They are at least 80 kilometres high, are anything but easy to reach beyond the Arctic Circle, the weather can be good, but most probably isn't, and there is no useful touring literature for mountain bikers. So what motivated our author Nathalie Schneitter to make the long journey from Switzerland to the Lofoten Islands with an e-MTB in her luggage? To put it simply, the 39-year-old has been in the saddle of a mountain bike for 20 years. During her racing career, she has already experienced the best bike spots in the world, including the Olympic trails in Beijing in 2008. In 2019, she became the first female world champion on an e-MTB and has since won several World Cup races in this category.
But what she has missed out on so far is adventure. Trails that are not yet developed or perhaps even accessible by lift. She accepts the fact that you have to travel to less sunny climes. She is also okay with the fact that the journey with the E-MTB could be complicated. Only the trails themselves shouldn't disappoint under any circumstances. But Nathalie had already seen enough pictures and was sure that nothing could go wrong on the Lofoten Islands. Was it like that? After her return, we asked her about her experiences and her best travel tips:
Your first realisation after the trip: Is a trip to the Lofoten Islands by E-MTB really worth it?
Yes, definitely. In times when everything in the world has already been discovered and developed, the Lofoten Islands really still feel like an adventure. We were there in June, of course, because the sun doesn't set for weeks at a time and the midnight light creates this magical atmosphere. You have to choose a region, though, because the 80 islands stretch over 150 kilometres and each one juts out of the Atlantic like a sharp, green tooth.
Although most of the islands are connected by bridges or tunnels, their mountains are up to 1200 metres high and the climbs up there are extremely steep. That's why I'm glad we decided in favour of e-MTBs, even though some people advised us against them. Partly because they make the journey even more complicated.
How complicated is travelling to Lofoten by MTB?
As we all know, e-bikes cannot be transported by plane - in Norway, not even if you leave your own battery at home and borrow one locally. Our solution: We flew from Munich to Bodø and from there took the small plane to Leknes. We simply sent the e-bikes and battery in advance by post. That sounds like a great idea at first and not at all complicated, but during our journey there were three weather changes, resulting in a missed connecting flight and half a dozen security checks in between.
When we finally had the Lofoten Islands under our feet, our bikes hadn't arrived yet. Norway is not in the European Union, which makes shipping goods exponentially more difficult. But we only found this out when we got there. So we had to tremble about whether our bikes would arrive at all. But the next day, the postman was standing outside our hotel.
Where and how is the best place to stay in Lofoten?
Larger towns in Lofoten are mainly on the east coast of the islands, i.e. on the side facing away from the weather. That's also where you'll find most of the tourist accommodation. However, we chose Unstad as our base camp. A small settlement on the west coast with a beach that attracts cold-water surfers from all over the world. However, we were the only mountain bikers here. We would find out why over the next few days.
But our accommodation was fantastic: we were allowed to stay in a simple wooden house in the middle of the surf camp, with a view of the sea. We ate in the adjoining hotel with an incredibly good chef. He surprised us every evening with culinary works of art. My favourite dish, for example, was "bacalao", a kind of tomato and cod stew. And for breakfast, of course, we had the typical Scandinavian "Kanelboller", delicious cinnamon buns.
What were the trails like in the region? Can you find them on tour portals or did you have a guide?
There is no trail park idyll or built mountain bike infrastructure on the Lofoten Islands. That's exactly why we were there. What there are are sheep trails and old hiking paths. Partly mossy and blocked. Some of these trails have certainly never been ridden by a mountain biker. Riding technique at the limit, I would say - both uphill and downhill. The e-bike was not a luxury, but a basic requirement. Many of the rocky ramps would have been impossible without a boost. They stretch endlessly uphill and at the end you still have to push because of the loose rubble and greasy rocks.
You will get your socks wet because the vegetation is tundric, almost arctic. There are only a few trees, but mosses, lichens and tough herbs. The moss is particularly treacherous: you step in it and sink into it up to your ankle - and your shoe is already full of water. We learnt from our guide Seth that the best way to deal with this is to take it easy. He is American, but has lived in the Lofoten Islands for over 20 years, speaks fluent Norwegian and knows every corner of the archipelago. That was extremely helpful. He is also a walking encyclopaedia. He told us a lot about the Viking era, how important fishing is for the region and - oh yes: that it's not actually called "the Lofoten Islands". In Norwegian, Lofoten is the name of the region. So the correct translation would be: I was in Lofoten.
From the pictures it looks like you were very lucky with the weather?
Hm, that's about it. We also tried to adopt the calmness of the locals when it came to the weather. During the climbs to the mountain summit, we were always surprised by rain showers. Then we had to put on our rain jackets, take out our thermos flasks and wait for the mist to clear. On the Kreten Trail, we sat there until the wetness seeped through the seams of our jackets. But hot tea seals out the cold quite well from the inside.
And patience pays off in Lofoten: The clouds eventually lift like a curtain, the view over this unique fjord landscape opens up and you can look forward to an exclusive, technically demanding trail all the way to the beach. It would have been extremely annoying if we hadn't been rewarded after this strenuous 1000 metre ascent.
Your absolute highlight in... er, in Lofoten?
Definitely our midnight tour: the sun is low for hours and floods the mountains with golden light. The sea glistens, the shadows are soft and it is absolutely silent. For me, Lofoten is one of the most impressive playgrounds in Europe.
What you need to know
The islands of Lofoten are among Europe's most beautiful landscapes. Especially in the eternal light of the midnight sun. As a mountain biker, however, the journey is only worthwhile if you have the necessary riding skills.
The precinct
The Norwegian district of Lofoten with its 80 islands lies in the Arctic Ocean, further north than Iceland and even just beyond the Arctic Circle. With its fjords and steep, green peaks, Lofoten is one of Europe's most spectacular mountain ranges. However, the network of paths is limited. There is often only one steep trail for the ascent and descent, which even very good e-bikers have to push in the last third towards the summit. In general, you should have riding skills up to difficulty level S3 if you want to have fun on the often slippery and scree-covered trails.
How to get there
The easiest way to get here is by car or motorhome. As you can now get to the islands on the E10 European motorway without a ferry and even reach the southernmost town thanks to the six tunnels. But the journey from Hamburg to there is already over 2000 kilometres long. Flights from Germany to Leknes (flight duration with stopovers approx. 8 hours) cost between 600 and 800 euros return. But beware: E-bike transport is not permitted in Norway, even without a battery. It is possible to send it by post, but it should be posted in good time.
The best bike spots
- Harstad: There is a signposted enduro race circuit here (30 km/1100 metres in altitude) and a bike park with a pump track since 2022.
- The villages and mountains near Leknes offer a high density of trails: Smørdalskammen, Vetten and Eltofttuva.
- Overview: trailforks.com
- Guided tours with a guide: alpineguides.no
Best time to travel
The phenomenon of the midnight sun can be experienced in these latitudes from mid-May to mid-July. With an average of 15 degrees, this is also the warmest time to visit until August.
Overnight stay
Accommodation tip: Unstad Arctic Surf right on the beach. We had the Beach House including half board and wellness area. Info: unstadarcticsurf.com
Further addresses: infolofoten.no, visitlofoten.com
Author Nathalie Schneitter
The first female E-MTB world champion comes from Switzerland and knows her way around technical trails. But the mountains in Lofoten also had a new level of uphill flow in store for her.
