Three weeks in Norway (July 2022): fantastic memories despite the rain (page 5 of 6)

Hi Peggy. Thanks for this travel journal—it brings back great memories from summer 2023. 🙂 I spent three weeks there, especially to do a lot of hiking. I realize I was really lucky with the weather because the sun stuck around for good. If you want to check out my website, I’ve put together illustrated guides with photos for each hike: https://treksrandos.fr/lofoten/

Hi Cyril, Thanks for your message. I’ll definitely check out your website—sounds great!

Hi Christine,

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.

Glad my story could help!

I see you had variable weather—temperature-wise, did you get cold at times? Were the nights chilly? We’re planning to camp, hence my questions.

I mostly remember being cold at Trolltunga! Otherwise, no—actually, between 13 and 15°C is perfect for hiking! ;) It might’ve been chilly at night, but with a good sleeping bag, it should be no problem!

Day 19 Wednesday, July 27

Today’s plan was a hike of about 3 hours, just a 15-minute drive from Andenes. We were hoping to spot some birds along with the beautiful views. After that, we’d take the 5:00 PM ferry to Gryllefjord on Senja Island. We didn’t have a reservation for this ferry (it wasn’t possible to book one), so it was recommended to be at the dock 2 hours before departure.

Well, that was the plan on paper… But it rained all night, and the weather wasn’t supposed to improve. So, we left our accommodation around 11:00 AM and headed to the dock to queue for the midday ferry. We weren’t the first, but there weren’t too many people yet. We waited in the car, watching a series on the laptop. Then came the moment to board… for a crossing from hell!!

At first, everything was fine. We made sandwiches with leftovers and pesto (pesto that Calista still can’t eat today 😉) and had fun watching the water rise above the window level on the left, then the right. We laughed when a stronger sway sent the fridge and all its contents flying— the staff were surprised and laughed too, but the swaying got really intense. Eventually, the fridge was strapped down, and the snack area was closed.

It didn’t take long for the fun to wear off… Rough weather meant a small storm at sea. I couldn’t stay in the passenger lounge anymore—I needed air and ended up spending almost the entire crossing on the deck, in the rain, clinging to an icy railing and staring into the distance to try to fight off seasickness. At one point, I checked Google Maps to see where we were, and my mood hit rock bottom when I realized we were in the middle of the ocean, exactly halfway between Andenes and Gryllefjord. I thought it was going to be a long struggle to hold on until we arrived without throwing up… and of course, I didn’t make it! I made a nice offering overboard! 🤪

When we disembarked, I learned that Calista had been glued to a trash can, Yannick wasn’t feeling great either, and at least half the boat was in the same state… Meanwhile, Hugo was running around, going up and down, and having a blast!





What we found really awful was that there was no time to clean or air out the ship between our crossing and the next one. When we disembarked, the passengers from Gryllefjord were already ready to board… I can’t imagine the smells they must have encountered! 😄 Anyway, for us, the boat trip is over. We have less than an hour left to reach our accommodation. It’s still raining…

Hotel: Skagi Senja Hotel & Lodge in Senja 177 € Day’s Summary: Today, morale is low. Between the nightmarish crossing and the endless rain, we’re starting to feel down. We’ve already had to cancel several hikes and the whale-watching trip, and our return is just a few days away…

What I remember most is how cold it was at Trolltunga! Otherwise, no: actually, between 13 and 15°C is perfect for hiking !😉 It might have been cold at night, but with a good sleeping bag, it should be fine!

Thanks, Peggy. That’s reassuring 🙂 . Our sleeping bags were enough for Iceland, so they should work for Norway too. Have a good evening

You hadn’t been to Mt St Helens, if I remember right?

No, I would’ve loved to, but the road was blocked by a landslide. It must be open now, but it took them forever to clear, rebuild, and stabilize everything.

Oh bummer, no, Route 504 is still closed. It was supposed to reopen in 2025, but now it won’t be until 2026 at the earliest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices/?aid=80265

Oh darn, no, route 504 is still closed. It was supposed to reopen in 2025 but now it won’t be before 2026: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/giffordpinchot/alerts-notices/?aid=80265

Yeah, I saw that not long ago...🙁 They’re even talking about reopening in 2027 now, so even later... https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recreation/recarea/?recid=66100 But you can drive to the Hummocks trail parking lot, and from there you can hike the Boundary West Trail. We’ll see if we make it all the way to the Johnston Ridge Observatory or not (depending on the weather and the trail conditions—apparently there are some steep sections). The views of Mt. St. Helens from that side are absolutely stunning, so even though we’ve also planned the east side, I don’t want to skip the west side...

Day 20 Thursday, July 28

As the saying goes, "After the rain comes sunshine!"

