Safe Return Doubtful

After a day of cloud and drizzle on the Vesterålen island of Langøya we have moved east to the next island, Andøya.

Despite the rain we hiked a good section of the coastal walk on the west of Langøya yesterday. As usual with such rocky coastal walks, there was plenty of up and down and slippery rock which slowed things down greatly. My objective was to get to the beach at Åsand which, though only 4 kilometres, took us 90 minutes each way.

We then drove for half an hour and found a wonderful place to stop on a one way road to the village of Smines. My arrival coincided with the sky clearing and leaving a wonderful calm evening.

This morning I continued the journey to Andøya. This had been the route I cycled, in reverse, in 2016, on my second day out from Tromso. I arrived to the island at its northmost point, Andenes, by ferry, camped the night, then cycled on to Sortland and beyond. Looking back it strikes me how much I missed with such restricted time. Though at the time, it didn’t seem like that at all.

Of course at this time of year Andøya has plenty of visitors. Its attractions are its many white sandy beaches on both coasts, but particularly the west where at the north of the island jagged ridged mountains overlook them. We are tucked away at Stave beach where there is a campsite that charges per person, and also will reduce the price if electricity is not needed. Further, if you don’t require a hook up, which most visitors do, you can camp down on the beach, which is what I have done, at the very reasonable rate of 200 Kroner per night, about £14.

I’ll most likely stay here for the weekend. Today’s weather has been good, sunny with a strong wind, which has helped to dry my washing. Tomorrow is similar, and though some rain is forecast, there is lots of sport on Saturday.

Stuck out in the Norwegian Sea as it is, Andøya gets better weather than the surrounding area. Yesterday, when I was in the drizzle and rain just fifty kilometres or so west, there was sunshine here.