Three weeks in Norway (July 2022): fantastic memories despite the rain (page 4 of 6)

For ideas, I can also suggest southern Norway. We’re heading there this year after a week in Denmark and a tour of the fjords, in June. At the end of our trip, we’ll check out the restaurant Under in Lindesnes before catching the ferry from Kristiansand back to Denmark. We’ll stay a few more days there too since there’s tons to see in Jutland! !

Hi Sylvie, Thanks for your suggestions. Actually, I’m not short of ideas—it’s just the choices that are tough. I both want to go back and explore the places I loved more deeply, and I also want to discover new ones (like Iceland, for example, or Scotland).

Lovely photos despite the so-so weather! 🙂

Thanks Sylvie!

Ugh, the Lofoten Islands—a dream that won’t happen this year, unfortunately! 🤪 I’ve already extended the trip with the Fjords, which’ll make it a full month. So, the Lofoten will have to wait for next time—by plane and car rental!

You’ll still see some incredible things on your trip!

So great to see you again (and to be back on the forum).

Likewise—especially in a section that’s not the US! 😉

I see you’ve fallen under Norway’s spell.

Absolutely! We’d love to go back someday, but first, we’ll be heading back to the Northwest next summer. Like you, I’d love to visit Iceland and explore Scotland more (we spent 6 days there in April). We also have a trip to the Dolomites planned (canceled in 2020 due to COVID and again in 2024 because my husband changed jobs). So many trips on the horizon, but as always, we have to make choices!

You’re so brave to have done all that driving—those waterfalls and stunning landscapes are giving me so many ideas. But... the prices are really steep, especially for car rentals.

Some days the driving was a bit long, but overall, it’s way more pleasant than driving in France 😉 As for rental prices, if you want to cover both the south and north in one trip like we did, you might consider doing a first loop, then taking a domestic flight (SAS has some decently priced options), and then a second loop. That way, you avoid drop-off fees.

Day 16, Sunday, July 24

The weather is absolutely gorgeous this morning, and we’re going to make the most of it—even if it means collapsing tonight! Well, I say that for Yannick and me because apparently the kids didn’t get the memo that you *don’t* let a day like this slip by. 😉 Calista’s staying at the rorbu this morning. On our side, we start with THE hike of Reine: the climb up to Reinebringen. Before we begin, we take in the view from the bottom.

And then we’re off—1,664 steps (I counted, but didn’t get the same number 😛)!

Hugo and Yannick climb at their own pace, while I lag way behind. It’s *extremely* tiring, and it’s crowded, so I set mini-goals: *climb 100 steps, then take a break!* Though sometimes it’s more like 50 before the pause!!



But I finally make it to the top, and wow—what a view! The sweeping panorama of Reine and the surrounding area makes every bit of effort worth it.

Zooming in, we can even spot Eliassen Rorbuer and our rorbu!

Continuation of Day 16, Sunday, July 24

When you have knee problems, going downhill isn’t necessarily easier than going up, but I finally catch up with Yannick and Hugo, and we take the car to explore the fishing village of Å, the southernmost of the islands (this is where the road ends).

It’s past 1:30 PM, definitely time to head back to the *rorbu* for lunch. We switch kids this afternoon: Calista comes with us while Hugo spends a few hours working on a file to prepare for his exams.

We head to the Ryten parking lot and admire the scenery along the way.

End of Day 16, Sunday, July 24

The parking lot is offered by the owners of a farm and is already quite full. We still easily find a spot and can start the second hike of the day.

The trail turns into a "boardwalk" before becoming a dirt or rocky path again.

We tackle the 500 m of elevation gain just like this morning and enjoy a 360° view of the surrounding peaks and the ocean.

We’re now reaching our goal: Kvalvika Beach stretches out below us, and we have fun taking trick perspective photos... it really looks like there’s nothing but empty space below!







The panorama is breathtaking, and we soak it all in before starting the descent. My legs and knees are tired tonight...

Ryten Parking: 100 NOK Hotel: Eliassen Rorbuer in Hamnøy 235 € Day’s summary: Probably the most beautiful day of the vacation: the Lofoten Islands in the sun are 🤩😍😃

Great idea. We’ve been to Scotland three times (each time a 15-day tour) and also to Iceland (three weeks). It’s really different. Personally, I love Scotland and I’ll never get tired of it! !

Hi Peggy,

We’d love to go back someday, but before that, we’ll be heading back to the Northwest next summer. Like you, I’d love to visit Iceland and also explore Scotland more (we spent 6 days there in April). We also have a trip to the Dolomites planned (cancelled in 2020 due to COVID and again in 2024 because my husband changed jobs). So, lots of trips on the horizon, but as always, we have to make choices!

