Vågan Church, aka The Lofoten Cathedral

There are a few places I’ve visited where the reality exceeds the promotional photographs - Iona, parts of the Ross of Mull and North Glen Sannox on Arran. I can now add the Lofoten archipelago.

We started the day with a short walk around Solvæv to get our bearings and locate the supermarket for picnic lunches. I bought a flask annoyed that I hadn’t realised the Scandic Hotel, whilst pretty basic does provide free tea and coffee for picnics, and indeed through the day. It will replace my Ikea one at home which keeps liquids warm for about an hour.
We departed around 9.45 in two groups, one doing what seemed to me a demanding ridge walk that involved holding onto to a rope and some fantastic views from the summit of Tjeldbergentinden. I opted for the easier walk and found it perfect, similar views and a leisurely pace that gave us plenty of time to stop and stare. We took the local bus to Kabelvåg visiting the Lutheran Cathedral of Lofoten, one of Norway’s largest churches and primarily used by the fishing community, tourism is second, by quite a margin, in the area’s economy.

Thereafter we followed tracks with some rocky ascent and descent to the shores of Litlkongsvatnet and back to Svolvær.

The extras are the lake and Svolvær.