goes off because we want to catch the 8:35 AM bus 742 and avoid a stretch of road. Phew, it comes and it stops, saving us nearly 4 km.

Then it’s the two bridges connecting the two islands.



One last glance back at Ramberg.

And then the climb, very busy, toward Ryten, where the view is stunning (unfortunately, no sun for us).

Those beaches down there look perfect for a midday break.

We set our sights on the second one, which seems less crowded and sunnier. Plus, it’s on our route. We treat ourselves to a dip (pretty chilly) and even a little nap after our daily tabbouleh.





But it’s time to keep moving.

After a climb, we pass a first lake. Its waters are clear, it’s hot, and that lake sure looks tempting—except Jean-Marie is pushing ahead.

I tell myself I’ll make up for it at the second one. Oops, bad luck—not only is swimming forbidden, but the water isn’t drinkable, and we’re almost out. We still manage to filter 1 liter with a filtering bottle and another liter with a purification tablet.

The last kilometers are on a road, and our feet are overheating.

We continue on the start of stage 9, and after about a kilometer, phew—a stream. We fill up and struggle a bit to find a spot to camp. But once again, it’ll be stunning and peaceful, in Selfjord Bay, with oystercatchers and terns as our only company.





It’s funny—we’re looking forward to meals more and more. Walking, marveling, eating, sleeping, and sharing when the opportunity arises—that’s our daily routine, nothing but the basics, nothing but the essentials...

18.7 km – 890 m elevation gain

11/08 – Day 9 - Selfjord – Bunes Beach

Last night, I crashed again around 9:30 PM and slept like a log, which is super rare for me (over a week of hiking, I must be feeling it). This morning, wake-up at 6:30 AM, departure at 8:20 AM. We followed the fjord and then did a little climb with beautiful views of the fjord where we’d camped.



We discovered a gorgeous lake that was just begging for a swim. It must’ve been around 10 AM—so, in we went: one splash, two splashes, three splashes to wash off all the salt from yesterday. It was amazing! We were ready for the next part, which was a pretty steep climb with stunning views the whole way. From the pass, we overlooked the lakes we’d come from.

Then came a bit of a slog across the hillside, followed by a long, knee-crunching descent (it didn’t look that bad in the photo, but it was!).



That beach on our right looked super tempting for a picnic,

but no time—we had to keep moving in the opposite direction at a fast pace. We had a ferry to catch! From the pass, we could see the dock—great, we’d made good time on that last climb, so we could grab a bite to eat. It was already 1:30 PM.



We headed down toward Kjerkfjorden, where we chatted with a couple of Americans we’d run into over the past few days. 3:30 PM, and there was our boat!

It dropped us off 10 minutes later at Vinstad. I decided to stray from the route to go camp on Bunes Beach, which looked incredible.

Except I got a little worried when I saw how many people had disembarked.



But the beach was as vast and stunning as I’d hoped (it takes about 45 minutes to reach the beach from the boat).

After a bit of overcast weather and a few raindrops, the sun made its reappearance. It was a little chilly and windy, but we were able to eat outside and take a nice walk to the other end of the beach.

Around 10 PM, the sun was setting, and we watched it from the tent—it was gorgeous!

10.8 km - 800 m elevation gain Note: The guide says it’s possible to ask the boat, for a fee, to stop at the Fjorfjorfen power station (which is the start of the next stage). I don’t know if this is still an option, since the boat headed back toward Reine.

12/08 – Day 10 - Bunes Beach - Krokvatnet Lake

The night was pretty rough. Woken up around midnight by a gust of wind that had changed direction, hitting the tent sideways and warping it dangerously, I couldn’t get back to sleep before 3 AM. In the morning, it was tough to wake up—after breakfast, packing the bag, and taking down the tent, we didn’t hit the trail until 9:20.

Bunes Beach is just behind that hill.

Back to Vinstad, the weather’s been so-so so far, but it’s clearing up and will be glorious all day.

We’re heading toward the power plant you can see way down there.



The trail between Vinstad and Fjorfjorden starts off pretty easy but gets really tough toward the end. There are two sections with boulders and rocky slabs—we weren’t sure where to go and ended up climbing up and down the rocks with drops below. That stretch took us nearly two hours.

