Hesten - Narvik

Today is another very long and busy day. It is our last day on Senja and the weather is beautiful. We get up early, clean the Airbnb and set off on the two-hour drive to the start of the hike up Hesten. The two places are actually close together, but the direct road is closed because of the construction of avalanche barriers, so we have to make a long detour. We stop at the Tungeneset viewpoint once more, as the reflection of the sunlit mountains in the water is perfect and looks beautiful.

Soon we drive on to Fjordgård. The hike up Hesten (‘the horse’ in Norwegian) starts in this small, remote village. The ascent begins gently, with ever more beautiful views of the fjord and mountains. We chose this hike because of the impressive view of Mount Segla.

The hike gets more and more demanding, and for the last 50 metres before the summit we have to climb a rather steep rock face. We are about to turn back when we meet other hikers who tell us that it’s not much further and that the view from the top is really worth it. So we summon up our courage, continue climbing and push past the steep rock face to the top. We are standing 556 metres above sea level and once again have a breathtaking view wherever we look. The view of Segla, which drops steeply into the sea, is especially impressive. It is one of the best-known views on Senja.

We sign the summit book and take photos of the landscape. We don’t stay too long at the top, as we still have a long drive ahead of us and are a little worried about how we will climb down in one piece. But it all goes well, even if some sections take a bit of nerve, as a few stones are loose and the ground drops away steeply. A little further down, on safer ground, we have a picnic. After just over four hours we are back at the car park. What a spectacular and beautiful hike on our last day here on Senja! Now we have a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Narvik ahead of us. But the drive drags on, as the landscape with the setting sun and mirror-smooth lakes covered in mist makes us stop again and again for photos and drone videos.

We dutifully take turns at the wheel and enjoy the scenic drive. We arrive in Narvik in the evening, just before the hotel reception closes. We eat a ready meal and watch some TV before we go to bed.