Unstad Beach

Although it may sound a little odd, Unstad is in fact the heart of the Norwegian surfing scene. Despite being well within the Arctic Circle this beach attracts surfers from around the world. Admittedly many come out of curiosity, but there can be good waves here and the scenery is absolutely stunning.

It is said surfing at Unstad beach dates back to the 1960s when some globe-trotting Norwegians returned from Australia with a bright idea. Since they ventured out on their home made surfboards things have progressed and these days there is even a surf school here.

It is little surprise that the water here never really warms up, rarely hitting 15 C in the summer. However, in the winter it doesn’t get as cold as you might imagine due to the presence of the warm Gulf Stream current.

The sandy beach sits at the foot of a wide green valley which rapidly rises up to either side of the beach in the form of looming mountains. It is a quite incredible setting to look back at whilst bobbing around on a surfboard. In fact it’s pretty good from any angle and only gets more dramatic as the mountains become covered in snow.