=== 68 North ===
The summit of Nonstind is the highpoint along a narrow mountain ridge. While not spectacular in and of itself, the journey to the summit with fantastic views over Unstad beach is the main draw of this hike. You could stop after the first steep climb up to the ridge and be happy view your views, but continuing to the summit will lead you to rare views of the distant Uttakleiv beach and the towering peaks of Himmeltindan as they rise from the cold fjord in front of you.

Getting There
The Trail to Nonstind begins in Unstad. Unstad is located on the northern side of Vestvågøy, about 20 km north (east) from Leknes.
Upon reaching Unstad village, turn left, going to the parking area on the left side of the beach. You can park here, or there are a few more places by the boat sheds a little further down the road.

Wherever you park, continue down the gravel road, with the steep mountain ridge to your right.

The Trail
Continuing down the road, you will pass through a gate. With the mountain ridge coming down on your left, you are going to head in the general direction of lake Utdalsvatnet. There are several small trails up the small hill, you can also follow the large ‘scar’ on the hillside, before going cross country to the shores of the lake.

Facing lake Utdalsvatnet, you will see a well worn trail leading to the left and beginning to ascend the ridge. Take this. Do not begin to ascend the ridge without the trail, as it gets steep in places.

The trail gradually steepens as you gain elevation. After several hundred meters of ascent, you will enter into a boulder section of the ridge where the trail will grow faint at times. There are a few rock steps and some boulders to scramble over, but as long as you stay close to the ridge (don’t go too far left), the exposure is not that bad. This area also provides some of the best views down to Unstad and the beach, so take a photo.

After crossing the rocky section, you will pick up the trail again as the ridge flattens out. From here it is a fairly easy walk for another 20 minutes or so as you continue on the the summit.

The summit is merely the high point along the ridge, but there are some nice views to be found if you look around.
From here, you can also continue on to some of the other nearby peaks.

Camping
There are various camping locations once you have ascended the first climb and the ridge flattens out. There are also some areas in the vicinity of the summit. No water available. Most locations are fairly exposed, depending on wind direction.

=== Rando Lofoten ===
An excellent hike around the bay of Unstad to discover this tiny lost valley on the western coast with its immense beach that has now become a favourite spot for surfers who don’t mind the cold and who come here to ride the rollers in winter.

The route starts in the village centre and takes the old road into the valley before the tunnel was built. At the Kleivdalen pass you get a fine view of the narrow Stein fjord below.

From here you take the little path on your right which takes you to the top of Nonstinden. From the peak you follow the splendid ridge that overlooks the bay of Unstad and the beautiful Lake Utdalsvatnet to end up on a huge pebble beach.

=== 68 North ===
At a modest 448 meters high, Reinebringen is far from one of the highest peaks on the Lofoten islands. Yet this is more than made up for by the iconic view from the summit. The view, combined with the easy access from Reine and a constant flow of images on social media means that Reinebringen is one of the most popular hikes on Lofoten, with hundreds of people making the ascent each day. That said, the trail to the summit of Reinebringen is not really a hike, but rather a steep climb to a view point along the ridge.

A word of caution
In the last years with the ever growing popularity of Lofoten as a travel destination, Reinebringen has been seeing ever increasing crowds and the mountain is beginning to suffer. The trail is experiencing more and more erosion and rockfall is beginning to become an all too common occurrence. The local community is now discouraging hikers on the mountain until a new trail can be built.

I know a photo from the top along with some quote about living your dreams will get you thousands of likes on Instagram, but unless you’re planning on visiting this peak on a day full of rainbows and flying unicorns, please think of whether you need to hike this mountain and not an alternative, such as: Festvågtind, Mannen, Stornappstind, or any of the countless other fantastic views across Lofoten.

You will still hike this mountain anyhow, so just be aware of your surroundings and pay attention to those hiking above and below you. And if you cause any rock fall, yell: ‘ROCK!!!’ as loud as you can to warn others below you.

