It’s impossible to.plan a trip to Arctic Norway without hearing of Lofoten. Before I could even correctly pronounce the name of this archipelago (luf’ uh tn) I knew of its reputation for spectacular scenery – rugged mountains that drop precipitously into the sea, deep fjords, picturesque fishing villages and isolated beaches. When we chose among our bike tour options, we immediately gravitated to Lofoten for the second half of our trip.

Along with its reputation for beauty naturally comes tourism. It’s popularity overruns the inventory of lodgings we were told, and the main highway would be a busy challenge for cycling. After relishing the unpopulated and scenic wilderness of the islands to the north, we braced ourselves.

July is high season here, followed closely by August. But to our delight the feared crowds have not materialized. By cycling the smaller roads and sticking to the coast, we still have the place to ourselves. Our pace is relaxed. We can dally and soak up the scenery as we go. Since we are on a tour, our lodgings are already secured, our dinner booked. If those commodities are tight, it’s no worry for us.

On our first two nights we got our taste of “rorbu” or fishermen’s cabins.  Tourist hype alludes to these accommodations as rustic and shared, perhaps even privately owned. A throwback to the fishing days, and a way to expand lodging options for this popular area. True life revealed them to be modern copies of said structures. Cabins in name, modern in construction and amenities. Ours had a comfortable living space with kitchen facilities and a bathroom downstairs. Steep ladder like steps led to two attic bedrooms above.  Conceivably one might have to share with strangers, but we were spared that experience. Once I got past legend, accepting the reality wasn’t hard.  And I couldn’t argue with our waterfront location.

This tour is more relaxed than the first. We cover fewer miles per day and we stay two nights in several locations, enabling rest days, day trips or booking other adventures. On our first we cycled to Henningsvaer, a nearby fishing village.

Photos tell the story best, as we work our way down the coastline from island to island and experience legendary Lofoten for ourselves.

Beach activity on a warm day

A rare glimpse of civilization on this stretch

A study in gold

Cycling the narrow edge between mountains and water

Morning calm

An idyllic spot for a picnic lunch

A well earned rest and view at the top of a pass