The Kingdom of Norway is located in Northern Europe. It occupies the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula and many small islands that adjoin it. The islands of Norway are also in the Arctic Ocean (Bear, Jan Mayen). The country owns the large Svalbard archipelago. Its overseas territory in the Atlantic is Bouvet Island. Norway claims the Queen Maud Land and the island of Peter I - the Antarctic territories covered by the 1961 convention. In total, this country includes at least 50 thousand islands of various sizes. The most famous and largest are the Senja Island, the Lofoten Islands, the Svalbard archipelago.
a brief description of
The Lofoten Islands are located in the Arctic Circle. The nature of those places is notable for its unique beauty. The islands are located one behind the other in a chain, forming a barrier between the North Sea and the mainland. Near their eastern shores, the North Atlantic current passes, which interacts with tidal waves and forms the most dangerous whirlpool on the planet - the Maelstream. The population of the Lofoten Islands is 24 thousand people. The climate is mild thanks to the Gulf Stream. This segment of the sea never freezes. The largest land areas of the archipelago are Outsvagei, Westvogey and Mosknesei. Ferries run between them. The main city of the archipelago is Svolver.
Considering the islands of Norway, special attention should be paid to Svalbard. It is located a great distance from the Scandinavian Peninsula, in the Norwegian Sea. This is a huge reserve where representatives of the northern fauna have been preserved. Walruses, polar bears, deer, seals, polar foxes live there. Whales come right to the shores, and large bird colonies are located on the rocks. Only West Spitsbergen is an inhabited island. It is home to about 3.5 thousand people, half of them have Russian roots. Svalbard annually receives at least 2,000 tourists who are attracted by sea rafting and dog sledding.
The second largest island in the country is Senja, famous for its stunning nature. Enderdalen National Park has been created on its territory.
To the north of Lofoten lie the islands of Vesterålen. Tourists go there to see the seals. On the border of the Norwegian and Greenland seas is the island of Jan Mayen, which is of volcanic origin. It has an active volcano, Berenberg. The nature of this land area is tundra, interspersed with sparse meadows.
Climatic conditions
The country is characterized by a not very harsh climate, despite its northern position. Many of Norway's islands are found in a maritime climate zone with mild winters. The reason for the relatively warm weather is the action of the Gulf Stream.
The Lofoten Islands are an archipelago located in the Norwegian Sea off the northwestern coast of the country. They are separated from the mainland by the Westfjord Strait. They belong to Norway, are its pride and attract a huge number of tourists from all over the world.
The archipelago consists of seven large islands and numerous small ones, which are separated from each other by straits. The distances between them are relatively small. The territory of the Lofoten Islands covers a total of 1227 square kilometers. The islands of the archipelago are home to about 24 thousand people.
Despite the small population, the rocky islands of the archipelago have a rich history and many world famous sites - here is the Maelstrom Maelstrom, the largest deep-sea coral reef on our planet, the largest surviving banquet hall dating back to the era of the majestic Vikings. The beauty of the Lofoten Islands is celebrated by artists, poets and writers.
History of the Lofoten Islands
In the past, the islands of the archipelago were dotted with apartments of wealthy Vikings, the ruins of which have survived to this day. And the local population has long been engaged in fishing and sheep breeding.
The first inhabitants settled here about six thousand years ago. The living conditions here were very favorable - a mild climate, access to fresh fish and meat. At that time, the rocky islands were drowning in the thick of coniferous and deciduous forests, where a huge variety of wild animals lived.
In addition, the Lofoten Islands have always been strewn with fishing houses. Fishing was so important to the locals that in 1103, Konung Oystein ordered the construction of a church in Vaughan to patronize local fishermen.
Where did the name of the archipelago, located off the coast of Norway, come from? A whole group of islands borrowed the old name of the island Westvogøya - earlier it was called Lofoten, which in translation from the ancient Scandinavian forms the phrase "lynx" and "leg". Probably, this phrase implied that the shape of the island resembles the foot of a lynx.
Geography of the islands
The archipelago settled in the north of the Arctic Circle. The seven largest of the Lofoten islands are as follows: Austvogøy, Westvogøy, Vereøy, Gimsøy, Moskenesøy, Flakstadøy, Røst. The southern part of Norway's largest island, Hinney Island, is also part of the archipelago. In general, the islands are 60 kilometers long.
Climate of the Lofoten Archipelago
The Gulf Stream plays a huge role in shaping the climate of the archipelago. As mentioned above, the Lofoten Islands are located beyond the Arctic Circle, however, thanks to the warm current, the climate here is very mild, maritime, the temperature drops are very small.
