I know I’m no expert when it comes to Europe, but I thought I had a pretty good idea which places were worth visiting. I know which cities offer the most cultural exhibits and which are considered the most naturally glorious, etc. Yet, these amazing photographs - and I do mean amazing - have shown how little I knew. Lofoten is just a small part of Norway, a country on the outer fringes of Europe, yet it’s utterly stunning.
Click on images to enlarge
Lofoten, Norway is an archipelago in the region of Nordland. It is becoming famous as a location fit for sensational photographs of its splendid scenery.
At Lofoten, you can enjoy beaches, bays, mountains, and lakes. Even though it is within the Arctic circle, due to its high latitude, the region enjoys a substantially elevated temperature anomaly, making it quite mild. Temperatures have even reached 79°F before.
The name, Lofoten, was originally applied only to the nearby island of Vestvagoya. The word is composed of lo, meaning lynx, and fotr, meaning foot. This suggests local people identified the island by comparing its appearance to that of a large lynx’s paw.
Humans have been in Lofoten for some 11,000 years, with archeological sites dating back 5,500 years.
For the last millennium, Lofoten has been well-known as the hub of Norwegian cod fishing because cod gather in this region to spawn.
The group of islands that together make up Lofoten, the lynx foot, share some stunning characteristics. The highest of its mountains, Higravstinden, stands at 3,800 feet above sea level.
There is also a wonderful system of tidal eddies known as Moskstraumen, which gave birth to the English word maelstrom.
The sea is full of fascinating life. Rost Reef, just west of Rost, is, in fact, the largest deep water coral reef on Earth. There are millions of seabirds to see here, such as the colored puffin, sea eagles, and cormorants.
You will also spot moose and otters here, and possibly even large whales. Recently, whales have not frequented the area so much, but sightings are still possible.
Unsurprisingly, the area is popular with rock climbers and mountaineers. Surfers have been known to make use of the beaches, and there are even well-marked cycling lanes in the area. Lofoten has featured in literary works by writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne.
