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Lofoten Islands

The Lofoten archipelago lies to the north of the Arctic Circle, off the west coast of Norway, separated from the mainland by Vestfjord. From a distance, the islands look wild and inhospitable, a wall of mountains rising out of the sea, but they have been settled since the Stone Age, the inhabitants relying on fishing and agriculture as they still do today.

A land of great natural beauty

The landscapes of mainland Norway are breathtaking (and humbling) in their sheer grandeur, and those of the Lofoten Islands are no different. Another very striking feature is the proximity of the mountains to the coast, separated by just a very narrow belt of land. The scenery is very varied – rocky coves, sandy bays, skerries, mountains, moorland, marshes, forests – making the archipelago a delight to explore. Both summer and winter have their own special appeal. In summer, the landscapes, lit by the Midnight Sun from the end of May until mid-July, seem serene and majestic. In winter, everything seems so much more wild and untamed, with the sea pounding the shores and the Northern Lights illuminating the night skies.

Fishing

The sea dominates life on the Lofotens and many of the islands’ 24,500 inhabitants depend on it for their livelihood, either directly or indirectly. Haddock, herring, coalfish, plaice, halibut and squid can all be found in the waters off the islands, but the most important fish is the cod, which migrates from the Barents Sea. January, February, March and April are the principal months for cod fishing – this is the spawning season, when the fish head inwards towards the shore. Fishermen from all over North Norway come to the Lofotens to help with the fishing, creating a real bustle on the islands. The fish is either sold fresh, taken to be dried, processed to make cod liver oil, or used to make stockfish. (For the latter, the spawning cod is split open and left to dry in the sun without being salted. The main market nowadays for quality stockfish from the Lofotens is Italy.)

Life for the fishermen has traditionally been very hard. Added to the risk and freezing temperatures they faced every day was the fact that, from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, they had little control over their catches. The Hanseatic League first took control of the fish trade and exports in the Lofotens in the late 13th century. When its influence waned in the mid 18th century, local merchants rose to power and took control. They bought land along the coast and built numerous cabins, or rorbu (‘ror’ meaning fishing boat, and ‘bu’ to live), which they rented out to fishermen. Such cabins comprised a porch and a single room measuring 4x4 metres which served as both living quarters and workplace – fishermen would repair their nets and bait their lines here. Having been granted legal ‘ownership’ of the sea and its contents, the landlords were entitled to set the price at which they bought their tenants’ catch, a privilege that was often exploited. It wasn’t until the early 20th century, when fishermen began to form associations and assert their own power, that that of the squires declined and free trade was properly introduced.

Flora and fauna

The islands shelter much wildlife and in particular are a paradise for keen bird watchers, especially the southern islands of Røst and Værøy, which boast the largest colonies of birds. The most common species include seabirds such as razorbills, guillemots, cormorants, numerous species of gull, kittiwakes, eider ducks, fulmars, terns and puffins, and waders like herons and oystercatchers. Lofoten is home to some species of eagle, including the white-tailed eagle (the islands’ colony is one of the largest in the world) and the majestic grey sea eagle, whose wingspan measures almost 1.8 metres. In addition, many migrating birds can be spotted in spring and autumn.

Originally the islands were more densely forested, but many of the native birch forests were gradually destroyed to provide fuel and create space for pastureland. Marshes and peat bogs are a common feature of the landscape, the latter providing a habitat for cloud berries. These are orange-coloured, sweet-tasting berries that are considered something of a local delicacy, and as they reach a high price at sale, cannot be picked without the landowner’s permission. In centuries past, they were a precious commodity among fishermen and sailors not for their superior taste, but for the fact that they kept for a long time and were a good source of vitamin C, thus effective in preventing scurvy.

Along the coast, it is not uncommon to see traditional mountain plants such as purple saxifrage close to the shore next to sea pinks and other coastal plants. This is a result of the abundant light in summer and the fact that, due to the warm Gulf Stream influence, there are never extremes of temperature (average temperatures range between -1°C in the heart of winter and 12°C in summer).

We offer holidays to the island of Vestvågøy in both the summer and winter. Vestvågøy is one of the principal islands, offering excellent walking opportunities, some beautiful beaches and plenty of historical interest, including a reconstruction of the largest Viking banqueting hall that has ever been found, which was discovered on the island some years ago.

The Beyond the Arctic Circle Journey (available in both winter and summer) includes three nights on board the Hurtigruten Journey and four nights in a converted fisherman’s cottage on Vestvågøy. In summer, we also offer a week’s self-catering in a rorbu, and a grade 2 walking holiday, A Journey to Å.

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