The Route to the North Cape - Norway - page 408

These Boots Are Made for Walking
We recommend specific walks or hikes that we've found enjoyable in the
following pages. But know that the entire archipelago of the Lofoten
Islands was made for walking or hiking. In places, you'll make your way
along lakes dark as peat, and past fields of delectable yellow-orange Arc-
tic cloudberries. Or you'll pass bilberries, while taking in fields of reindeer
moss and sea eagles flying overhead. Perhaps you'll even come across the
most characteristic animal of the north (other than reindeer)—the stately
moose.
You can wander field, hill, and dale, even climb a mountain. Also
rewarding are walks along the rugged coast, past dwarf willow trees and
mountain ash. In some parts of the Lofotens, especially Moskenesøy,
you'll discover the ruins of deserted villages. In these cases, the sea
proved too harsh a place to make a living, and the inhabitants finally
threw in the fishing net and moved on.

Moments

today are still simple and unpretentious, but some have electricity, a woodstove,
a kitchenette with a sink, and running water. Others have been outfitted with
separate bedrooms, private showers, and toilets. The best and most convenient
booking agent is Destination Lofoten (see “Visitor Information,” below).
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE On the eastern coast of Austvågøy, Svolvær is the largest
town on the archipelago's largest island. It lacks the charm of the island's other
fishing communities, but nothing tops it as a refueling stop. The port is a bit
dull, but its surroundings of craggy backdrops and sheltered bays form a dra-
matic Lofoten backdrop. From Bodø, drive east on Route 80 to Fauske. Take E6
north to Ulvsvåg, and head southwest on Route 81 toward the town of Skutvik.
From Skutvik, take the 2-hour ferry to Svolvær. For ferry information and reser-
vations, contact Lofotens og Vesterålens Dampskibsselskab A/S (also known
as “DDF”) ( & 94-89-73-34 for a dialogue with the boat captains themselves,
or 81-03-00-00; www.oves.no) for reservations and information. Passengers
without cars pay 65NOK ($9.25) each way for passage to Svolvær from Skutvik.
One-way transport of a car with its driver costs 222NOK ($32).
You can fly to Svolvær on Widerøe Airline, which has seven flights a day
from Bodø. For information, call & 75-51-35-00 in Bodø, or & 76-04-60-00
in Svolvær for reservations, or visit www.wideroe.no.
You can also travel the Lofotens by using a combination of rail, bus, and ferry.
Many visitors take a train to Bodø, and then transfer to a bus that crosses from
Bodø to Svolvær on a ferry. Most bus departures from Bodø are timed to coin-
cide with the arrival of trains from Oslo, Bergen, and other points. Buses also
take passengers from elsewhere in Norway to Ulvsvåg, then on to Skutvik, where
you can board a ferry to Svolvær. For information on train-bus-ferry connec-
tions, contact Destination Bodø Office ( & 75-54-80-00 ).
A coastal steamer, departing from Bodø at 3pm daily, also calls at Stamsund
and Svolvær.
VISITOR INFORMATION Contact Destination Lofoten, Box 210,
N-8301 Svolvær ( & 76-07-30-00; [e-mail]), on the harbor-
front in a big red building right in the middle of town square. It's open July to