It is good to experience the seasons up here. People ask me when to go, but it’s really just a question of what you want. There are four seasons and they are all very distinct; they all have something special about them.
Summer has the midnight sun and beautiful colours blazing all ‘night’ long. Sometimes the days creep over 20 degrees, but normally it is around 13 in the summer. You can camp and surf 24/7 when the waves are up. On the outside of the islands are where the beaches are, copping the swell.
Autumn brings typically fair days and there are less people around. It has beautiful colours and the Northern Lights are dancing across the sky again.
You still have long days, but it is getting darker in the evenings. You can hike and find berries and the water temperature is a bit warmer.
Winter has the nice light in the midday. It is like a sunset that lasts for hours. At night, the Northern Lights will amaze you when it puts on its magical show over the northern horizon. To paddle, kite and surf in these conditions is just a crazy experience. The snow is coming and you can snow-kite in the mountains or on the ocean. Normally winter comes with good wind. It is a special feeling to be in the water when there is snow surrounding you.
Spring lets you ski and kite in the mountains. Longer days and also some northern lights can be seen in the sky. The colours are a bit brown after the winter, but it is a beautiful quiet time in Lofoten. It gets warmer. It is not easy to find open camping sites this time of year, but you have a better chance to get a place to stay or free camp.
The biggest draw of Lofoten and the north of Norway is that there are so many places left to explore. You can hike around and find beaches on the other side of the mountain you did not know existed and they will be perfect to set off from. If you are lucky, you can find nice lagoons. This is what makes it so special to me. New spots, new views and new experiences. It is what I love about life in the Arctic. SUP
