This sign was stolen so many times by pranksters that it was replaced by an “A Lofoten” sign but after local compaints it was reinstated.
If you live here in Scottsdale, you’ll have to fly a bit and drive King Olav’s Road to the very end to reach A. However, after looking at these photographs, you might want to put the village of A, population 150, at the top of your bucket list.
A, pronounced “Awe”, is a village in the municipality of Moskenes in Nordland County, Norway. As you can see on the map below, it’s located towards the southern end of the Lofoten archipelago, one hundred miles north of the Arctic Sea. It’s one of the most scenic places on earth. Every summer tourists flock to this area to enjoy 24 hours of sunlight, climb steep mountain trails, visit the Lofoten Stockfish Museum, and enjoy the region’s warmer climate, thanks to the Gulf Stream.
The photographs below were taken in July 2016 by the editor’s son, Bob Conklin., while on a vacation trip with his family. In addition to contributing these photographs, he summarized their visit to A below. The Peak invites readers to share Your Seeing and Doing.
Visit to A by Bob Conklin
Midnight Inlet at Reine
After visiting Oslo and Bergen, we flew to the Lofoten Islands. The island chain is connected by a road that runs their length. The sun was up 24/7 when we were there. People also visit to see the northern lights in the winter months, when the sun is down 24/7. We landed in a town named Evenes and then drove King Olav’s road to its very end, about a five-hour drive.”
“Before you get to A, you drive past a mountain-ringed inlet at Reine. This is probably the best known scene of the Lofotens, sharp peaks rising from a bay and the town. I’ve included pictures that I took at midnight with the sun low on the horizon blazing between the mountains. There are also pictures from a short, very steep hike that we did up a hill next to Reine. These pictures provide views steeply down onto the town and the mountains and ocean, even a fresh water mountain lake that is close to the bay.
“There is a lot of fishing in the area. There are wooden racks that they use to dry fish. You can take a boat a few islands out to Rost to see puffins. Also near the Lofotens is the Norway Maelstrom mentioned in Moby Dick. We were told that time has somewhat tamed this once infamous, all-powerful ocean whirlpool. Time has not tamed the scenery.
“All-in-all it was an unforgettable three days. The flight from Bergen, the drive to A seeing Arctic beaches and the midnight sun, hiking and hanging out in A and Reine, the drive back to Evenes and the flight from Oslo to Edinburgh. Onward! Enjoy the photographs.”
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Your Seeing and Doing
Bob Conklin lives Superior, Colorado with his wife Lynn and two sons. Bob, a former resident of Scottsdale, is a graduate of Arizona State University and Colorado University (MBA). He is a marketing vice president with a leading high-tech company. He enjoys jogging, hiking, reading, and travel.
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