After the hike to the summit of Ryten we wake up in the town of Stamsund and decide to spend the day heading toward Narvik. The weather forecast clearly indicates that attempting anything bigger no longer makes sense. We liven up the journey with a short stop on the island of Skrova. It’s not a big detour or an ambitious plan, but rather a small break aimed at seeing the Lofoten from a slightly different perspective.
Relaxing on the ferry
We travel to the island of Skrova by ferry. The crossing is calm and, after previous days full of transfers, feels surprisingly relaxing. Ibo has long since gotten used to these roaring machines and treats ferries as a perfectly normal part of travelling.
During the crossing we are treated to a beautiful view of Vågan church, often nicknamed the Lofoten Cathedral. This wooden church from the late 19th century is one of the largest wooden churches in northern Norway and, thanks to its waterfront location and distinctive shape, looks very photogenic in the landscape.
Skrova fyr lighthouse
Just before landing on the island the Skrova fyr lighthouse appears. In addition to the lighthouse itself, there is a meteorological station here that has been continuously measuring air temperature since 1954. The lighthouse was built in the first half of the 20th century and still serves as a prominent landmark in this part of the Lofoten.
Hattvika Beach
At first glance Skrova impresses with its typical Nordic architecture. The houses are neat, colorful and the whole place feels very clean and well maintained. Everything here gives an impression of calm and novelty, as if time has slowed down.
One of Skrova’s pleasant surprises is its beaches, which you wouldn’t necessarily expect here. We decide to visit one of them – Hattvika Beach. We park the car at the junction of Hattvika and Kuholmveien, just a few minutes’ drive from the harbour. From there we set off on a short and pleasant route on foot, of course with Ibo. It’s an easy out-and-back route, approximately 2.8 km long, with minimal elevation gain. The whole walk takes roughly 50–60 minutes at a relaxed pace, including short stops. The route is simple, easy to walk and free of technically demanding sections, so it’s suitable even for less experienced hikers or a trip with a dog.
After about the first kilometre along a dirt road the route turns right and leads along a narrow path down to the beach. Some views of the beach make us briefly wonder whether we’ve somehow ended up in Thailand. Only the sight of the hills in the background quickly reassures us that we’re still in the Lofoten, in northern Norway. After briefly taking in the scenery we slowly turn back and return along the same route to the car. We hurry to the harbour to catch the ferry back to Stamsund.
Short but successful break
The stop on Skrova was short but very pleasant. An ideal place to slow the pace, take a short walk and change rhythm between longer transfers. A nice bonus is that the ferry to Skrova is free, so this small detour, as they say, pays off. Skrova thus remains for us a pleasant episode on the way further north toward Narvik.