Near the power plant, we thought we’d found the trail—nope! We ended up in a real mess, stuck in the middle of ferns. Thanks to the GPS, we got back on track for the climb up to hill 448 (the one right above the power plant), which turned out to be long but not too difficult.

From the top, the view is breathtaking. On one side, the fjord framed by mountains, and on the other, a lake—just stunning.





It’s in front of this panorama that we treat ourselves to lunch.

Jean-Marie hesitates about tackling the island’s highest peak, Hermanndals, but since we’re low on water, he decides against it. Instead, we head down to Krokvatnet Lake, where we find a dreamy campsite—even with other tents around, everyone has plenty of space. It’s 4 PM, so no need to rush. After setting up the tent, we take a dip in the lake. It’s chilly, but oh so refreshing.



Food-wise, we’re running low—time to head back to civilization (sniff).

It’s 6:45 PM, and all we have to do is soak in this incredible scenery. Pure luxury!

7.6 km – 620m elevation gain

This story brings back such great memories of Bunes... With my two sons, I hiked up to the top of Brunakseltinden, which overlooks the beach. What a magnificent climb! If you'd like a little preview: https://treksrandos.fr/lofoten/moskenesoya/plage-de-bunes-et-brunakseltinden-513-m/

Oh yeah, the view from the top is amazing!! Thanks for the link. I’d put it down as an option, but like usual, today’s leg was more than enough.

13/08 – Day 11 Lake Krokvatnet – Moskenes (camping) and bus to Å

While the weather was so nice the day before, the rain came back in the late night. We took advantage of a relative lull to pack up and hit the road. Unfortunately, Munken had to be skipped because the rain picked up again, and there was fog on top of that.



We saw tents waiting for the return of good weather (forecast for the afternoon), but we didn’t have much food left, it was Sunday, and the Joker store in Sørvågen closes at 5 PM (if my info is correct). And running out of food? Too tough to even think about ;-)

The descent in the rain was quite a hassle—rocks were slippery, and there were sections equipped with chains, which didn’t stop me from taking a major slide on one of them. The views in this bad weather lacked charm!



After 4.5 hours of hiking in the downpour, we were soaked, but luckily the rain eased up, and the sun started peeking through.

Phew, the Joker store was open! At 2 PM, we grabbed a few supplies and set up at an outdoor table for lunch. I was freezing because the sun was still shy, but those little sausages were so good!



I decided to skip the last leg, which seemed less impressive in terms of scenery, and we walked the 2.5 km along the E10 to Moskenes Camping.



Phew, the sun was back in full force, letting us dry the tent before setting it up.

The campsite was nice but way too crowded.

At 5:30 PM, we took the bus to Å, went for a little stroll, had a beer, and then returned to the campsite on the last bus at 8 PM.







At the campsite, we ran into the Americans who had left the trek at Kjerkfjorden and taken a boat to Reine. They showed us photos taken from Reinebringen and Munken. It looked amazing! Late shower, late dinner, a walk around the campsite, and bedtime at midnight.

The night was going to be short—I set my alarm for 5:45 AM to catch the 6:40 AM bus and hike up Reinebringen before the crowds. And then it would be our last day there...

9.3 km – 416 m elevation gain

14/08 – Day 12 – Hike up Reinebringen – Reine – Lake Agvatnet loop

Bummer, there was a snorer in the next tent!

When the alarm goes off, it’s raining, ugh! No point getting up for the Reinebringen hike then.

At 7:20 AM, I peek outside—hey, a patch of blue sky—let’s go, up we get!

No tent to pack up this morning, so by 8:20 AM we’re taking a path that runs alongside the road to Reine, thanks to a tip from a young French woman last night who said it was a great route. And the views? Stunning.



At 9:10 AM, we tackle the 1,978 steps. Uneven steps, of course—otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun... but the view at the top? Wow, just wow!



The descent is super tedious too—lots of people, and we’re glad we started early.

Heading to Reine, the approach is as photogenic as it gets!



Quick stop at the tourist office shop for a few souvenirs. Then lunch in the sun on a bench and a really good coffee on the terrace by the harbor.

