I’ve been visiting Lofoten on a regular basis for quite a few years - however I’ve never visited at a time when I was able to enjoy a fresh and full coating of snow, until this trip...
Lofoten in snow
For this visit I wanted to shake things up a little. Each trip I get immense pleasure from photographing the same four or five incredible locations. Every visit, season and time of the day these locations will look different and even this time I was seeing them in fresh ways - check out my Skagsanden Beach Gallery to see what I mean - the top row are from this trip.
So to change things up I flew into Svlovær which is further East than I normally spend my time with the intention of spending a few days exploring this area. As soon as I arrived I knew this would be a different trip - the snow was already 3 foot deep and was still falling. The peacefulness this brings is quite something (except for the sound of the camera shutters!) Being wrapped up warm, snow falling and the stillness of the Arctic night is absolute bliss to me.
After following closely the weather forecast for the 10 days before my trip I knew the snow wouldn’t last long and gradually my time in Svolvær became shorter and shorter, and when the time arrived I spent only one night and morning there before taking the familiar journey to Hamnøy in the West of the Islands - simply to chase the forecasted white stuff - snow.
The drive was spectacular and the scenery continues to take my breath away, as well as the changing conditions throughout the journey. On the 2 hour drive I drove in snow, blizzards, storm clouds, rain and perfectly clear blue skies. That’s one of the beautiful things about Lofoten - the changing conditions.
As soon as I arrived at Reinefjorden Sjøhus the sky was starting to change colour, ready for the sunset in a few hours. It’s this time of day that it all looks stunning and after just a few photos outside where I was staying it was time to head to the Hamnøy and Sakrisøy bridge to take a few snow covered photos of the most iconic red Rorbuer’s in Norway.
Just as I hoped they were covered in snow.
Hamnøy covered in snow
The storm was arriving
The second day was similar weather and the snow was still falling, but then the rain and the storms arrived. The locals were sharing how they had tied everything down in preparation and that it was going to be bad. The local news was saying stay inside due to danger to life and potential avalanches and the national news was sharing how bad it was, with concerned Norwegians getting in touch to check we were OK.
This went on for about 2 days and was quite something. With beautiful floor to ceiling windows in our Rorbuer I really had to hope that Norwegian windows are designed for this type of weather beating, and of course they are.
The final morning arrived and the Lofoten that I’ve seen more often than not returned, like nothing had happened.
The water was still as glass, the birds sang and the few clouds in the sky glowed with pastel tones of orange and pink on a background of light blue. It was the type of sunrise that you’d see in a photo and not believe it’s real, but it is real, and that’s why I love The Lofoten Islands.
Hamnøy, as photographed from Reinefjorden Sjøhus