The Route to the North Cape - Norway - page 421

with Leknes, Stamsund, and Svolvær. Leknes, for example, lies 55km (34 miles)
to the east.
Lofotens og Vesterålens Dampskibsselskab ( & 76-96-76-00, or reserva-
tions 81-03-00-00; www.oves.no), runs car ferries between Bodø and Moskenes,
taking 3 hours and costing 455NOK ($65) per vehicle and driver.
The village of Moskenes with its ferry terminal is a mere refueling stop. You
can stop in for information and guidance at the Fiskevaersferie Lofoten tur-
istkontoret ( & 76-09-15-99 ), at the harbor. Hours from mid-June to mid-
August are daily from 10am to 7pm. In early June and late August it is open
Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm.
SEEING THE SIGHTS
Directly east of Moskenes lies the village of Reine , one of the most scenically
located in the Lofoten, its little timber houses set against the panorama of
seascapes. Midnight Sun cruises often set out from here in summer from
late May to mid-July. Tours cost 625NOK ($89) and last 6 hours. Ask about
tickets at the Moskenes tourist office (see above).
There are many rorbuer colonies here, since these fishermen's cottages are
rented out to summer visitors, many of whom book for a week or two.
Reine's tranquil lagoon, set against a backdrop of mountain pinnacles, has
appeared on many a postcard. For the ultimate panorama, you can climb up to
the summit of Reinebringen at 670m (2,198 ft.), one of our favorite walks in
the area.
You can also ask at Moskenes about 5-hour tours, costing 500NOK ($71),
and leaving Reine twice daily Friday to Sunday in summer. They'll take you to
the turbulent Moskestraumen , the strait that separates Moskenesøy from
the offshore island of Vaerøy. First written about by Pytheas 2,000 years ago,
these wicked straits also inspired nautical tales by Edgar Allan Poe and Jules
Verne. Mariners claim that they are the “world's most dangerous waters,” yet
they attract marine mammals and thousands of seabirds, which can be observed
on these organized boat tours.
Lying 3km (2 miles) from Reine is Sakrisøy, which is called the “Lilliput of
Lofoten fishing villages.” If you want to overnight on Moskenesøy, this would
make the best base. In what used to be a barn filled with sheep and cows, you
will find Dagmars Dukke og Legetøy Museum ( & 76-09-21-43 ), in the cen-
ter of Sakrisøy. In this “journey back to childhood,” a local woman has collected
more than 2,500 dolls from all over, including antique teddy bears and some
historic toys dating from 1860 and beyond. It's open June to August daily from
10am to 8pm, and in May and September Saturday and Sunday noon to 5pm.
Admission is 45NOK ($6.40) for adults and 25NOK ($3.55) for children.
You'll reach the hamlet of Å at the end of E10, and from here the only road
to take is back to Svolvær. The little fishing village of Å is the setting of the
Norsk Fiskevaermuseum ( & 76-09-14-88 ), Lofoten's most intriguing fishing
museum founded in 1987. Nothing brings alive the role of a Lofoten fisherman
like this museum, which covers a boathouse, Norway's oldest cod-liver oil fac-
tory, the homes of fishermen, a rorbu cabin, and a 150-year-old bakery, plus
exhibits on coastal farming in the Arctic. You can also visit a smithy who still
makes cod liver oil lamps. Admission is 40NOK ($5.70) for adults and 30NOK
($4.25) for children. Hours are late June to late August daily from 10am to 6pm,
or Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm in the off season.
Close by is Norsk Torrfiskmuseum ( & 76-09-12-11 ), a museum devoted to
stockfish, at which you'll learn more than you might ever want to know about