UKC

Lofoten

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 Flicka 17 Sep 2008
I am planning a trip to Lofoten for next summer (probably mid to late June) and am after some info...

Mainly, if I am planning to spend say ten days there inc travelling days(for that matter, how long does it take to get from UK to said destination?), flying into Bodo, what's the best thing to do accommodation-wise? How far from Bodo is the main good VS and below climbing? Is it better to be based in one place and travel elsewhere each day or have a moveable base(i.e. camp and keep changing campsite).

Anyone who has been and can share useful info, would be appreciated. I did a UKC search and there was a little bit but nothing hugely informative (besides the suggestion that you can camp anywhere as long as it isn't someone's garden, that's useful to know ).

Cheers
Slugain Howff 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

Bodo is on the Norwegian mainland and is a short flight or a 5 hourish ferry ride from the Lofoten Islands so it is not the ideal base for climbing there.

There is a good bus service on the Islands if you need to move around.

The red fish workers huts (rorbuer) are rented out in summer and can be cost effective if there are a few of you.

For further inspiration

http://www.ukclimbing.com/photos/author.html?id=41696
 beermonkey 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

We flew to Tromso and drove across to Lofoten which seemed a good option when there for two weeks. We just camped at the free (Yes, free!) campsite at Kalle (see the rockfax guide for details), which I would recommed, especially if you use the local supermarket, climbers cafe etc. for when you need the loo!

As far as climbing goes there isn't a massive amount to go at below VS I would say so I'd make sure you're solid at VS and you'll have plenty to go at.

Any queries don't hesitate to shout, must get round to putting some pics on here.
Removed User 18 Sep 2008
Removed User 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Slugain Howff:

Did you do any climbing around Reine?
Slugain Howff 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Removed User:

Unfortunately I was on my own in Johnnie No-mates mode so was resticted to picking off some of the peaks and scrambling. I'm back there next summer for sure.
OP Flicka 18 Sep 2008
In reply to all:

Thanks, all! As you can tell, my knowledge of this is very limited. Am working on it though!!
 TobyA 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka: Just get the Rockfax guide - its got the answer to all your questions in it and it's a great book. I've nearly finished a review of it for UKC, so hopefully soonish you'll be able to read all about the book.
 TobyA 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Removed User:


The no bolt ethic was never completely true (bolted ab stations in various place back in the 90s) and now isn't true at all. Mates spent a week of their two week trip there this summer just sport climbing, and they are pretty keen so don't slack! They were climbing up to 7a.
 HeMa 18 Sep 2008
In reply to TobyA:

Well, even I managed to spend a day clipping bolts in Lofoten...

And to be honest, Eggum is a world class sport crag... Perfect tufas, pockets and nice sloping edges... on granit!!!!
OP Flicka 18 Sep 2008
In reply to TobyA:

Oh I'm planning to at soonest possible occasion (when money allows...hopefully soon, as new job is just kicking off...), wouldn't dream of going there without it tbh!
 TobyA 18 Sep 2008
In reply to HeMa: Yeah. I heard the same from my mates, and I think NJ who posts on here also said it was very good.
XXXX 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

When I went time was more valuable than money and it takes FOREVER to get anywhere with public transport. There's one ferry a day, or one bus a day blah blah.

You can fly direct to Svolvaer from Bodo for about the same price as the ferry and it takes 20 minutes. There are quite a few flights a day. The company is wideroe, just google for it. I think they fly direct from a few UK airports too. The views are also absolutely incredible and worth it even as a tourist flight. Hire cars are expensive when you get there but I think worth it, just make sure you drop it off at the same place you picked it up. There's a hire car place at Svolvaer airport, aswell as a few others. I used Carhire3000 for the cheapest rates.

Er... ooh, you can hire bikes too.

I didn't do any climbing so can't comment. The rorbus are good. I stayed in one in Henningsvaer that slept two, had a kitchen and a bathroom between two cabins. It was about £40 per night IIRC. I didn't camp so again, can't comment.

Norway, is VERY expensive. Take booze with you.


 JuliaH 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

Camped at a place mentioned in the new rockfax.... can't remember the name (began with an L?) but it was a well equipped tent/ caravan site off the main road from Svolvaer- (you drive past the main left turning to Henningsvaer, and its a couple of miles round the coast on your left.) It had proper facilities, hired out fishing equipment and wasn't too much more than posh campsites over here.
There was also a fishing cabin available- (to the right of the site location) which had bunk rooms, shared bathroom, kitchen and living area, which I think was incredibly cheap for Norway- only £20-30 per night and we just turned up without notice in early June. We used this in the end as it pee'd down/ had gale force winds for most of our trip, so camping was just too miserable.
Transport- good to have a car if it rains and even if its dry its great to have a look around- lovely little beaches north west (?) of Svolvaer as well as the better known places further south. If its wet and you're bored- theres a cool glass blowing place somewhere south- 1-2hrs drive, we did alot of driving about!