Love all these plans! 🙂 We have the same dreams: Scotland, the Dolomites, and a return to Iceland, which we loved. Ireland and Slovenia would be great too.

I’ll keep your Lofoten accommodation in mind. That rorbu is absolutely adorable. And even with clouds, the landscapes are stunning! Well done on the hike up Reinebringen and the photos.

Actually, we hesitated quite a bit between the Lofoten Islands and the western fjords or a combination of both for next summer. I thought it was too much driving to do both, and we definitely dropped the idea when we decided to take our car from home. Plus, Axel preferred the fjords, so he had the final say since it’s HIS trip for his 20th birthday. I think we’ll plan another trip to Lofoten/Vesterålen/Senja later.

We’re finally here: Kvalvika Beach stretches out below us, and we’re having fun taking forced-perspective photos... it really looks like there’s nothing but empty space underneath...





What’s it actually like? Do you have a photo without the forced perspective? Anyway, the view is stunning! 😊

Hi Virginie

I thought it was too much driving to do both, and we definitely dropped the idea when we decided to take our car from home.

Wow! You're leaving from home with your car? That’s gonna be quite the trip! But I get why you’re sticking to the fjords 😉 Ferry from Hirtshals to Kristiansand?

And Axel preferred the fjords, so he had the final say since it’s HIS trip for his 20th birthday.

What a great gift!!😎

I think we’ll plan another trip to Lofoten/Vesterålen/Senja.

You’ll probably want to go back once you’re home 😉

What’s it really like? Do you have a photo without any trickery? The view is stunning anyway!

No, no photo without trickery. There was a little ledge 2 m lower that made it a bit less scary, but it was still better not to fall 😏 I wasn’t feeling too brave 😛

Day 17 Monday, July 25

A beautiful day in the Lofoten Islands—apparently, it comes at a price... Today, the day we leave Hamnøy, we wake up to rain. I take one last photo of the rorbuer, which I still find pretty despite the weather.

We drive for an hour to Hauckland Beach, but the weather is exactly the same as in Hamnøy. I had planned a hike of about ten kilometers here, so we pay for parking and wait in the car, hoping the rain will ease up—but no luck! We have time to watch Norwegians put on swimsuits and go for a dip in the rain… honestly, you’ve got to really want to do that in this temperature! Click, clack to still capture a memory of the beach, and we’re off again.

About twenty minutes later, after seeing an ad for the Lofotr Viking Museum, we decide to visit it.

A good part of the visit is indoors. We dive into Viking culture thanks to the audio guide. And when the tour continues outside… the rain has more or less stopped! We end up having a great time during this unexpected activity!

I had noted to check out Henningsvær, but either the weather ruins the visit, or there’s not much to see… either way, we’re not impressed and don’t even get out of the car. A U-turn and off to Kabelvåg, where two rooms in a youth hostel are waiting for us.

We weren’t sure what to expect and are pleasantly surprised. Sure, the rooms are basic… but not too small, clean, the shared toilets on the floor are clean too, and breakfast the next morning will be great!

Tonight, it’s no longer raining, so we head out on foot to find a restaurant. Brygga Restaurant still has space, but we have to order quickly because they’re expecting a group. We found the fries excellent, and the value for money was really good. It’s nice to be able to eat out in Norway without breaking the bank!

Haukland Beach parking: 40 NOK Viking Museum: 78 € for 4 Hostel: Lofoten Vandrerhjem in Kabelvåg 187 € with breakfast Day’s summary: A nice day even if it wasn’t the planned program. The landscapes are still more beautiful in the sun, so we’d love for it to come back…

Day 18, Tuesday, July 26

According to the weather forecast, we were in for three days of non-stop rain. But when we woke up, no rain! A quick check on the site https://www.yr.no/nb confirmed it: the forecast had changed! The bad weather wouldn’t return until around noon. So, all hands on deck: we hurried to breakfast, packed up our things, and headed a few kilometers away for a short hike we’d just discovered: Tjeldbergtind. Quick stop for a photo of Kabelvåg.

And off we went! As usual in Norway, there were some steep climbs… but we were rewarded with an amazing 360° view!









Sure, you can judge for yourselves by looking online—the views would’ve been even better in the sun… but we’re already thrilled we got to hike for two hours and found something worth the effort. Plus, we dodged the rain, which started falling just as we got back in the car! After that, a long drive to Andenes with nothing to break it up since it was raining. We were supposed to go on a whale-watching tour with Whale2sea, but it was unfortunately canceled due to strong winds.

