Hike to Kvalvika Beach

If you find yourself on the Lofoten Islands in Norway be sure to make a trip to this spectacular beach. This beach is easily accessed from your car making it a great addition to another adventure or just an all day adventure on the islands. The hike is short and should only take 30-60 minutes to get to the beach leaving plenty of time to explore or picnic.

If you're coming from Svolvaer take E10 southwest towards Reine and take off on 986 after Ramberg. If coming from Reine take E10 towards Svolvaer and turn onto 986. Once across the bridge take your first left to stay on 986 and you will see a pullout on your left 3 kilometers or so after Fredvang. Park here. The trail will be obvious across the road next to a creek.

The trail was extremely wet when we did it, but it was fall and had been raining and snowing all week, so it may be dry in the summer. There were numerous planks, like the ones featured in the picture above, laid out in the real boggy areas. The 1st half climbs over the obvious notch you can see from your car.

At the top of the notch you will get your first glimpse of the turquoise water. The 2nd half climbs down the other side of the notch and takes you down to the beach via a steep, bouldery, and switchback path. The trail on this side can be harder to follow due to the captivating beauty of the beach, but make sure to keep your eyes focused on the trail because it would be easy to fall and break a leg. 3/4's of the way down there is a great viewpoint of the beach and the cliffs surrounding it.

Now that you're on the beach, feel free to explore the full length of the beach if the tide is permitting. The southern half of the beach can be separated during high tide from the north side, which is where you'll be. Near the trails exit at the beach there was a swing that provided a great view and some unexpected fun. Another venture would be to hike up the ravine on the north side of the beach to gain the cliffs above and capture a spectacular shot of the beach from above. Unfortunately, this was shrouded with clouds while we were there, so we didn't make the trek. It should only add 4 kilometers to your hike, but it does include some scrambling up steep slopes for a few hundred meters.

After you've explored and decided you've had enough, take the same trail back to your car. It will be the one on the north end of the beach near the swing. One note, if you go in the late fall when we were there make sure to bring a heavy coat because the winds were strong on the beach and the temperatures were cold enough for it to snow.

Make sure to stop by one of the markets on the way to your next destination to pick up some Klippfisk (dried cod) for a true Lofoten meal. All the racks you pass on the islands are where the cod is dried during the fishing season and is the islands' main industry!