- Area Nordbyen
- Distance 651.1 km
- Difficulty Multi-day
- Terrain Flat
This is a great area of the Norwegian coast. The midnight sun and long, bright summer months mean you can plan long day trips if you like to spend as much time as possible on your bike.
Lofoten has long been recognised as a gem along the Norwegian coast. However, we don’t recommend cycling in Lofoten during the summer months. There is a lot of car traffic in places and in many places it is not possible to cycle on the small roads around the busiest areas. Cycling avoids ferry traffic, but the roads are still chaotic at times.
A bike ride in Lofoten in the autumn, however, can also be a great experience. Be aware that many accommodation and other facilities may be closed. The weather can also be quite harsh in terms of both wind and rain. It is therefore important to pack warm woollen clothing and rainproof clothing if you go on a long trip at this time.
We have not yet certified and described this route, as our route mappers have not mapped this stretch. We therefore lack sufficient information about safety, signage, ferries, tunnels and other infrastructure to be able to recommend this route as optimal. However, to give you easy access to the GPS track on the route, we have chosen to post the GPX file on SykkelNorge.no. It can be used as a good starting point for planning your cycling trip in the area.
The Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens Veivesen) is responsible for the National Cycle Routes with regard to routing and signposting.
This is what the Norwegian Public Roads Administration writes about the route:
«The 650-kilometre stretch from Tromsø to Bodø through Senja, Vesterålen and Lofoten is one of the most beautiful in Norway. It’s easy to cycle on the route, and you’ll have great experiences every day.
The route is signposted.
Around Senja, the many mountainsides rise straight up from narrow fjords. Vesterålen is a little less dramatic, but also beautiful, while Lofoten offers magnificent and varied scenery. In both places you’ll be travelling on almost flat roads. On Senja, you should expect some ups and downs.
Several parts of the route are part of the national tourist routes, with great rest stops and viewpoints. Cycling in this part of the country is easy to combine with other activities and visits to places of interest, and there are many charming small towns.
Senja and Vesterålen have fairly modest car traffic, while Lofoten has quite a bit more, especially during the high season in summer. Most of the road network is paved.
The ferry between Andøya and Gryllefjord on Senja usually only operates in the summer, normally from around mid-May to early September. Senja also has many tunnels, and some are poorly lit. Remember reflective vests and lights!
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