Kvaløya & Senja

I’ve spent two wonderful days on the dramatic and wild islands Kvaløya and Senja, the last strongholds of winter and snow before I finally reached spring on the Vesterålen.

After almost an entire week in Tromsø, I finally got back onto my bike. The first day got me through Kvaløya, one of the five biggest islands of Norway. Kvaløya is a mountainous island, with several summits above 1,000m, which protect Tromsø from the Atlantic. Following the road through a canyon, I was passing between high peaks still deeply covered in snow. But when reaching the northern coast, I could not miss the first signs of spring. Wild cowslips were blooming everywhere, dappling the otherwise grey and bleak earth with bright yellow dots. And then, the first beach! A real beach with white sands and turquoise coloured water. If not for the snowy peaks in the background and the cold I should have believed myself to be in the Carribean.

I spent the first night outdoors at the beautifully located campsite in Fjordbotn on Senja. At camp I met “Opa Didi”, who was on a sole bike trip all the way up from Dresden to Kirkenes. He kindly brought me tea while I set up camp and later shared his precious whisky with me. It was way after midnight when we finally retired to our tents, but this way were witnessing an amazing midnightsun sky.

Next morning was still beautiful – and due to the lack of wind quite warm – I took the chance for an early yoga session directly at the fjord. Until now the weather conditions had not allowed for this, and I cherished the moment of tranquility. Which had been aprubtly ended, when the other campers, some Russian truck drivers, were starting the engines of their trucks.

I cycled out early since I was facing the “devil’s teeth” that day: the northern road following the grim and exposed outer coast of Senja, taking me past sharp cliffs and needle peaks, which give these mountains its soubriquet. With several steep climbs, two mountain passes and nine tunnels it truly was going to be a hell of a ride. At Erfjorden I enjoyed lunch at a beautiful but deserted beach with stunning views on the saw-toothed peaks of the Okshornan range, towering over the fjord.

In and out the narrow road wound its way along the fjords, blessing me with breathtaking scenery after each bend. Poor in people, but rich in wildlife, I’ve spotted a seal, an otter, and three sea eagles – apart from the abundant gulls, terns, and oystercatchers. To top it all, I even watched a sperm whale, when crossing over to Andenes on the ferry. Just about 300m away from us it was cutting the rolling sea, occasionally blowing and flipping its tale.

Just 16km before Gryllefjord, from where I planned to take the ferry, it started to rain. After three weeks in Norway, it had been about time, I suppose, but I was caught by surprise nevertheless. Paired with a nasty wind up front – these two always seem to go together – I had a rather unpleasant ending of an otherwise exceptional day on Senja.