Senja

Introducing Senja

Senja, Norway’s second-largest island, rivals Lofoten for natural beauty yet attracts a fraction of its visitors (we meandered the length of its northern coastline and saw only one non-Norwegian vehicle).

A broad agricultural plain laps at Innersida, the island’s eastern coast facing the mainland. By contrast, birchwoods, moorland and sweetwater lakes extend beneath the bare craggy uplands of the interior. Along the northwestern coast, Yttersida, knife-ridged peaks rise directly from the Arctic Ocean. Here, the Rv86 and Rv862, declared a National Tourist Route, link isolated, still-active fishing villages such as Hamn and Mefjordvær and traffic is minimal. The now flat, now mildly bucking road, almost always within sight of the shore, is a cyclist’s dream. On the way, pause at the Tunganeset viewing point and scramble over the broad slabs of weathered rock to savour the spiky peaks to the west and, eastwards, more gently sculpted summits.

The helpful tourist office (77 85 07 30; www.visittroms.no; Storgata 17; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm Sat Jun-Aug, 9am-4pm Mon-Fri rest-of-year) in Finnsnes, on the mainland just across the bridge for Senja, has plenty of information and sells Opplev Midt Troms (Nkr20), an invaluable map of the island and its environs.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009