Forth day, and another wonderful sunny day which will follow us for an adventurous hike! The morning sunlight let us to enjoy Sørvågen, a traditional village, underestimated by the travel guide, located around an active harbour surrounded by superb mountains. It's a perfect base camp for hikes and in general to visit the nature of the southernmost island of the Lofoten archipelago, which is the most beautiful according to many travellers.
The owner of the accomodation recommends us to do an hike on the mountains around, so we start to walk in the direction of the mount which dominates the village, and surrounds on the right side a big frozen lake.
The climb is quite easy thanks to the soft snow which helps us not to become an human avalanche...and meter after meter the landscape becomes more and more breathtaking.
Finally on the peak we find a kind of plateau, at the slope of another mount which is too difficult to climb without any proper equipment and/or special skills, because of all the ice which covers its rocks. The view is amazing, and the light of the sun plays within the clouds giving an unreal effect.
On the plateau we find a long frozen sheet, like a perfect plate glass, and we cannot resist to the call of childhood, starting to slide on it in every possible way. After that, we take a break with hot tea (thanks to a very efficient thermos!) and crunchy norwegian chocolate. Then we start to descend to the frozen lake, and before placing our feet on it, we ask a man if it's safe. He reassures us: the ice is thick at least 50 centimetres!
As you can see, norwegians really like the cross-country skiing during the winter. It's said that norwegians are born with ski on their feet, actually it's true! Even in Oslo, which is a modern city, you can often meet people getting on buses and trams wearing a ski suit and bringing ski or snowboards. At the side of the footpaths, where the snow cumulates, you can always find the track of the ski left by people who goes to school, work, or simly to enjoy the nature.
But let's go back to our hike. After a walk on the frozen lake we go downhill and take a small break at home, where we decide to go out again to watch the sunset from the very south point, at the end of the E10 road on the Lofoten. We start walking on the road, straight to the last village of the island, called Å (pronounced as a kind of closed O).
It's about 3 kilometres, and the sensation is really to be at the end of something. It's exciting to see the physical end of the road (picture below) and find the sea after some metres.
Over this coastline, flows of water combines in some spots called Maelstrom. In this area you can find the strongest maelmstrom in the world. Sunset is the perfect friend in these moment, and the clear sky let us to catch a glimpse of the last two small islands of the Lofoten, Vaerøya and Røst.
Now we can only go back home, very satisfied for this wonderful day. But the adventures are not finished yet: on the way back we meet the owners of the house where we are sleeping, a nice couple who owns over 17 houses in the villages of Å and Sørvågen, in addition to the stockfish museum and a youth hostel! The husband speaks an almost perfect italian, and invite us to spend the night in a really traditional Rorbu, which is also the oldest of the village. Built in 1985, it's practically untouched thanks to the ordinary care and some restorations. The athmosphere inside the cabin is warm, welcoming and cosy, the kitchen is folksy, the wood is everywhere. Here some pics, and see you next time!
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