N O R W AY

K A Y A K N O R D K A P P A N D L O F O T E N

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Six days drive from Scotland to Europe took Seumas Nairn and I on an epic road trip all the way to the northern tip of Norway. Parked in Europe’s most northerly mainland town we had arrived on the rugged peninsula of Nordkapp; The North Cape.

One year before we had sat down over a beer in a quiet highland pub and discussed adventures, soon we settled on Norway. This was to be ‘the big one,’ to go on adventure together had long been something we wanted to do, but then we were sidetracked with another, kayaking Patagonia. In a funny round about way Norway had now become the post expedition ‘holiday.’

Dubbing the adventures combined as the ‘Fjord to Fjord’ project we were now arriving to kayak in two of the worlds greatest fjord systems, in two hemispheres in two months. It was a chance to go on a second massive adventure.

On our way north we had driven through the Calais ‘Jungle’ with two kayaks on the roof, wild camped amongst the lakes of Sweden and paddled in the crystal waters of deepest Lapland, the journey in itself as much an adventure as the end goal.

Meeting the wonderful folk at The North Cape Experience we had all the information we needed to make our first big ‘tick’ possible. A rounding of the North Cape. Side by side we paddled under the tremendous cliffs against a stiff wind, we followed eagles and wild camped in the unset midnight sun. Succeeding with little trouble we left for Lofoten with high spirits and for Seumas a promise to return and work here for the summer.

Every kayaker has probably heard of Lofoten at some point, it is widely regarded as the European Mecca for kayaking adventure. It is a view that is not unfounded. For two weeks we lived in the back of the van paddling by day and climbing mountains by sunset nights. We discovered that hidden in the fjords is a lost paradise, we fished for food and explored ‘just because,’ Lofoten gifting the paradise we had sought.