In winter, temperatures rarely drop below freezing. Summer on the islands of the Lofoten archipelago is rather cold, but dry, the average temperature of the hottest months, July and August, is about 15 degrees above zero. The coldest months on the islands are January and February.
The Lofoten Islands are also characterized by such a phenomenon as a polar day and a polar night. In the period from May 27 to July 17, the sun does not set below the horizon. It is worth noting that these months are the driest of the year. But from December 6 to January 6, the polar night begins.
The water off the coast of the Lofoten Islands is generally quite cold, but in summer it sometimes warms up to +17 degrees.
Animals and vegetation
The islands of the archipelago are inhabited by a wide variety of seabirds, here you can meet cormorants, sea eagles and colorful puffins. Elks and otters live in the forests. As for the vegetation, birch and mountain ash prevail among the trees, there is a large number of coniferous forests.
Attractions of the Lofoten Islands
The town of Borge is home to Lofotr - a Viking museum. It was founded on the site of the largest surviving banquet hall built by the Vikings. This majestic building is 83 meters long! The width of the structure is eight and a half meters.
The islands of the Lofoten Archipelago are especially popular with mountaineers and cycling enthusiasts. The islands even have specially designed routes for those who like to pedal and enjoy the beautiful scenery. And during the Summer Solstice, competitions are held annually among bicycle lovers - the participants of such an event are given the opportunity to ride their favorite transport across all the islands of the archipelago.
It is noteworthy that the islands of the Lofoten archipelago are famous for their dried cod. For more than a thousand years, residents have been supplying their signature fish to different parts of our planet.
How to get to the islands?
Several airports operate on the islands. In addition, the E10 road was recently built, linking the largest of the islands with mainland Norway. An element of this road is the famous Raftsundet Bridge - one of the largest frame-cantilever bridges on the planet. There is a regular ferry from Bodø to Mosknes.
Senja Island is the second largest, except for the Spitsbergen archipelago (taking them into account, it ranks 5th); its area is 1586 sq. km. Senja is known primarily for its amazing nature - it is often called "Norway in miniature" because here you can see a wide variety of landscapes: high mountains starting right from the coast, full of salmon, small plains overgrown with dense grass, forests.
Senja attracts tourists not only for its nature, but also for its picturesque fishing villages. The island is also a favorite destination for amateurs. The famous English writer David Howarth mentioned Senja Island in his novel We Die Alone.
general information
It is very easy to find Senja Island on the map: it is located in the north of the country, slightly to the north, almost in the middle of the coastline of Troms county. Senja's outline resembles a paw print of some outlandish animal.
The island is home to about 10 thousand people. They are mainly engaged in fishing, fish farming on special marine "farms" and agriculture. Some of the residents are engaged in tourism. The Senyi territory is partly located on the mainland, but mainly divided between four communes:
- Torksen (in the west of the island);
- Berg (in the northwest);
- Tranoy (south and southeast);
- Lenvik (northeast and east of the island).
The north and west of the island are rocky; here you can see quite steep mountains. But the southern and eastern parts of the island are characterized by softer landscapes. There are more plains here, and the main agricultural land is located precisely in the southern and eastern regions of Senja.
Climatic conditions
The climate on the side of the island facing the mainland is somewhat more severe than on the coast of the Norwegian Sea. Winters are mild; on the eastern side, the temperature drops below zero (the average daily temperature in January is about -4 ° C, it can drop down to -6 ... -7 ° C. On the western side of the island, the temperature rarely drops below 0 ° C during the day, there are slight frosts at night. At times, strong winds blow here, due to which the level of comfort decreases, and it seems that it is colder outside than it really is.
Spring is late, in April there are still frosts on the eastern part of the island at night. Summer in the eastern part is relatively cool, in July and August the air warms up on average to + 15 ° С. In the west, summer is warmer, about + 20 ... 22 ° С, sometimes the temperature warms up to + 30 ° С.
There is little precipitation, about 900 mm a year. Most of them fall in the fall; the rainiest month is October (about 120 mm), the snowiest month is December (98 mm).
Leisure
The north of Norway is famous for its fishing. And fishing on the Senja island in Norway is considered the best; lovers of this pastime come here from all over the country, as well as from other countries of the world. Here you can fish both in the mountain rivers, where salmon, trout and other valuable varieties of fish are found, and in the open sea, where you can catch halibut, cod, and Norwegian herring.
Offers island and winter ice fishing. And for those who just come to rest, it will be interesting to go on a whale safari.
Senja island attractions
The main objects of interest for tourists are the following:
Where to stay?
