Scandinavia… Not a country, but a beautiful area. Scandinavia is the collective name for the following Northern countries; Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Looking at history, Finland and Iceland also belong to Scandinavia: according to the Norwegian council, they also belong. All in all, Scandinavia is huge (more than a million square kilometers), while about 24 million people live there. For comparison; The Netherlands is more than 41,000 square kilometers with about 17 million inhabitants.

Of all western European countries, the Scandinavian countries probably have the most more or less untouched nature. In addition, they are countries that are easily accessible from the Netherlands. Norway is characterized by, among other things, the fjords and the Trollstigen, known to many motorcyclists. And where Sweden is known as wide and relaxing, everyone knows Finland as the land of 1000 lakes. All in all, legitimate reasons to traverse this beautiful nature in the north of Europe by means of a number of routes.

The Lofoten archipelago lies in the middle of the wild Norwegian Sea, well above the Arctic Circle. This special region offers a beautiful landscape with imposing mountains, deep fjords and long, wild sandy beaches where the sound of the seabird colonies can always be heard.
The archipelago is best known for its rich fishing tradition. Despite their isolated location, the Lofoten make a prosperous impression. The whole economy is above all about fishing. The image of the Lofoten is mainly dominated by wooden racks with cod hanging to dry. Lofoten fishing has been a household name for centuries. In the middle of winter the ships set sail to catch the fish in just a few months. The rich fishing grounds are due to the North Atlantic Gulf Stream around the islands, where the fish have their spawning grounds. No oil drilling is allowed around Lofoten and the cod spawning grounds there.

The route starts in Narvik at the Scandic Narvik hotel. Within the first kilometer you will pass a gas station where you can fill the tank if you have not already done so. There is also a supermarket on the same square, so if you want to stock up on the road, that is quite possible here.

Just outside Narvik you can almost immediately see a large bridge, the Hålogalandsbrua. This is a suspension bridge over the Rombaken, a bay of the Ofotfjord. It is also the longest suspension bridge above the Arctic Circle. Before this bridge was built, it was necessary to make a detour over the Rombak Bridge, which, due to the technical limitations of the time, is located about 9 kilometers eastward. The bridge was opened on December 9, 2018. After this, the route of the E6 was moved from the Rombak Bridge to the Hålogalands Bridge, shortening the route by 17 kilometers.

The E6 offers you beautiful views of the fjords and the landscape along the way. Great to see, especially when the weather is nice, windless. The reflections in the water from the other side remain beautiful to see. There are several places marked to stop to stretch your legs, make sure to use the opportunity to enjoy the view and take pictures at those places.

At Gratangsbotn you will (almost) pass the North Norwegian Boat Museum, or the North Norwegian Boat Museum. Up close you can see how old boats are being restored for a next life. Gratangen is a traditional fishing and hunting community, from here fishing has taken place in Lofoten, outside of Senja and Finnmarka, as well as on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. In the past, many boats from Gratangen also participated in the seal hunt. Then it is no wonder that both old boats and objects from fishing have been collected here.

Ten kilometers further along the route you can visit the North Norwegian Maritime Protection Center, roughly translated as the North Norwegian Ship Protection Center. The term ship protection is mainly used for the active use of preserving cultural-historical vessels in a floating state. This form of protection began in the 1960s with ships such as the rescue boat Colin Archer, the schooner Svanen, the wheeled steamboat Skibladner and the local boat Børøysund.
The center mainly carries out ship carpentry for major restoration projects. During a restoration, most parts of the ship can be modified, and keel and bow changes, decks and rig work are carried out, as well as interior work.
One of the special areas for the center is the restoration of semi-diesel engines. For example, 10 semi-diesel engines have been completely overhauled or restored. The engines were of the Brunvoll (2), Union, Volda, Rapp, Sabb, Normo, Finnøy, Heimdal and Wichmann types. In addition, repairs have been carried out on a number of different engines. In addition to forging, the workshop is equipped with machines for most operations. Wear parts such as bearings and piston rings can be produced.

After this piece of culture you drive further along the coast with again great views over the water. Driving too much to look at the water is of course not sensible, which is why several parking spaces have been constructed along this road. Take advantage of that to enjoy the surroundings!

After the first coffee break you drive along the Skulpturlandskap Nordland (Skånland). In the middle of no man's land, right on the water is the sculpture '7 Magical Points'. This is a beautiful and mystical round iron sculpture, 7 meters in diameter and weighing 25 tons. The location is as mentioned along the coastline overlooking the midnight sun in a picturesque setting. The artwork was created by Martti Aiha.
Be careful when visiting, the 'path' to it is not exactly flat.

After driving 100 kilometers you can stop for the second coffee break. A special place, because from this point you actually only enter the Lofoten. First you put 'wheel' on Hinnøya. This island is Norway's largest island, apart from the islands that belong to Spitsbergen. The island is 2204.7 km² in size. Slightly more than half belongs to the province of Nordland, the smaller part belongs to the province of Troms og Finnmark. It is divided over eight municipalities in total.
Hinnøya is connected to the mainland by the Tjeldsund bridge (1007 meters) over the Tjeldsund. The bridge is part of the E10. The highest point is at 1262 meters: Møysalen.

