Things to Do in Eggum, Lofoten
Eggum is a small fishing village on the seaward north-west side of Vestvågøy in Lofoten, at the end of the road that runs north from the E10 at Bøstad. There are no shops, no restaurant and no activity companies here. What you come for is open sky, a long view over the Norwegian Sea, a few free sights and some fine walking. Prices are in Norwegian kroner (NOK), and you will want a car: Leknes, the nearest town, is about 25 km and 30 minutes away.
Watch the midnight sun from the amphitheatre
The village faces open sea to the north, so nothing blocks the low summer sun. From about the last week of May to mid-July the sun stays above the horizon all night, and people gather in the amphitheatre at the Eggum rest area to watch it skim the water. The rest area was designed by Snøhetta and finished in 2007. Its parking is set so that every car faces the sea, its walls are gabions filled with stone dug out on site, and the small service building has walls of driftlogs from the beach. Toilets are open from early May to early October. Bring a warm layer and a windproof jacket, because nights by the sea are cold even in July.
The road end is run by the local village association, which charges a small fee, about 50 NOK per car, and about 300 NOK a night for campervans in the marked bays (check the sign when you arrive). In summer you can pay at the small café by the car park, or in the box at the entrance.
Climb to Borga
The hill right above the car park carries the circular stone walls of a German radar station from the Second World War. The car park is often called Borga after it. It is free and open at any time, but there are no railings and the stones are uneven, so watch your footing and keep children close.
Walk to Hode
Hode (Head) is a sculpture by the Swiss artist Markus Raetz, placed here in 1992 as part of Skulpturlandskap Nordland. It is iron on a granite column, 178 cm tall, and it changes form 16 times as you walk round it: from one side a calm portrait facing the sea, from another an upside-down head. It stands about 1 to 1.5 km west of the car park along the gravel track by the lake, so the return walk is about 2.5 km. The Skulpturlandskap page has the background.
Hike the coastal path to Unstad
A marked path runs along the shore to the surf bay at Unstad, about 7 to 8 km each way. It is graded demanding on ut.no : narrow in places, with loose scree and stones that are slippery when damp. Allow about 2 to 2.5 hours each way, wear hiking boots, and go between May and October in settled weather. There is no bus back, so either walk the same way home or leave a car at Unstad, which is about 21 km away by road.
Surf lessons at Unstad
The sea at Eggum is a boulder shore with cold water and swell, so it is not a place to swim or paddle. Surfing happens at Unstad, where Unstad Arctic Surf runs lessons and rents gear all year, with lesson times set by the tides. Small-group beginner lessons are listed from about 2,190 NOK per person.
Look for the northern lights
From September to early April, clear dark nights can bring the aurora. The north-facing coast has very little artificial light, so the car park is a good place to wait. Nothing is guaranteed: check the cloud forecast first and dress for the cold.
Visit Galleri Eggum in summer
On the road in, about 4.6 km from the E10, Galleri Eggum shows paintings and prints by Rolf Aarøe Arnesen in a barn on an 1878 smallholding. Entry is free, and it opens in summer only, roughly late June to mid-September; see gallerieggum.no .
Organised trips elsewhere in Lofoten can be found on GetYourGuide .
Read more: Sightseeing in Eggum and Day trips from Eggum .