Lofoten through the lens
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The sweeping mountain vistas in southern Lofoten "go blue" in the winter light. -
The network of islands is connected by long tunnels deep under the sea and high arcing bridges. -
Often the winding road will take a sharp corner and reveal a small fishing settlement or town that has managed to weather hundreds of years of harsh winter sea storms. -
Lonely lighthouses on piers that jut into the ocean help guide boats to shore day and night in the dark winters. -
The red fisherman's rorbuer, or, cottages, are an unofficial symbol of Lofoten and some are open for travelers to stay. -
The decks of the rorbuer often look out on the best views of the sea, mountains and fjords. -
The fishing industry in Lofoten dates back almost 1000 years and is still a strong source of income for the region. Bags of stokfisk (dried fish pieces) like these, weighing 15 kilos each, can sell for 2,250 kroner per one. -
Much of the stokfisk that comes from Lofoten is hand processed. The region is still the number one supplier in the world for stokfish with shipments going out across Europe and into Asia. -
Hundreds - if not thousands - of fish drying racks cover Lofoten and are used between February and November to dry millions of kilos of fish. Lofoten's spring and fall keep ideal temperatures for fish drying - between 0 and 4 degrees C most days. -
Lofoten also produces a healthy supply of fish oil, which is often available for free to brave tourists who want to take a spoonful. -
Another popular tourist activity is a visit to the blacksmith of Sund, Tor-Vegard Mørkved, who makes the oldest souvenirs in Lofoten: wrought iron cormorants. In the off season he can take a break from bird making and take on some other projects like this mouth harp. -
This harp was made by hand and tuned by ear. This one took over two hours to make. -
Many of Lofoten's finest displays of craftsmanship are still well used today. The Kabelvåg Cathedral in Lofoten, built in 1898, is the largest wooden structure in northern Norway and, even before it was built, the spot has been frequented by fishermen for over 900 years who would pray for safety and a good catch before the fishing season began. -
Some of Lofoten's handmade art you can just find by the side of the road. The Head (by Swiss artist Markus Raetz) keeps a constant watch out over the coast where decades ago Arctic convoys in the Second World War used to sail by. -
The countryside of Lofoten can make for an scenic drive or an exciting hike at any time of the year. -
One of the hikes, Kvalvika, takes walkers up a steep and narrow path through a cut in the mountains, then, on the other side, a secluded white sand beach fans out, framed by cliffs. -
Arctic surfing, swimming or sea kayaking in the sandy bays cut into the rocks is a popular, year-round pastime for tourists and locals in Lofoten. -
But the human impact on the planet is even being felt in the remotest corners of Lofoten. The Kvalvika beach sand dunes have become a dumping ground for discarded fishing nets, thousands of plastic bottles and corroding iron oil drums. -
But under the winter sky and with the rorbuer, fishing racks and mountains lit up by northern lights, Lofoten looks pristine and faraway from the rest of the world.
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