Kvalvika Beach

Situated in a remote bay on the north-west coast of Moskenesøy, the beach at Kvalvika is possibly the most dramatic in the Lofoten Islands, and that is saying something.

Here the mountains meet the sea, and the goldens sands of the beach are flanked by precipitous, sheer rock faces, the most iconic of which is Ryten. This peak rises 550 metres, almost straight up from the beach and provides the most stunning views back over Kvalvika.

In the centre of the beach is another towering peak which more or less divides the beach in two on all but the lowest tides. This also has the effect of creating twin valleys, each with massive, glacially-carved sides.

To get to Kvalvika beach requires hiking from the nearest parking in Fredvang. This is a well-worn trail but has plenty of ups and downs so it will take around an hour to cover the 3 kilometres. However, the views at the end are more than worth it.