Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
4 The Lofoten Islands: The Soul of Norway
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Svolvær (southernmost point of the Lofoten): 280km (174 miles) N of Bodø; 1,425km (886 miles) NE of
Bergen; 1,250km (777 miles) N of Oslo
The island kingdom of Lofoten, one of the most beautiful regions of Norway,
lies 197km (123 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Its population of 35,000
spreads over large and small islands. Many visitors come just to fish, but the area
also offers abundant bird life and flora. The midnight sun shines from May 25
to July 7.
Hans Olsen, a local guide, told us, “If you are not already a poet by the time
you come here, you will be by the time you leave.” He was referring, of course,
to the area's beauty, the remoteness of the archipelago, and the mystical Arctic
light.
The Lofoten Islands stretch from Vågan in the east to Røst and Skomvaer
in the southwest. The steep Lofoten mountain peaks--often called the
Lofotwall--shelter farmland and deep fjords from the elements.
The major islands are
Austvågøy, Gimsøy, Vestvågøy, Flakstadøy, Moske-
nesøy, Vaerøy,
and
Røst.
The southernmost part of Norway's largest island,
Hinnøy, is also in Lofoten. Vestfjorden separates the major islands from the
mainland of Norway.
In winter the Gulf Stream makes possible the world's largest cod-fishing
event. Called
Lofotfisket,
it takes place between January and March, though it
dwindled in importance in the latter half of the 20th century. Arctic sea cod
spawn beyond Lofoten, and especially in the Vestfjord, and huge harvesting
operations are carried out between January and April.
The first inhabitants of the Lofoten Islands were nomads who hunted and
fished, but excavations show that agriculture existed here at least 4,000 years
ago. The Vikings pursued farming, fishing, and trading; examples of Viking
housing sites can be seen on Vestbågøya, where more than 1,000 burial mounds
have been found.
From the 14th century on, the people of Lofoten had to pay taxes to Bergen.
This was the beginning of an economic dominance lasting for 6 centuries--first
executed by the German Hansa tradesmen, and then by their Norwegian heirs.
Harsh treatment of local residents by the Nazis during the World War II
played a major part in the creation of the famous Norwegian resistance move-
ment. Allied forces, which landed here to harass the German iron-ore boats sail-
ing from Narvik, withdrew in June 1940. They evacuated as many Lofoten
residents as they could to Scotland for the duration of the war.
Today the Lofotens have modern towns with shops, hotels, restaurants, and
public transportation.
In addition to hotels, guesthouses, and campsites, the Lofoten Islands offer
lodging in old traditional fishing cottages known as
rorbuer.
The larger (often
two stories), usually more modern version, is a
sjøhus
(sea house). The traditional
rorbu
was built on the edge of the water, often on piles, with room for 10 bunks,
a kitchen, and an entrance hall used as a work and storage room. Many
rorbuer
Impressions
Mirages turn floating mountains topsy-turvy ahead of you and behind
your back, while whales are at play and birds are a'shrieking.
—Poet Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, 1869, describing the Lofoten Islands