The route goes through the Sørdalstunnel, a 6338 meter long single tube tunnel. The E10 runs through the tunnel from Lodingen to Svolvær. The tunnel is in a remote area, there are no villages in the area. The tunnel is also located on a slope, from east to west the height difference is 90 meters.
The tunnel was constructed as the last part of the 51-kilometer Lofast project, which gave Lofoten a permanent cross-river connection with the rest of Norway. This project started in 1993, but the tunnel itself was built between 2004 and 2007 and opened to traffic on December 1, 2007. This project made the ferry services in the area obsolete, although the route from Bodø via the ferry service is faster than the huge detour via the E6 and E10.

Shortly after, you cross the Øksfjorden via two bridges and a small island called Husjordøya and drive on the last piece of land belonging to Hinnøya. Again a bit through a tunnel, although it is not as long as the Sørdalstunnel. It concerns the Raftsund Tunnels with a length of 1530 meters. The tunnel was opened to traffic on December 1, 2007. This tunnel also belongs to Lofast.

The connection from Hinnøya to Austvågøy, the second island of Lofoten that you drive over, is formed by the Raftsund bridge, which is also part of Lofast. This bridge was opened in 1998. It is a gently sloping, elegant concrete bridge spanning the rugged landscape of Hinnøya and Austvågøy in Lofoten. The thin, elegant pillars on which the bridge rests are not very prominent in the visual image.
It is a concrete span bridge, built according to the 'cantilever method'. In this construction method, both sides are built simultaneously from a fixed end (pillar), until the two parts meet in the middle. When the ends meet, the bridge is connected and the load is distributed between both headrests. Very often, a casting cart is used for work with formwork for a certain section. Once it is formed, the carriage is pushed forward. In English this way of building is called cantilever style, or projecting outwards. All foundations / scaffolding heads placed on the mountain are recessed into the terrain to minimize site degradation.

Once you arrive in Austvågøy, it doesn't take long before you enter the next part of the Lofast project: The Myrlands Tunnel. This tunnel runs between Falkfjorden and Myrlandsfjorden. The tunnel is 1965 meters long and opened to traffic in December 1997.

Shortly after leaving this tunnel, the next (and last) tunnel in this route looms up, the Sløverfjordtunnel. This single-tube tunnel with a length of 3337 meters goes under the Sløverfjord at a maximum depth of 112 meters below sea level. The strongest slope is 8%. It will not surprise you that this tunnel is also part of Lofast.
The tunnel was built in the mid-1990s and opened to traffic on December 19, 1997. In the early years the tunnel was still of little importance and traffic went via the ferry service Melbu - Fiskebøl, the Hadselbrua and the Sortlandsbrua, a northern route. Since 2007, the tunnel has become more important when the Lofast project was completed.

Almost at the end of the route you will pass the Austnesfjorden viewpoint. This point is beautifully landscaped. To give you the maximum view over the fjord, various platforms and stairs have been built between the rocks. Wonderful place to stay and of course take some nice pictures.

When you arrive in Svolvær you can visit the Lofoten Krigsminnemuseumm. The Lofoten War Museum offers the largest display of rare uniforms and artifacts from the Second World War. The exhibition offers a unique historical snapshot of these five dramatic years, telling the war story in a unique, personal and engaging way. Many rare objects are featured.
The museum is getting great feedback from all over the world, and as one war veteran said, "Must be one of the best in the world - maybe the best!"

After refilling the fuel tank you will arrive at Kabelvåg, the final destination of this route. To be precise at Kabelvåg Vandrerhjem, a simple but good hostel. You can eat at one of the restaurants in Kabelvåg.
Three campsites are indicated for campers in the vicinity of the end point: Kabelvåg Feriehus & Camping, Lofoten Turist og Rorbusenter Ørsvågvær and Sandvika Fjord og Sjøhuscamping.

If you still have time, you can take a look at the Lofotmuseet or the adjacent Lofotakvariet. In the Lofotmuseet you can experience the history of the Lofoten fisherman on one of the best preserved farms in Lofoten. You will find the stately main building from 1815, authentic fishing huts and a boathouse with Nordland boats.
The museum offers slideshows and exhibitions on Lofoten fishing, harbors and lighthouses along the coast, traditional crafts and a beautiful garden with historic perennials. Guided tours are by appointment.
In Lofotakvariet you can learn more about Lofoten cod or cod, the East Atlantic cod that migrate from the Barents Sea to Lofoten every winter to spawn, and then form the basis for fishing in Lofoten. Cod is used to produce stockfish (you must see the drying racks along the way) and salted fish, and it has been one of the most important food fish in Europe for centuries. At the Lofoten Aquarium you can also study most of the other fish species, crustaceans and marine life in the marine areas around Lofoten. In addition, you can experience an exhibition about coexistence in the marine areas with information about fishing, aquaculture and oil and gas activities in Norway.
At Lofotakvariet there is a swimming pool with seals and a separate canopy for otters. One of the highlights of a visit is feeding the seals and otters. The Lofoten Aquarium has photo exhibitions and movies, it is possible to buy Lofoten souvenirs in the aquarium shop and enjoy a coffee and the great view from the cafe.

Have fun driving this route!