We flew- Aberdeen- Stavanger- Oslo- Bodo- Svolvaer, a long day.... It mentions a 15kg bag weight limit on the Wideroe planes but we had way over that and never got charged etc.
Theres a tourist office in Svolvaer on the main town square who were quite helpful- had maps, and theres an internet access in a shop/ cafe in the same area too should you need it.
 beermonkey 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

Forgot to mention, if you fly to Tromso with Norwegian for an extra couple of Euros you can get 40kg each baggage allowance! We camped in style! It also means you can take pleny of food with you as it's very expensive over there.
 beermonkey 18 Sep 2008
In reply to all:

Also, has anyone managed the walk from the Paradiset area to Henningsvaer along the coast? We gave up after about 3 hours and a distance of a about two miles as the crow flies, after falling/slipping/hurling ourselves up/over/through all kinds of boulders and foliage!
 GrahamD 18 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

If I went again, I would certainly travel lighter and wouldn't bother with the squalor of camping - I would use one of the bunkhouses (the added bonus is that you are more likely to cook for yourself than head to the bar). Some of the camping areas are OK but they are pretty exposed when its wet and windy.
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 18 Sep 2008
In reply to beermonkey:
> (In reply to all)
>
> Also, has anyone managed the walk from the Paradiset area to Henningsvaer along the coast? We gave up after about 3 hours and a distance of a about two miles as the crow flies, after falling/slipping/hurling ourselves up/over/through all kinds of boulders and foliage!

Colin did it this summer - three hours - east to west. He said there was a lot of boulder scrambling, plus some bit of fixed rope on steeper/more slippery sections. He reckoned if you got the tides wrong it could be very tricky.


Chris
 El Greyo 19 Sep 2008
In reply to GrahamD:

I think we were incredibly lucky with the weather. We camped for two weeks and at the end we all felt we would have missed out if we'd stayed in a bunkhouse. Being outside in such wonderful scenery and all that daylight was an integral part of the trip.

Mind you, if it had pissed down for two weeks we might have felt differently.


To the OP. We flew Heathrow-Oslo-Bodo then got the ferry to Svolvaer all in one day. On the way back we had to stay one night in Bodo but that was alright.

We camped at Kalle, it's free which in an expensive place like Norway makes a difference. There was a good climber's community there and it was good to meet climbers from lots of different places (although mainly Sweden). We found having a hire car pretty much essential.

We stayed at Kalle and climbed around there and Henningsvaer most of the time but also had a trip out west to Raine area for a couple of days. The mountains there are spectacular and we stayed one night in the Munkabu hut tucked away in the mountains. Sadly we didn't have good weather but it was definitely worth it (I would have had a few more days there if I'd had my way).

The Rockfax guide is great and will pretty much answer all your questions about logistics.
 Scomuir 19 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:
We flew to Narvik rather than Bodo, and picked up a hire car. Camped for the whole 2 weeks, but we had stunning weather. Definitely recommend the hire car. We had a VW Golf I think, and managed the whole trip on one tank of diesel, and we drove about a fair bit.

Many of the campsites are set up more for camper vans, but generally the facilities were great.
 GrahamD 19 Sep 2008
In reply to El Greyo:

We drove past the campsite in driving rain. A couple of tattered tents and an overflowing bog persuaded us to carry on driving ! We pitched near Gandalf, which is at least an easy walk to the bar. The weather was a bit in and out when we were there but I imagine it can be diabolical if it wants to be.
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 19 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:
> I am planning a trip to Lofoten for next summer (probably mid to late June) and am after some info...
>
> Mainly, if I am planning to spend say ten days there inc travelling days(for that matter, how long does it take to get from UK to said destination?), flying into Bodo, what's the best thing to do accommodation-wise? How far from Bodo is the main good VS and below climbing? Is it better to be based in one place and travel elsewhere each day or have a moveable base(i.e. camp and keep changing campsite).
>
> Anyone who has been and can share useful info, would be appreciated. I did a UKC search and there was a little bit but nothing hugely informative (besides the suggestion that you can camp anywhere as long as it isn't someone's garden, that's useful to know ).
>
> Cheers

See - I told you that you would get better answers on here!


Chris
 Tall Clare 20 Sep 2008
In reply to Flicka:

hello

I was talking to someone today who's just been to Lofoten - she and a friend managed it for under £300 each for the whole holiday, which I thought was a bargain! They flew into Oslo, then had a 17 hour train journey and a couple of other jumps to get to Lofoten. They had five or six days of climbing, they ate very very basic food, and they wild camped. No alcohol, obviously. The girl I was talking to said it was just amazing!

dunno if any of this is of use, but I thought it was great to hear about people doing it on a super-slim budget.
 gdp 23 Sep 2008
In reply to Tall Clare:
Was just looking at my photos from a trip there in 05 then I saw the thread. We did 2 weeks for about £300 each all up, fly to Oslo Torp, train to Bodo then boat to Lofoten. Took a few days each way, but added to the feel of the trip. We camped at the youth hostel in Kablesbad, which was a couple of £ a night, but we could use all the YH cooking & drying facilities. We tended to walk to Svolvear or Paradiset (and climbed mixed route scrambles above the village) and used the bus to get everywhere else. For food we ate cheep from the supermarket and made use of the abundant natural supplies. Take a fishing rod and you'll feast for free!

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