Sørvågen 67:53.363N 013:01.381E

Pelagia
Frans & Sarah Toonen
Sat 27 Jun 2015 10:44
Saturday 27th June 2015. W2-3. Largely overcast. Cold. 20.1nm in 5.1 hours. 1.1 engine hours. 

We moored at a pontoon tucked right in at the end of the narrow inlet. Delightfully quaint with fishing boats and rorbu only a few yards away. The rorbu are the cabins used by seasonal fishermen in days gone by. They are restored or rebuilt as holiday cottages now and seem to be the most consistent local style. The water is deep in the inlet so the rorbu are perched on rocks and wooden poles with the odd rusty peg visible at low water. Maybe this was cheaper than building a quay for the fishing boats as they could be tied to the poles.
This island, Moskensoya, is the most southerly Lofoton connected to the mainland by road, E10, via lots of tunnels and bridges between the islands. The E10 goes as far as Å then stops at a large coach and motorhome park where they all visit the fishing museum and turn round and drive back again. It's not quite wide enough for 2 buses (from the cruise boats at Leknes/Solvaer) on many bends and there are no pavements so we didn't enjoy walking to Å. It was nice when we got there, the museum is a restored hamlet and the stock fish museum (yes really) was interesting if lacking political correctness. The stock fish are graded into Prima, Secunda and Africa! North and South Italy have different preferences and have always been a major market. Fish that doesn't make the grade is 'Africa'. 
Hill walking is right by the boat, just cross the E10 and go up. There are cairns and paint blobs to guide you and chains/ ropes installed on steep smooth bits. We have met hikers from as far afield as US and Australia but no other Brits. Frans walked with Belgians and Americans on his climb through the snowy patches to the peak of Hermannsdalstinden 1029m. They all agreed it was safer to walk/climb together. After his 12 hour hike it was only cold beer and meatballs that motivated him up the fender step back onboard. Sarah did 3 hours and turned back after the second chain climb section as having done a risk assessment the arrival of clouds meant a wet slippery decent on the chain sections was a possibility she would not risk.

The compulsory selfie @1029m. The village of Reine just visible in the background.
Considered to be one of the best views in western Lofoten...
…half in hour into the decent the clouds parted… Grrr! 
Still worth the 31km round trip though.


A little further down still a breathtaking view.


Orchid


Imagine that in the wet, and much steeper than it looks… of course.