Volandstinden (457 m) is not one of Lofoten's most famous hikes, although its shark's-fin-like summit offers a photo-shooting spot for Fredvang bridges - the view that is almost as scenic as the view from Reinebringen. The hike is around 5 km and it is mostly easy to moderate, and the views in all directions from the heights are rewarding.

It should be said at the outset, however, that if you want to get pictures of the Fredvang Bridges, you have to climb the "shark's fin" to the lookout point. The hike to the summit of Volandstinden is not very difficult, but the path to the viewpoint is steep and very airy.

Here you will find my current experiences and an up-to-date guide to hiking the Volandstinden!

Volandstinden & Fredvang Bridges

Volandstinden is located on Flakstadøya, where you can also find Ramberg, Flakstad and Lofoten Beach Camping, Stornappstinden and the picturesque village of Nusfjord with its hiking trails.

Although the Volandstinden mountain is not very well known, almost everyone has seen it on their way to Kvalvika and Ryten. Volandstinden rises right at the end (or beginning) of the Fredvang bridges next to the E10 road. You can't miss the sharp, shark-fin-like peak!

Volandstinden rises to 457 metres above sea level. When you start climbing from the fjord, the ascent is about the same. The trail is about 2.2 kilometres in each direction, which makes for a total of 5 kilometres of hiking.

The hike takes at least a couple of hours, but there are nice slopes up there to enjoy life and warm summer days. By Norwegian standards, the hike is moderately challenging, with the viewpoint at the end being the most demanding part of the route.

Volandstinden - parking

There are two routes to Volandstinden from both sides of the mountain. Coming from Moskenesøya, the route leaves from Bjønnmyra towards Geitøydalen. The parking area and the starting point of the route can be found before the Fredvang bridges.

Another parking area is located along the Fv803 (Skjelfjordveien) in Skjelfjorden. The road is accessed from the E10 just after the bridges at Fredvang. This car park is a private car park run by the local village association.

Parking in the village association car park costs 50 NOK or 5€. You can leave your payment in the bag/box outside the orange building, or pay using the Vipps app. Overnight parking is not allowed.

Volandstinden - hike description (from Skjelforden)

The trail starts with a gentle climb under the power lines towards Nesfjellet. After a short stretch of flat terrain, the path becomes rocky and starts to climb the lower slope of Nesheia between bushes and trees. A small creek is crossed over the rocks.

The trail reaches the first plateau. On the plateau you will find a triangular shelter and a campfire site. The scenery opens up beautifully to the Skjelfjorden fjord. It would be nice to sit here in the evening in cooler weather, even if there is no sunset on this side of the mountain.

The steepest part of the route follows after the rest area. The trail is largely rocky, with dusty peaty paths in places. You may need to use your hands to help you climb up in some places around a large boulder. If you've ever climbed on rocks (or in the Norwegian mountains), there's nothing too difficult.

Then you cross a gently sloping hill and descend to a stream you've already crossed once. The stream, which starts in the marsh above, and its water, or at least the rocks at the bottom, are so rust-coloured that it's worth filling up your own water bottle before setting off to the hike.

From the stream, turn right up the slope and start the ascent along the Volandstinden ridge. Although the face of the mountain is quite vertical on its northern edge and the path runs right alongside the edge, the route does not feel exposed - there is no direct line of sight to the drop.

Soon, the path from the left comes up from the other side of the mountain, along Geitøydalen. The path on the west side is, at least from the map, a slightly gentler route.

A large part of the slope is an easy peat path. In between there are nice flat rocks and flat areas where you can take a break to admire the scenery.

As you reach the top, a larger rocky outcrop begins, where the path disappears in places. You may have to use your hands in a couple of places, but the trail is not difficult and there is no danger of falling.

After the boulders, the rest of the trail is a gentler, regular path. At the summit, the path runs almost on flat ground and it is several metres wide. The slopes are soft grass, inviting you to lie down and have a picnic.

Volandstinden summit

The Volandstinden summit is marked by a pile of rocks, the cairn is on a large boulder. You can sit on the rock and enjoy a snack. Immediately below the summit is a plateau a few metres wide, which can accommodate more people. Below the edge is nothing but emptiness, about 450 metres down.

From the top of Volandstinden, there are stunning views of the Lofoten Islands. To the north, the white beach and shops of Ramberg are clearly visible. To the west, Kvalvika's sharp Kjerringa is clearly visible, as is Ryten to the right. Behind the "Shark fin", the buildings and beaches of Fredvang stand out.

The Selfjorden fjord also opens up magnificently amidst the mountains. Beyond it, in the shadows of Branntuva and Brasråstindan, rests the magnificent Horseidvika in Lofotodden National Park. The scenery is comparable to both the Ryten and the Reinebringen!

But as I said at the beginning, the viewpoint is in front of the view of the Fredvang bridges. I looked at the trail for a while and had to conclude that I couldn't go on the last short section. The trail is not even as steep as the black final stretch on Lårdalstigen in Norway's Telemark, but on Lårdalstigen the forest down on the slope obscures a direct view of the Telemark Canal and the drop.

My own experiences of Volandstinden hike and tips for hiking

I wanted to get a picture of the Fredvang bridges, so I looked at the map to see which mountain I could climb to take pictures. That's how I found Volandstinden.

The blog posts I read about Volandstinden told me that the hike was easy, and from the top of the mountain you could take pictures of those famous bridges. However, one thing that none of the blogs mentioned was that to see the bridges, you would have to climb to another peak after the summit, the "shark fin peak".

The short path to the viewpoint is so exposed (a straight slope going down with no visual obstacles, "stumble and die" type of route) that it is not available to anyone suffering from vertigo, or any other similar limitation. Even if you could get up without getting dizzy, you might not be able to get back down the steep descent. The slope looks steeper in person than it does in pictures.

Although it was nice to go up the mountain and see some great scenery, it left me a little disappointed. Maybe that's why I always try to present the nature destinations in an informative way, so that it would be easier to judge the difficulty of my descriptions. My easy route may not be your easy route, and vice versa.

The weather in Lofoten and Norway: I managed to get some hot weather on this trip to Lofoten Islands too (it's always hot and sunshine in Lofoten!). There is no shelter from the sun on Volandstinden, and in July the sun shines all day on the route. In rainy and windy weather, I would skip the last viewpoint, otherwise the route is still doable.

The top of Volandstinden would be great for admiring the midnight sun (especially sitting on the shark's fin, but the highest peak would be a good second). The scenery would also be more picturesque at other times than on the brightest July day. However, the views were quite nice on the spot, as it was the middle of the day when I passed the mountain.

One of the best things about Volandstinden is that hikers have yet to discover the mountain. Where people now queue up on the steps of Reinebringen for Lofoten's most famous photo, Volandstinden is a quiet place to be in equally beautiful scenery.

With my guide, you can easily find your way up the little-known but highly photogenic mountain - and perhaps get some great photos of the Fredvang bridges in addition to the joy of exercise!