I stayed on a few days longer and added two extra solo loops that weren't part of the pkanning pre-trip.;–
both required the use of the car ferry service to get out further west into the
Norwegian Sea. Vaeroya is 11 miles off
the SW point of lofoten, Rost is 28
miles off. Even on the big ferry one
could feel the growing influence of the swell which originates in the Atlantic
and which hadn’t been felt nearer the main island chain.
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| Rost chain Vaeroya |
Starting with Vaeroya,
Vaeroya was a strange mix of skeletal shaped rocky
cliffs and the odd low level plain just big enough for one village. Wild camping about 50 yds from the seldom
used asphalt runway on the NW corner (as recommended by the guidebook) was
quiet enough, and meant I had a first class view from the tent door back to the
single uninhabited rock lump of Mosken and behind that the very hill
(Hellsegga) that we’d climbed 10 days earlier on the crux of our north coast
run.
Once paddling the circumnav it was
the ocean swell meeting the islands SW point that gave the most challenging sea
conditions with clapotis and 4 ft primary swell. Saw eagles, puffins &
razorbills, an otter and another solitary seal during my 6 hours on the water.
And secondly, Rost. Now Rost is actually an island chain in itself – with the 3
outer isles being uninhabited nature reserves.
The main island is low lying and greatly splintered. Some of the islets have greater elevation
than the small harbour/village itself and certainly the reserve islands are great
big lumps of rock with serious cliffs and few landing spots. I came away with the impression that Rost is
probably well worth several days exploration by kayak rather than just the overnight
that I had.
My loop was from Faeroya (south
side of Rost) out west to Storfjellet, then across to round Sandoya &
Ellevsnyien, before then doing a complete loop of Rost itself. Weather varied from some mist / rain to
glorious sunshine but a little lumpy for getting the camera out. Took the ferry back from Rost to Bodo.
Finally my time in Lofoten was up. However on driving back across to Sweden (the
best roads are Baltic coast side after youve dodged the stray reindeer on the roads) I couldn’t resist a last paddle. On the map I spotted a lake that straddled the Arctic
Circle and so set myself up to wild camp there.
Brilliant laugh trying to paddle the line of the Circle across the
lake; evening sun, still water, a dram
or two, washed salt off my gear…. Then
two moose wandered by my camp as well; I failed to get a picture this time but enjoyed the moment.
What a trip. Paddling through life..... = Priceless.
Overall – Paddled = 513 kms
Walked = 6
hills
Cod suppers =
??
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1 comment:
What a great trip Stuart! I've good memories of Lofoten though on the occasions I've been thee it was ship based (working) and in winter/early spring
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