UKC

So tickets are booked, guide book has arrived (wow this place looks wild) last few questions:

Do I need tape gloves? Granite cracks tend to be maulers, if we're doing 400 meter routes, is it worth taping up?

Where's the best place to stay, all the cabins i've found seem to be 700 Krona a night? Is this because it's peak season? they all look quite posh, has anyone found any more dirt bag cabins to stay in? .. or is camping the way to go?

any tips and tricks?

In reply to Kemics: Just returned from Lofoten - you are in for a treat! With good hand placements, no need for tape in my opinion. In fact, tape is for wimps. We spent several days jamming cracks and all you get are some scrapes and small cuts. Saying that, others out there were all taped up, so it's a personal choice I guess.

Lots of camping sites out there and wild-camping is no problem. Just be aware that if it's a sunny day, your tent is going to be an oven by 5:30am due to the 24hr sun.

Plan your days around the weather and when the sun hits your chosen crags. Again, because of the constant daylight, it's fine to set out on a long route at any time of day or night if the weather conditions are right.

Pretty much everything is expensive in Norway, but well worth it. Enjoy.

In reply to Kemics: Sorry, forgot to mention possible accommodation... We stayed here: www.orsvag.no

They have cabins, but no idea of pricing as we camped and someone else booked it all. Looked pretty basic.

Right next door is Sandvika camping as well.

In reply to Kemics:

No need for tape gloves; most of the routes aren't that long (assuming you're sticking to the classics anyway - the only long route we did out there was Vestpillaren, the rest were generally <5 pitches long) and the granite is quite fine grained.

Camp by the beach at Kalle. Basic (you get a pit toilet and a tap) but it's free. If you need a shower, go and ask at the tourist information in Svolvaer and they'll point you in the right direction.

In reply to chrisdevon:


Good point - buy a bottle of whisky in duty free on the way out then you can drink it when it rains, or when you're driven to sitting in the car because your campsite's been overrun by Czechs with guitars and bugles (as happened to us).

In reply to Kemics:

The cracks are not bad we were there for 3 weeks and definitely no need for tape.

re cabins we got a cabin at bobilcamp a few miles up the road from Henningsvaar. Lovely cabin on the edge of the sea and then we stayed in rooms at the same place with shared kitchen and lounge. I liked them both and the rooms are between 200 and 400kr per day.

Link enclosed to the website with prices
http://eng.lofoten-bobilcamping.no/public.aspx?pageid=41279

If you hire a car just watch that you keep to the speed limits that the police are rigorous in enforcing. some friends got a £200 fine one day and I totally ignored their advice and got a £500 fine the next day for doing 60kph in a 40kph area.

Have a good time its a magical place.

In reply to Pagan:

Unfortunately he's coming via Finland so they'll be no chance for that, but even though wine is not super cheap here (Finland) it's much cheaper than Norway, so you can shop in the last Alko stores in Finnish Lapland if you're there at the right time.

I'd disagree with there being no need for tape glove - make a pair on the first day and they easily last you a week. I think you climb more confidently, securely and most importantly - much faster with them on. I definitely do. If you're climbing lots of hand cracks each day, even if the backs of your hands aren't getting cut (the granite isn't particularly rough) mine at least get bruised, and it can be painful to do it day after day. There's no disadvantage to using gloves, only advantages to my mind.

In reply to Kemics:

I think the cheap cabins at Sandvika/Orvagvaer are around 350NOK a night, they will sleep four at a squeeze, better that camping in the rain. You can usually negotiate a decent discount of you are stopping for more that a couple of nights.

Chris

In reply to Kemics: Yes tape up and camping is free.

In reply to Kemics:

http://eng.lofoten-bobilcamping.no/

This is an excellent and cheap (cheaper than most UK) campsite, convenient (a few minutes by car) for the most popular (and busiest!) crags. Crucially it has a couple of kitchens included in the price where you can cook, eat and sit comfortably out of any rain. Rowing boats for fishing are also included and motorised ones can be hired. More of a fishing then climbing scene, but perhaps that's no bad thing. Highly recommended.

Brilliant, thanks for all the responses everyone!

Plan is the camp the first few days and see how we find it and then maybe move into cabins for rest days so it's a bit more relaxing

Last question! What do you do for laundry?

In reply to Kemics:

The tourist toilet in Henningsvaer (the handicapped one) offers hot water and some hand laundry detergent isn't that expensive (Y3 or something). So wash the clothes there.

Although if you are staying in one of the better camping grounds, I do believe that they have laundry machines.

In reply to Kemics:

All the campsites have very civilised washrooms/showers.


Chris

okay..really last question this time

What do you do for money? Is there anyway of getting currency out in Lofoten from an ATM or something? Or is my best bet to buy a trip's worth of Krone before I head out

thanks!

In reply to Kemics: ATMs in every town and village in my experience - there might even be one in Henningvaer, whilst Svolvaer is a reasonable size and has a number from what I remember. You can also pay by card just about everywhere, although with exchange fees etc that might not be the cheapest way.

In reply to Kemics:

There is an ATM by the Coop in Kabelvåg and several in Svolvaer. It is Norway not Patagonia!


Chris

PS It IS expensive though, especially eating out and booze.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

BTW cheapest place to shop is Rema or Rimi (a bit Aldi like' but higher prices!) - look for own brand stuff, bread £2-4 loaf, milk £2 0.5L, - home grown fruit/veg quite reasonable, imported stuff much more pricey. Jarlsberg cheese is good value.

Take/buy a fishing rod - the causeway across Djupfjord is always a good bet, as the tide turns.


Chris