The Senja Islands in Norway are very popular with fishing enthusiasts, so if you want to go there during the season, it is better to book rooms in advance. One of the popular islands is the Hamn i Senja Aparthotel. Initially, it was planned simply as a hotel for family and corporate, but was later expanded, now it is also a fishing base.
In the fishing village of Mefjordvr, the Mefjord Brygge complex offers cozy apartments and cottages, as well as boat rental. Five-Bedroom Holiday home in Skaland is also available in the same village. Cottages can be rented in such settlements as:
- Torsken;
- Sifjord;
- Galnslott;
- Gibostad;
- Celestletta;
- Svanelvdalen;
- Senyahsten;
- Bouvika;
- Skrollsvika;
- Senyahopen.
Restaurants and cafes
A very original cafe is located in the Senyatrollet Park. There, visitors are served by waiters disguised as trolls and other fairy-tale characters; there is a special children's menu.
Very good restaurants at Hamn i Senja. Fish dishes are excellently prepared here, including from the fish that are caught by the fishing lovers staying at the hotel. Very good restaurant at Mefjord Brygge. Other popular cafes and restaurants on the island are:
- Widsten Handleri AS;
- Senjastua;
- Dorotheas Fryd;
- Thaimatservice.
Shopping
There are shops in the "capitals" of the communes; some villages also have large shops, but more often than not they only sell food. Markets are open on weekends in the main towns of the communes. There are souvenir shops at the hotels, in the Troll Park and in the national park. from Senja island - troll figurine and "troll mitten" from Senyatrollet park
.
Transport
The islands are represented by buses that carry communication between its towns and villages. Alternatively, you can rent a boat and sail to your destination, which is often faster given the island's rugged coastline.
How to get there?
It takes almost a day to get to Senja Island by car: the road on the E45 highway takes 22 hours, and on the E10 highway - 22.5 hours. Both routes have toll sections and partly pass through Sweden.
The fastest way to get to the island is by plane - from to Annøya in the town of Andenes. From there you can go by sea. The ferry service here is operated by The Senja Ferries. The ferry departs twice a day, three times in the summer. Those who prefer the overland option can take the E10 by car; the road will take 6 hours 20 minutes.
The Norwegian island of Senja is rightfully called the center of all that is best in Norway. The island surprisingly combines all the characteristic features of the country, which together form a unique world. That is why Senja is often called “Norway in miniature”.
Senja Island is the second largest in Norway after the Svalbard archipelago. Tourists visit Senja Island all year round, as it has all the cultural and natural treasures that the fabulous northern country is rich in. Nearby there are unique coniferous forests, huge cliffs, a raging sea, as well as world-famous fjords.
Anyone who wants to experience the true spirit of Norway should visit Senja Island. There are truly many natural attractions, whether it is the "Devil's Teeth" bordering the bay, "plasticine" rock, sandy beaches with cold transparent water, snow-covered meadows, where the snow does not melt even in summer, and much more.
Small fishing villages are cozily located along the coastline, fishermen from which have long chosen these places. And this is not surprising, because Senja Island has long been considered the center of fishing in Norway. In addition, many valuable fish are found in the waters around Senja Island.
The fauna of Senja Island is also remarkable. Here you can meet beautiful and rare species such as angora goats and llamas. Cycling tours are very popular, which provide an opportunity to get to know more about all the riches of this area.
Can't get past some attractions Senja Islands, including the Polar Zoo, Senja Troll and National Falls Malselvfossen.
The Polar Zoo is the only park of its kind in the northern part of the country. Its territory is 275 acres. It is difficult to compare the Polar Zoo with others, because there the needs and living conditions of animals are treated with great attention. All its visitors get an extraordinary opportunity to interact with the smaller brothers.
Senja Troll is the name of the world's largest troll. This fact was entered in the Guinness Book of Records in 1997. The height of the local troll is almost 18 meters, and its weight is 125 tons.
National Falls Malselvfossen is located in the central region of the Troms region on the Malselva river. Here you can see the longest “salmon staircase” in Europe, built at the beginning of the 20th century. This intricate design gives fish the ability to navigate difficult areas, and a special glazed area allows tourists to view salmon up close.
Includes about 50 thousand islands and islets, some of which, despite their close location to the Arctic Circle, are inhabited by people and attract a large number of tourists to their spaces.
Some of the islands are located in the Arctic Ocean, others in the waters of the Atlantic. Some of them are located close to or adjacent to the Scandinavian Peninsula, while others, on the contrary, are significantly removed from the mainland of Norway.
10 most interesting islands in Norway
The most famous islands in Norway include:
