Climbing Festvågtind in Henningsvær Under the Midnight Sun
I’ve always wanted to hike in Lofoten under the Midnight Sun, and my dreams finally came true! But let me start this post by saying I almost died on this hike, and no, that isn’t hyperbole. I nearly fell to my death, and would have had I not been with my husband, who quite literally saved my life. But we’ll get to that story in a moment. My advice to anyone considering this hike is this: The posts & reviews claiming it’s an “easy walk” are lying to you. This is a very difficult hike with portions you must scramble and climb, and it is absolutely not something you should jump into unprepared.
You can see in my previous outdoor posts that I am in great shape and often go on challenging hikes, bike long distances, and work out regularly. This climb/hike was the hardest II’veever done by a long shot. You will need hiking shoes with excellent traction, appropriate clothing, and maybe even hiking poles. I would also never do this hike alone, and I’ll explain why later. Even so, knowing what I know now, paired with the fantastic view, I would do this again in a (very nervous) heartbeat!
Festvågtind
Elevation Gain: 1,775 feet
Terrain: Tall Boulders, sheer cliffs, steep sandy slopes,
mountainous with sharp drops.
Hike Length: 2 miles+ round trip
Total Time: 3-4 Hours (including stops/breaks)
Admission Fee: None
Trailhead Address: Henningsværveien 51, 8312
Henningsvær, Norway
Designation: None
Parking: Free (yet limited) parking 100m from trailhead
Where to Find the Festvågtind Trailhead
The address listed above will get you to the trailhead, and 100m beyond that is a free parking lot with 4-6 spaces. Google Maps took us to the right spot. Keep in mind that parking is so limited and camper vans are so common in Lofoten that you may need to arrive early to claim a spot or keep circling until something opens up.
Above: Our little black rental car tucked in one of the very few free parking spots.
The entire region of Henningsvær is breathtaking, so if you can’t hike right away, keep exploring and search for other parking. Your walk might be a bit longer, but it will be worth it! Just be sure not to park in the passing lanes marked with ‘M,’ or you’ll receive a hefty ticket and may have your vehicle towed.
What to Wear When Hiking Festvågtind
Do not attempt to hike Festvågtind when it is snowing, raining, or otherwise slick. The hike is difficult enough without worrying about slipping. The view is beautiful at the top, but it isn’t worth your life.
That said, dress for the weather. We went on a perfectly clear evening, and around 10:30 pm when we began, there was no one else around. The weather couldn’t have been better. It also hadn’t rained in a while, so everything was nice and dry. We brought layers anyway, just in case. It turned out that we didn’t need our jackets, but we weren’t sure how windy it would be at the top.
I also recommend wearing bright colors for visibility, great hiking shoes with excellent traction, and maybe sunglasses if you want to enjoy the sunny view at the top (assuming the weather cooperates). Don’t forget to bring a light snack, water, and whatever other equipment you normally bring on a difficult hike. Of course, also bring a flashlight if it might get dark while you’re up there, and a camera if you plan to take photos, as well as somewhere safe to store your stuff while you climb/hike.
Hiking Festvågtind
Preface: I love hiking. I’ve done plenty of challenging hikes across Europe, Asia, and North America. I’ve hiked glaciers and ice caves, across shifting deserts, and up extremely steep mountains in 105ºF heat with 80% humidity. Everything I’d read and heard about Festvågtind suggested that, while it was a very steep ascent, it was more of a walk than a hike— HA! This hike was as close to a climb as I’ve ever gotten without needing actual mountain climbing equipment.
I’m 4” taller than the average American woman, and there were parts I couldn’t have pulled myself up and over without my husband’s help. On our ascent, we passed two women who were forced to turn back because they couldn’t get over the huge boulders at the start. My husband, on the other hand, didn’t have any trouble because he’s 6’3” and strong enough to hoist me up (and later save my life). So keep that in mind when deciding whether to do this.
The Scramble
I’m going to divide the hike into sections because each comes with its own challenges and concerns. To begin, take a photo of the map at the trailhead! It is the only one on the mountain, and the trail is not marked at all once you begin climbing. If you go the wrong way, you’ll hit an impassable sheer cliff face that requires climbing equipment. Keep to the right of the path until you reach the lake halfway up.
There are a few stone steps beyond the sign. Then a bit of a walking path. Next, you’ll encounter 10-15’ tall rocky boulders that you must step or jump between. Obviously, falling between them means you’re stuck (and maybe injured) until someone finds you. So trust your intuition, go slowly, and if you are hiking with someone else, helping each other over the rocks will make this much easier to traverse.
Above: This is how tall the smallest boulders were when I lifted up my arms to take a photo…
This was the part of our hike where I became nervous. Though I’m taller than average, I have average-length legs. As such, this was really difficult for me. It was also where I discovered that my trusty hiking shoes weren’t nearly as traction-y as they’d once been. I kept pushing on anyway, which could have spelled disaster.
An Extremely Steep Ascent
Beyond the boulders, I thought we were safe: No more jumping & no more slipping. Wrong!
The hike became extremely steep, which we expected. It also became much easier to tell which way to go (keep to the right until you reach that lake!) What I didn’t anticipate was how sandy the trail was. We both slipped numerous times thanks to all of the sand over the medium-sized rocks and boulders. Expect to spend a good amount of time climbing on all fours here, haha.
Still, it wasn’t that bad, and the further up we went, the better the view of Henningsvvær & Lofoten became. A lot of the rocks we passed were much taller than even my husband, but thankfully we minded our own business and kept to the path. Look at that view!
The Lake
Halfway up Festvågtind sits a crystal-clear lake fed by snowmelt. It’s the perfect spot to take a break and enjoy the view.
We met more than two dozen other hikers resting here, who had all either turned around when they neared the summit or decided to stop there because it was simply too steep to make it the rest of the way safely. Many were experienced mountaineers, annoyed that they’d been sold a walk when it was much more of a climb. One of them had even summited Everest and a few other impressive peaks, but lacked the proper equipment to go all the way (he’d somehow made it up there in sandals!).
We chatted for a time while we rested because by this point I’d already burned almost 500 calories, according to my Apple Watch— yikes.
In the warmer months, this is a nice spot to fill up water bottles (according to the locals). If you wanted to bring a picnic up and explore the midpoint of the mountain, that would be an incredible way to spend an afternoon. Or, if you’re like us and reached it around midnight, an evening.
The backside of the lake has some of the prettiest views in all of Lofoten & Vestfjord, and is well worth the hike up to the lake just for this! We were treated to an amazing view of the Midnight Sun “setting,” which really just meant everything turned pink and blue for a time.
The Final Stretch
About three-quarters of the way up, we realized we were lost. As I mentioned, the paths aren’t marked, and though it was still really sunny out, we were in the shadow of the mountain, and due to the extremely steep slope of the mountain, we were having a difficult time determining where we were. The rocks here were also much larger again, and it was so tiring to need both hands to climb.
Still, we pushed on and were rewarded with incredible views of Henningsvær & the surrounding view of Lofoten. The distant mountains at around 1:30 am brought tears to my eyes, and I couldn’t believe we’d done such an arduous hike!
Above: The yellow building in the top-right corner of the gallery (on the dock beside the big white building) is our hotel, Henningsvær Bryggehotel!
The Way Back
Our descent was much easier and faster than the way up because we could see our destination (first the lake, then the rest of the path down) and angle towards it. Still, we were really tired now, and the traction of my shoes had probably only gotten worse. When we hit that sandy patch again along the extremely steep slope, my feet darted out from beneath me, and I went over a steep drop of at least 30 feet with huge boulders beneath me. Thank all that’s good in this world that Robin had already been holding my hand and was able to catch me. I almost pulled him down with me! We were both shaken up after I got back on solid ground, and it took a while for him to calm me down 🙁
I’d never been so glad to be on flat ground again as I was after that hike!
All in all, I’m so glad we climbed Festvågtind, because now I know what it’s like and I never need to give in to my curiosity there again, haha. If you decide to hike Festvågtind, be so, so careful. Be prepared, keep an eye on the weather, and wear proper footwear!
Ps. I only took photos when I was safe and stationary, not hiking. The above was an accident when I slipped on a sandy patch I’d thought was safe, haha. It still cracks me up!
Explore more of my adventures in Lofoten, Norway, and Europe.