This morning it's still raining, but by early afternoon the rain finally stops... With all that's fallen in the last 48 hours, we suspect the hiking trails are going to be in a pretty rough state... But no matter: we lace up our hiking boots and set off for Husfjellet (hike duration 4H30 – 7 km – 600 m elevation gain).

The great thing about staying at Skagi Senja Hotel & Lodge is that you can set off on foot directly from the cabin. The trailhead is just behind.

At the start, it feels like wild boars have been through—it's that muddy! The rest is a bit better, but our boots still end up taking on water! No big deal, we're just happy to be back in nature.

The views are stunning despite the clouds.









The color of the water changes as we climb.

Continuation of Day 20, Thursday, July 28





Once at the top, we had a beautiful view of Tungeneset.









We’re exhausted, but happy we’re heading back to the cabin. And to wrap up the day perfectly, we decide to eat at the lodge’s restaurant.

Continuation and end of Day 20, Thursday, July 28

After the meal, we set off for a short walk around the restaurant. The weather is pleasant, the views are beautiful… it makes us want to take the car and see more.





We first head right, toward Bøvær, where the road ends. We enjoy the beach for a little while.





Then we pass by the Skagi Senja Hotel & Lodge again and continue north. First stop at Steinfjord.

Next stop at Tungeneset, those rocky formations we saw from above during this afternoon’s hike.





We can’t go any farther—road 862 is under construction. Back to the cabin; it’s nearly 10:00 PM.

Hotel: Skagi Senja Hotel & Lodge in Senja 177 € Day’s summary: We felt like we were reborn after those rainy days… and we absolutely loved everything today!

Wow, great photos! The place looks so beautiful! I love those really steep mountains. They remind me of the Dolomites!

These jagged mountains are really beautiful. And with a little sunshine, I must admit it’s even more stunning.

Yeah, it’s really beautiful. We’d initially planned to head to northern Senja but ended up focusing on the Lofoten instead. Did you do the Segla hike?

Hi everyone!

So sorry—I meant to finish during the holidays, but they flew by... and now we’ve been back for two weeks already! 😉 I won’t keep you waiting much longer for the rest; I just have two more days to write up.

To Sylvie:

Bravo for the photos! The place looks gorgeous! I love those really steep mountains. They remind me of the Dolomites!

I’ll take your word for it 😉 The Dolomites were already planned twice (with accommodation booked and everything) and canceled twice! But I think the third time’s the charm!

Hi Cyril,

Effectively, it’s really beautiful. We’d initially planned to go to northern Senja but ended up focusing on the Lofoten. Did you do the Segla hike?

We didn’t exactly do the Segla hike—we opted to climb Hesten summit instead for a view of Segla. That’s what my next post is about, which I’m rushing to publish 😉

Day 21 Friday, July 29

We leave Skaland.

As mentioned the day before, road 862 is under construction, so we have to take a detour to reach Fjordgård. Instead of the initially planned 40 minutes, it takes us 1 hour and 40 minutes to get to the starting point of the last hike of the trip.

Stop at the Bergsbotn Platform.

The most famous hike in the area is climbing to the top of Segla. We chose to climb Hesten instead to get a view of Segla.

Once the parking fee is paid, we're off! As usual, our calves start burning right away! We take a break somewhere on the way up to have a picnic.

And there it is—here are the views we were waiting for! Segla, with a 300-meter drop on the left and 600 meters on the right.

But we're not yet at the top of Hesten, so we keep going!

Climbing up wasn’t just a figure of speech... it ended with us scrambling on all fours! But the view seemed even more spectacular 😎

View of Senjahopen, seaside

The descent on the other side was barely easier…

Continuation of Day 21, Friday, July 29 But once that section was behind us, the trail became more accessible again.





After this amazing final hike, we took our last ferry to Brensholmen. Nothing like our previous crossing—this time, it was under the sun, relaxing as we watched the landscapes go by.





Another hour’s drive, and we arrived at the end of our trip, in Tromsø.

Hesten Parking: 100 NOK Hotel: Clarion Collection in Tromsø, 287 € including breakfast and dinner buffet Day’s summary: We left Senja with regret—those two incredible hikes made us want to come back to the island.

Hello,

You’re really brave for hikes like that—I couldn’t do it with my fear of heights…😕 Too bad, because the scenery is absolutely stunning! Looking forward to reading the rest of your story

Really, really great. This gives me ideas for heading to the Lofoten Islands and even farther... 😉 🙂 🙂

Hi Peggy,

This hike in Hesten is amazing! It’s gorgeous. The viewpoints in Norway are hard-earned, but it’s totally worth the effort.

We got back from Tromsø two weeks ago. We were blown away 😎