Kerrie, from our Operations Department, drew the lucky straw and headed over to take on the Fjords and Fjells of the Lofoten Islands, one of our most popular walking holidays in Norway. So, what makes it so special? Well we asked her to find out for us:

From start to finish, this trip had everything an adventurer would want. Walking off the beaten track, sometimes on tricky trails,  6 days back to back walking in absolutely stunning scenery, amazing food, quaint accommodation and I was also lucky enough to spend this week with an amazing group of people.

To pick out highlights is going to be tough because for me, the entire trip was a highlight. However, if I had to choose, the scenery would obviously be at the top of the list. The breath-taking jagged peaks rise directly from the sea, with their sheer sides and twisted rocks giving a glimpse into the history of the mountains, being separated only by deep fjords.

The boggy ground gave the perfect conditions for a spread of wild flowers including spotted orchids, butterworts and sundews. In contrast to this, the rocky shorelines of the fjords is the perfect habitat for white-tailed eagles, which we saw soaring in the thermals above us on an almost daily basis.

Nestled in between this amazing landscape are the villages of Fredvang and Sorvagen. We stayed in a very nice shared hostel in Fredvang for 2 nights and were even given the opportunity to experience a Nordic Sauna. 4 of us braved the heat to then go and plunge ourselves into the freezing cold fjord, albeit rather delicately to avoid the jellyfish!

In Sorvagen, our home for 3 nights was in a traditional Rorbu. These small wooden huts used to house the hardened fishermen who would spend the winter fishing in one of the world’s most fertile cod fishing grounds, so to stay in one that has been converted to have a few more mod cons is really special, and adds to the overall experience.

Fish is the reason people settled on Lofoten, and quite rightly, we were treated to fresh fish for our evening meal for two nights in Fredvang. And by fresh, I mean it was caught that morning and prepared in front of us, whilst the army of gathering seagulls tried to steal the scraps! It doesn’t get much better, or fresher!

Food was in abundance on this trip, and we were very lucky that our wonderful guide Charlotte was also a very good cook, I have never eaten so well! Be prepared to get stuck in to help prepare the evening meals and also to lay out the spread for breakfast (not forgetting to make the coffee first)! Lunch was sorted right after breakfast, so it is essential to take a suitable tupperware container and spork to eat with, as lunch is eaten out on the fjells.

What really made the week even better was the group, and the guide. If we weren’t eating we were walking, and if we weren’t walking we were laughing. I feel truly blessed to have been in such an awe-inspiring place with an amazing bunch of people. What a privilege.