We settled into our Airbnb. A relaxing late afternoon, and eventually, the rain let up, so we could take a little stroll around Andenes—a cute little town at the very end of the Vesterålen islands.

Hotel: Kong Hans gt.28 in Andenes 168 € Day’s summary: day saved by the morning hike! !

Hi Peggy,

Wow! You're leaving from home with your car? That’s gonna be quite a trip! But I get why you’re sticking to the fjords for now 😉 Ferry from Hirtshals to Kristiansand?

Yeah, quite the adventure, as you say. We’ll definitely do Hirtshals/Kristiansand on the way there and probably Larvik/Hirtshals on the way back. We’re limiting ourselves to the fjords this summer, but in a week we’re heading north, around Tromsø.

The idea of a road trip starting from home has been on our minds for a while. I’ve got another one in the works that would take us all the way to Slovenia, passing through Switzerland and northern Italy (Dolomites). The downside of where we live is that we have to cross France first, no matter the destination!

According to the weather forecast, we were in for three days of non-stop rain. But when we woke up, no rain... A quick check on the site https://www.yr.no/nb was in order: sure enough, the forecast had changed! The bad weather wouldn’t return until around noon! So, all hands on deck: we rushed to breakfast, packed up our things, and headed a few kilometers away for a short hike we’d just discovered: Tjeldbergtind.

Despite the overcast weather, your photos really show off the beauty of Norwegian nature.

The weather’s the one thing you can’t control, and it can be frustrating when you’re on a road trip with all your accommodations booked. That’s why last summer, in the northwest U.S., I decided to shorten the route (we didn’t go as far as Hells Canyon or the Boise area) to spend more time at Mount Rainier and Bend. I wanted to give us the best chance of good weather for visiting Crater Lake and hiking at Mount Rainier.

Hi Peggy, Thanks for this travel journal that brings back great memories of summer 2023. 🙂 I went for three weeks, especially to do a lot of hiking. And I realize I was really lucky with the weather because the sun had settled in for good. If you want to take a look at my website, I’ve put together an illustrated guide with photos for each hike: https://treksrandos.fr/lofoten/

Hi Peggy,

Thanks for this roadbook—it’s been super helpful for planning our trip this summer. We’ve decided to drive up from France, so we’ll only be visiting the fjords region. I see you had variable weather: temperature-wise, did you get cold at times? Were the nights chilly? We’re hoping to camp, hence my questions. Thanks in advance, Christine

Hi Virginie

We’ve had the idea of a road trip from home in our heads for a while now. I’ve got another one lined up that would take us to Slovenia via Switzerland and northern Italy (the Dolomites). The issue with our area is that we have to cross France first, no matter the destination.

We did something similar in the summer of 2023. We left home by car heading to Slovenia via Italy. From there, we did a small part of Croatia and returned through Italy to get back home. Have a good evening

Hi Virginie,

We’re sticking to the fjords this summer, but in a week we’re heading north to explore around Tromsø.

I guess you’re hoping to see the northern lights?😉

The idea of a road trip starting from home has been on our minds for a while. I’ve got another one in the works that would take us all the way to Slovenia, passing through Switzerland and northern Italy (the Dolomites). The downside of where we live is that we have to cross France first, no matter the destination!

Oh yeah, you really are far away! We thought about it when we were in the Oise, but even that felt too far, and we dropped the idea. Now that we’re back in Alsace, at least we’re closer to Austria, Germany, and the Dolomites!🙂

The weather is the only thing we can't control, and it can be frustrating when you're on a road trip with all your accommodations booked.

Yeah. We’ve often had rain in the US (we’re the experts at getting rain on vacation ), but never three days in a row like we did in Norway in 2022... Fortunately, it’s such a beautiful country that you forget about the bad weather as soon as you can get back outside 😉

That’s why last summer, in the northwest US, I decided to shorten the route (we didn’t go to Hells Canyon or the Boise area) to spend more time at Mount Rainier and Bend. I wanted to maximize our chances of good weather for visiting Crater Lake and hiking at Mount Rainier.

That’s exactly what we did in 2019: 5 nights in Bend and 3 days at Mt. Rainier. We had bad weather in the Sunrise area, but we’d already done everything we wanted to do around Paradise, so it wasn’t a big deal. We’re doing the same thing this year: I booked 5 nights in Bend and 3 nights in Packwood. We’re hoping for better luck this time around for the Sunrise area, and we also want to visit the east side of Mt. St. Helens. You guys didn’t go to Mt. St. Helens, right?