Oh, there’s an outdoor gear and clothing shop near the bus stop! I have to say, my shopping fever was put to the test during the trek—because every purchase means extra weight in the backpack! We made some great finds there while chatting with the friendly owner, who’s Portuguese and speaks French.

At 2:05 PM, we hop on the bus to A to do the Agvatnet lake loop. We finish it at a brisk pace in the rain to catch the 5:40 PM bus (otherwise, we’d have had to wait until 8 PM).



Back at the campsite by 6 PM—bliss under a hot shower—then straight to the tent because it’s pouring.

Last beer in the Lofoten Islands, and we meet some French cyclists who turn out to be the ones we saw on the road to Ramberg (they really struggled, poor things!).

Our final dinner is under the wooden shelter provided for campers, with the cyclists, the young French woman who gave us the Reinebringen tip, and a Belgian couple who just came from the Kungsleden. They tell us there was a gastro outbreak and the huts were closed. They were seriously impressive in terms of gear—a Hilleberg tent for 3 (or even 4, I can’t remember exactly—these tents are amazing in extreme conditions, but weight-wise, not so much), a coffee maker... The guy admitted his backpack weighed 20 kg!!

Camping Reinebringen: 7.8 km, 726 m elevation gain Lake Agvatnet loop: 6.7 km, 258 m elevation gain

15/08 – Return to Bodø - flying back to France on 16/08

Rain during the night, which luckily calmed down by morning, allowing us to pack up the tent almost dry.

We find out the ferry to Bodø is free for pedestrians. Cool.

Departure at 10:45 AM, arrival at 2:30 PM.

Nothing special for the rest of the day, just a little stroll around town. Tonight, we’ll sleep in a real bed!

Alarm goes off at 4:40 AM, a 25-minute walk to the airport (so handy having an airport you can walk to!), then the return flights go smoothly without any issues

And here’s the inevitable recap It was truly an AMAZING TREK! What stunning, breathtaking landscapes!

That said, honestly, I found it tough (not technically, but just exhausting), especially because of the elevation gains. 1000 or 1200 m of ascent in a day hike with a light pack is no problem, but with back-to-back days and a pack around 12 kg, it’s a whole different story.

There are a few very demanding stages and trails that aren’t always easy or well-marked (a hiking GPS is a must).

As I expected, switching islands adds some constraints—nothing major since the trek is designed for it, but it does add a bit of pressure when you’ve got a bus or ferry to catch.

Being able to resupply was a real plus—no need to carry all your food, and finding campsites along the way where you can shower was pure bliss.

As is often the case in Nordic countries, the weather is unpredictable and temperatures can vary a lot. You’ve got to be prepared for that, or you might end up disappointed. Luckily, we were fortunate enough never to have to pack up a wet tent in the morning.

In conclusion: it was an incredible experience! Can’t wait for the next trek.

See you soon.

Thanks for this lovely travel journal! 🙂

Thanks for this travel journal and the stunning landscape photos! 🙂

Thanks for this travel journal with amazing photos. I really enjoyed reading it. I also discovered that, contrary to what I’d read, you can easily put together a multi-day hiking trip in the Lofoten Islands.

Thanks Cyril! I took a deeper look at your site—so many great hikes and nothing but beautiful photos! Havasu is one of my regrets; I’ve made several trips to the US but never managed to fit it into an itinerary. Wishing you all the best, and you should come explore the Mercantour someday…

Thanks Muriel for your messages! And lots of future amazing trips.

Thanks Bluequark! I discovered this trek thanks to the Lofoten hiking guide. It’s their deep knowledge of the area that allowed them to design this route, and especially to place the end-of-stage points in the right spots to enable island hopping.

Thanks Laure. Oh yeah, I’ve been wanting to visit Mercantour for ages... It’s the only part of the Alps I haven’t had time to explore yet. But it’s definitely on my to-do list!

What a magnificent trek! Thanks for this travel journal

Well done Laure and Jean-Marie, you really didn’t skimp on the distances or the elevation gain. Courage pays off—just look at these photos and all the memories you’ve made. Thanks and congrats! !

Thanks Vilabel!