Nesheia
Nesheia was the hike in Lofoten which most exceeded our expectations. We had read little about this hike and heard nothing from locals or other travelers. As a result, we had little expectation for this mountain. Much to our surprise, this hike had some of the best weather and most inspiring views of our trip and, beast of all, we had it all to ourselves.
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The Nesheia trailhead is located on Flakstadoya, at the east edge of Storvatnet, just south of the famed multi-color turquoise Flakstadpollen bay. Â We parked at a construction site adjacent to the trailhead. The hike starts off heading north, gaining views of both Storvatnet and Flakstadpollen, before turning south toward the Nesheia summit and the Norwegian Sea.
The topography of Nesheia near the summit is desert-like, a mix of sand and grey rock, distinct from the muddy and lush green trails populating the rest of Lofoten’s mountains. To the West were views of Nusfjorden, the quaint town of Nusford, Stjerntinden mountain and the dramatic coastline of Moskenesoya. The island of Vaeroy was also visible in the distance. Across the Nappstraumen Strait to the East was the blue-green ridgeline of Skottinden and an archipelago of giant rocks extending from the southeast edge of Vestvagoya.
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The summit was easily accessible and non-technical, affording views of the entirety of Flakstadoya. After the summit, we proceeded further south where a rock formation which created the southern terminus of the island. Despite being lower than the summit, this rock had the best angle from which to view Nusford and the aforementioned southern coastline of Moskenesoya. We the looped east to gain to better views of Skottinden, and the waterway separating Flakstadoya and Vestvagoya, and then headed northwest taking in views of the imposing Stjerntinden towering over the desert in the dim afternoon light. This last part was one of my favorite of the day. We stopped off at a couple small lakes in the center of the island, before making our way back to the trailhead.
This trail was at most moderate in difficulty, and has a many use trails and places to explore which are off the cairn-marked summit path. Sometimes the best photography hikes are not necessarily the best experiences, or vice versa, but Nesheia was both a top tier hike experience and epic photography destination. On the day we visited, we also enjoyed solitude, which is increasingly difficult to find in beautiful places. I couldn’t recommend a Lofoten hike more highly.
