inspirationsmag_19/norway

GO WILD

WITH MATRIX

The Lofoten Islands, Norway

contents

Sense of adventure

DESTINATIONS

A trip through the bleak yet irresistible northern Norwegian mountain world

The pure joy we feel when we see the massive mountain peaks and the emerald blue ocean is indescribable. Everything that makes a person to fall in love with travelling can be found here. Freedom, simplicity and the barren mountain ranges. Lofoten is the destination we have longed to see again and now, at last, we would return for a visit.

Ahead of us lied yet another spectacular journey to Lofoten by motorhome. It was early April – the first time we had ever visited the place at this time of year. Over the course of our trip, we discovered that this was definitely the right decision to make. As the Northern Lights brightened the dark evening skies and the beaming sunshine greeted us during the days, we enjoyed by far the finest travelling experience in the somewhat bleak yet mythical environment. Visiting Lofoten in early spring means not only seeing the snow-covered ground and mountain peaks and feeling a chill in the air, but also enjoying blue skies and roads empty of tourists. Our last time here was in August, when the grass was green, the sea almost swimmable and the hiking trails featured a number of tourists, who were still frequenting the area. If you would like to visit Lofoten when the number of visitors is at its lowest, you need to get here in early spring or late autumn. The peak tourist season is in the middle of summer, when the area showcases its highlights and the local businesses stay open for visitors. During the 200-km trip from Å in the south to Svolvaer in the north, one can find everything from the tiny picturesque fishing villages to broad, sweeping beaches. Here you can experience spectacular hiking whilst also spotting eagles sailing high in the sky, all that combined with peaceful coffee breaks enjoyed on a dock or extraordinary culinary experiences taken under the midnight sun and the Northern Lights. Anyone who appreciates the nature, the sea, exquisite cuisine and a tranquil environment has to visit this place at least once in their lifetime. The best and easiest way to explore Lofoten is by car and if you, like us, have a motorhome, it will give you a wonderful perspective and plenty of opportunities to spend the night in the most stunningly beautiful places. During our week at Lofoten, we not only returned to a few of our favourite spots, we also discovered some new destinations. We visited the glass blower in Vikten, went on a fishing trip and took long walks along the beach. Our motorhome was parked just a few metres from the water in Kabelvåg, which is where we experienced a Northern Lights display for the first time. On one of the days, we stopped outside Reine and simply soaked in the view while looking for ospreys high in the sky. We believe that one of the benefits of traveling by a motorhome is being able to cook and eat meals prepared from the local ingredients and then enjoy the peace and tranquility of the area. Some days, we drove long stretches by crossing bridges, traversing alongside massive fjords, and smelling the slightly pungent odour of thousands of cod fish pieces hanged out to dry in the sun. Fishing boats waiting to head out to the sea would rest side by side in rows at small fishing hovels, while the seagulls produced their unmistakable screeches in wait for their meal of scraps. Those days filled us with joy and happiness. However, there are still many more places to visit, and once we left Lofoten, we were already longing to go back.

