I LOVE LOFOTEN: A Perfect Destination for Families and an Outdoor Lover’s Paradise!
I am a lover of places. Ever since I started to ride my bike long distances I felt myself drawn to certain views, towns or the overall spirit of a place. It happened in the Monadnock Region where I grew up, The Finger Lakes where I went to school, Ireland where my father’s roots are and Italy where I traveled and started my 21 year old company Ciclismo Classico that focuses around exploring and deepening a love of place. In Italy I have even refined this love to two particularly beautiful places: Tuscany, where I lived for three years and The Island of Sardinia, where I have cycled around and savored its beautiful warm sea. Tuscany is not only beautiful but it’s charming and familiar. I know it better than I know my own backyard; all of the tiny villages always brings me back to a time when I felt completely free and excited to explore every road on my Touring Club Italiano map. Sardinia, on the other hand, is a soulful place where I feel my spirit soar with adventure. There are so many roads that I want to experience, I want to fly away on.
This past summer I have added the first non-Italy, non-NE place to “Places I love”. Thanks to the sponsorship of the Innovation Norway, my family and I traveled to Norway’s Lofoten Islands above the Artic circle and I fell in love all over again! This incredible place is simply one of the most gorgeous places I have ever been! It’s green, sculpted soaring mountains everywhere, tiny fishing hamlets, abundant museums, winding roads, the serenading sea birds, constantly changing, 24 hour light and ever changing coastline has rooted itself in my heart. Personally I felt completely energized by the sun that never slept. It was an environment that fit my non-stop curiosity and love of the outdoors. I never felt rushed to get anywhere or do anything, since we literally had all day and night to experience the endless sites and sounds
Vågar is the first known town formation in northern Norway. It existed in the early Viking Age, maybe earlier, and was located on the southern coast on eastern Lofoten, near today’s village Kabelvåg in Vågan municipality. However, the Lofotr museum with the reconstructed 83 m long longhouse (the largest known) is located near Borg on Vestvågøy, which have many archeological finds from the Iron Age and Viking Age[8]. The islands have for more than 1,000 years been the centre of great cod fisheries, especially in winter, when the cod migrates south from the Barents Sea and gathers in Lofoten to spawn. Bergen in southwestern Norway was for a long time the hub for further export south to large parts of Europe, particularly so when trade was controlled by the Hanseatic League. In the lowland areas, particularly Vestvågøy, agriculture plays a significant role, as it has done since the Bronze Age.
Lofotr was originally the name of the island of Vestvågøy only. Later it became the name of the chain of islands. The chain of islands with its pointed peaks looks like a lynx foot from the mainland
Staying for only seven days and leaving it by sea only to see it fade in the distance from the back of ferry was like saying good bye to a new best friend for a long, long time. My taste was too short and left me yearning for more. Of course I can return to Lofoten but most likely it won’t be until next year which feels like a terribly long time to wait.
As a family cycling and multi-sport destination, Lofoten is PERFECT. The island is physically small, the cycling is rolling and the distances between villages are short. The magical island is full of beaches, quiet coves, wildlife, birdlife, interesting museums and fascinating fishing hamlets. In addition to cycling, families can hike, kayak, snorkel and go deep sea fishing. The Gulf Stream keeps the temperatures just right–summer temperatures are perfect, not too cold or hot allowing for frolicking outside, 24 hours a day!
Luckily I can keep Lofoten alive in my life by talking about it, revisiting photos and researching it more via web sites, books and other Lafoten Fans. In addition I can begin to plan and promote Ciclismo Classico’s first tour there in 2010 which will allow me to go back and experience this place with less stress and urgency that comes with balancing family travel needs and effectively researching and experiencing a place.
During our seven day stay we drove, biked and hiked the North and Southern coastline and got to experience the basic layout and highlights of the island. Here are our highlights and places that I would highly recommend:
• Wandering around Henningsvaer and enjoying one of Norway’s most exotic fishing villages, also known as little Venice
• Cycling around Gimsoy where we stayed in a fisherman’s guest house and experienced a wild mist that raced through the mountains
• The Viking Museum of Borg. Shooting arrows, playing on the Viking Ship and in the completely hands-on museums
• Hiking along the coast of Eggum. Finding whalebones and seeing giant slugs! It looks and feels like Ireland!
• Listening to the Serenade of Seabirds, of which there are millions on the islands
• Running around and playing on what is considered Norway’s most gorgeous beach: Haukelandstrand
• Walking around to the galleries of Stamsund, Meeting artist Scott Thore and his parrot Laura
• Exploring the fishing villages of Ure, Ballstad, Mortsund
• Cycling to Sakrisoy and enjoying the best fish sandwich on the island and the doll museum
• Staying in a Rorbu, a renovated fishing cabin, in Tind for three nights
• Cycling to the picturesque town of A, eating fresh-baked cinnamon rolls in an ancient oven used by fishermen for centuries and wandering around the Fishing Village turned into a live museum where you can experience the life of fishermen
• A fishing trip and tour of the coastline including the Maelestrom, the world’s strongest current and eating our catch with fellow Italians that we met on the boat
• A midnight hike with my son to Stokkvika
• The historical importance of Codfish and Lofoten’s connection to Italy
check out my pictures from this trip!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=94108&id=648862127
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93570&id=648862127&l=5f172f5cdb
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=94368&id=648862127&l=4f735031bf
21 Responses to “I LOVE LOFOTEN: A Perfect Destination for Families and an Outdoor Lover’s Paradise!”
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My life has revolved around cycling for as long as I can remember. My company Ciclismo Classico, the bicycle tour specialists, is now in its 20th year and inspires people of all ages to embrace cycling as an inspiring part of their daily lives. - Lauren Hefferon (AKA Bici Pazza)
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