Swimming above the arctic circle

A fine last day in a magnificent week of walking in Lofoten. Both groups took the local ferry to Skrova Island which in season is a whaling island gradually being replaced by salmon farming and processing. It is dominated by Hogskrova which to summit involved a small leap/step across an exposed area which I wasn’t keen to experience. I joined the easier group and we had a standout day visiting several of the chalk white beaches and having long stops so we could swim, glorious. I wouldn’t have believed that swimming 100 miles north of the arctic circle could be so delightful, and it wasn’t bone chilling cold so you could have far more than just a dook.

The extras are the bus shelter beside the ferry port, and an example of one of the many traditional racks for drying cod. This one was one of the longest I’ve seen and in the fishing season from January to April would be crammed full of fish.

We have been incredibly lucky with the weather and in having two excellent UK based guides one of whom has lived and worked in Norway and know the Lofoten area intimately.

Over dinner we waited for the daily Hurtigruten coastal express to arrive in the harbour a few metres away from the dining room. Terribly tempting to return in the winter and experience the blue twilight hours and see this extraordinary landscape in a different way in a different season.