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Ahead of us lied yet another spectacular journey to Lofoten by motorhome. It was early April – the first time we had ever visited the place at this time of year. Over the course of our trip, we discovered that this was definitely the right decision to make. As the Northern Lights brightened the dark evening skies and the beaming sunshine greeted us during the days, we enjoyed by far the finest travelling experience in the somewhat bleak yet mythical environment. Visiting Lofoten in early spring means not only seeing the snow-covered ground and mountain peaks and feeling a chill in the air, but also enjoying blue skies and roads empty of tourists. Our last time here was in August, when the grass was green, the sea almost swimmable and the hiking trails featured a number of tourists, who were still frequenting the area. If you would like to visit Lofoten when the number of visitors is at its lowest, you need to get here in early spring or late autumn. The peak tourist season is in the middle of summer, when the area showcases its highlights and the local businesses stay open for visitors. During the 200-km trip from Å in the south to Svolvaer in the north, one can find everything from the tiny picturesque fishing villages to broad, sweeping beaches. Here you can experience spectacular hiking whilst also spotting eagles sailing high in the sky, all that combined with peaceful coffee breaks enjoyed on a dock or extraordinary culinary experiences taken under the midnight sun and the Northern Lights. Anyone who appreciates the nature, the sea, exquisite cuisine and a tranquil environment has to visit this place at least once in their lifetime. The best and easiest way to explore Lofoten is by car and if you, like us, have a motorhome, it will give you a wonderful perspective and plenty of opportunities to spend the night in the most stunningly beautiful places. During our week at Lofoten, we not only returned to a few of our favourite spots, we also discovered some new destinations. We visited the glass blower in Vikten, went on a fishing trip and took long walks along the beach. Our motorhome was parked just a few metres from the water in Kabelvåg, which is where we experienced a Northern Lights display for the first time. On one of the days, we stopped outside Reine and simply soaked in the view while looking for ospreys high in the sky. We believe that one of the benefits of traveling by a motorhome is being able to cook and eat meals prepared from the local ingredients and then enjoy the peace and tranquility of the area. Some days, we drove long stretches by crossing bridges, traversing alongside massive fjords, and smelling the slightly pungent odour of thousands of cod fish pieces hanged out to dry in the sun. Fishing boats waiting to head out to the sea would rest side by side in rows at small fishing hovels, while the seagulls produced their unmistakable screeches in wait for their meal of scraps. Those days filled us with joy and happiness. However, there are still many more places to visit, and once we left Lofoten, we were already longing to go back.

Sense of adventure

DESTINATIONS

A trip through the bleak yet irresistible northern Norwegian mountain world

The pure joy we feel when we see the massive mountain peaks and the emerald blue ocean is indescribable. Everything that makes a person to fall in love with travelling can be found here. Freedom, simplicity and the barren mountain ranges. Lofoten is the destination we have longed to see again and now, at last, we would return for a visit.

Ahead of us lied yet another spectacular journey to Lofoten by motorhome. It was early April – the first time we had ever visited the place at this time of year. Over the course of our trip, we discovered that this was definitely the right decision to make. As the Northern Lights brightened the dark evening skies and the beaming sunshine greeted us during the days, we enjoyed by far the finest travelling experience in the somewhat bleak yet mythical environment. Visiting Lofoten in early spring means not only seeing the snow-covered ground and mountain peaks and feeling a chill in the air, but also enjoying blue skies and roads empty of tourists. Our last time here was in August, when the grass was green, the sea almost swimmable and the hiking trails featured a number of tourists, who were still frequenting the area. If you would like to visit Lofoten when the number of visitors is at its lowest, you need to get here in early spring or late autumn. The peak tourist season is in the middle of summer, when the area showcases its highlights and the local businesses stay open for visitors. During the 200-km trip from Å in the south to Svolvaer in the north, one can find everything from the tiny picturesque fishing villages to broad, sweeping beaches. Here you can experience spectacular hiking whilst also spotting eagles sailing high in the sky, all that combined with peaceful coffee breaks enjoyed on a dock or extraordinary culinary experiences taken under the midnight sun and the Northern Lights. Anyone who appreciates the nature, the sea, exquisite cuisine and a tranquil environment has to visit this place at least once in their lifetime. The best and easiest way to explore Lofoten is by car and if you, like us, have a motorhome, it will give you a wonderful perspective and plenty of opportunities to spend the night in the most stunningly beautiful places. During our week at Lofoten, we not only returned to a few of our favourite spots, we also discovered some new destinations. We visited the glass blower in Vikten, went on a fishing trip and took long walks along the beach. Our motorhome was parked just a few metres from the water in Kabelvåg, which is where we experienced a Northern Lights display for the first time. On one of the days, we stopped outside Reine and simply soaked in the view while looking for ospreys high in the sky. We b elieve that one of the benefits of traveling by a motorhome is being able to cook and eat meals prepared from the local ingredients and then enjoy the peace and tranquility of the area. Some days, we drove long stretches by crossing bridges, traversing alongside massive fjords, and smelling the slightly pungent odour of thousands of cod fish pieces hanged out to dry in the sun. Fishing boats waiting to head out to the sea would rest side by side in rows at small fishing hovels, while the seagulls produced their unmistakable screeches in wait for their meal of scraps. Those days filled us with joy and happiness. However, there are still many more places to visit, and once we left Lofoten, we were already longing to go back.