The Lofoten Islands: western sister of the Ofoten, Northern Norway’s proud “seawall,” 3 billion years old (not a typo). The jagged islands of the Lofoten are among the oldest mountains in the world. And yet, they are relatively unknown.
Fortunately, that gives us the chance to sail undisturbed from one beautiful spot to the next rugged cliff, to visit desolate villages, and to feel ‘alone in the world’ for a while.
The Lofoten Islands weren’t connected to the mainland by a bridge until 2007. But fishermen and hunters lived in the area centuries ago. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the climate here is relatively mild and birds are plentiful.
From the 5th century onwards, the Lofoten and the islands to the north—the Vesterålen and Senja—were a Viking stronghold. From here, they controlled almost all the lands around the North Atlantic and large parts of mainland Europe, as far as Istanbul.
Brilliant shipbuilders and sailors settled on the islands and built settlements there. On a peninsula just north of Harstad, justice was administered and parliament met during the Viking Age. Fans of Viking history can visit the church built on that site when we stop in Harstad.
What perhaps characterizes the Lofoten most are the rorbuer, the typical red wooden houses and fishermen’s huts, along with the endless racks where cod hangs to dry. The rorbuer stand with their ‘legs’ in the water, making it easy for fishermen to pull alongside with their boats to deliver their day’s catch to the hut.
The cod hangs on racks in the open air to dry all winter long. Before you can eat it, you have to ‘beat’ the fish well so it becomes flexible again.
During our sailing trips along the Lofoten and Vesterålen, we’ll definitely see a number of rorbuer and several stockfish racks. Some rorbuer are set up as museums, small cafes, or shops (or all three at once), where stockfish will likely be for sale as a snack for those interested.
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Experience the Highlights of the Lofoten and the Vestfjorden in the summer!
Or how about spending Midsummer Night in the Lofoten?