Update – Autumn 2016: Work began in late summer 2016 to begin the construction of a stone path up the mountain. As of my writing, it has only been partially completed. When work begins again, it is asked that you avoid the area where work is occurring.

Getting There
Drive towards Reine. At the corner of the E10 and the turnoff into Reine is a parking area. Alternatively, on the Å side of Ramsvikstunnelen are several small pullouts along the E10.

From the parking area walk west (south) along the E10 in the direction of Å. Take the paved path along the outside of the tunnel (Ramsvikstunnelen). Where the path is close to connecting back with the E10 on the far side, look for a small trail emerging from the bushes. There is a painted arrow on the pathway pointing towards the trail head. In summer it should be fairly simple to locate.

The Trail
The hike begins as a fairly muddy path winding its way upwards through the low birch forest. Climbing higher up the mountain, the trees begin to thin and one will come across several short but wet rock steps to negotiate.
Once clear of the forest, the trail gradually steepens and alternates between turf (which can be wet/slippery) and rocky sections. If others are above you, there is risk of rockfall as the trail becomes more eroded from use. Stick to the main trail as much as possible and don’t make any new paths.

The trail steepens in one final rocky ascent before finally reaching the ridge and the spectacular view over Reine. Many choose to stop here, or you can continue to the right up the steep rocks and follow the short trail to the last small peak. Alternatively, one can follow the trail towards the left which continues high up the ridge.

Camping
There are several places along the ridge where a tent can be pitched. All are completely exposed, so be aware of conditions and any incoming weather. No water is available near the top.

=== Rando Lofoten ===
This short climb leads to a narrow pass where there is a breathtaking panoramic view over the village and fjord of Reine.
Take the old road, which has since become a cycle lane and which avoids the tunnel south of Reine. The starting point of the track lies to your right at point N67 55.381 E13 04.745 (roughly 200m after the old road coming from Reine). The track begins in a wooded area before quickly reaching the south slope of Mount Reinebringen.

The track then begins to climb a very steep slope and crosses ravines and slippery spots that can be dangerous if the ground is wet or if you stick too closely together (risk of falling rocks).
After a climb which is so steep that you will probably be head down most of the way, you suddenly reach a pass overlooking a sheer drop with the village and fjord of Reine below. The view is simply breathtaking!
From the peak you can take the track on your left to the small peak 150m away where view is more open.

WARNING we strongly advise you not to continue any further along these peaks westwards. In recent years some hikers have taken the risk and never returned!

=== Rando Lofoten ===
This hike provides the finest view over Reine fjord for those prepared to make the effort to reach the top. It follows the same route on the return journey and there is no trail at all on the second part. The trail begins just after Djupford bridge (around 1 km after the village of Reine on the right) then follows the left bank of the fjord as far as a small isolated red cabin in the place known as Djupfjorden. You can no longer rely on a trail from this cabin on. Head northwards along the valley towards lake 229. Make sure you stay on the left of the stream (there are waterfalls in certain seasons) avoiding the rocky surfaces which can be extremely slippery. Once you arrive on the edge of lake (229) take the right shore westwards and jump over the flowing water. Go round the southern-most point of the lake and head directly up the north slope following the various grassy borders. Even though the climb is steep and without a trail, there is no particular danger on condition you always stay on the right of the waterfall. As you reach the curve at 500 m the slope becomes less steep and to the north east in front of you there is a small pass with a cairn in the middle. Head towards the cairn from where you will have a magnificent view over the village of Reine. Then follow the peaks north eastwards to the top (point 730 m).

The view is breathtaking and you will probably want to set your tent up at the top to admire the setting and rising sun from this fabulous eagle’s nest. Go back down the same way.

=== 68 North ===
First seen as a long, narrow stretch of sand wedged between high mountain walls on the northern coast of Moskenesøy, Horseid’s isolation and wild beauty embodies nearly everything that makes Lofoten a world class destination. Though Horseid was the last of Lofoten’s wild beaches that I visited, it immediately became my favorite – despite waiting out 24 hours of bad weather on my first trip. The required 2+ hour hike after arriving by ferry in Kjerkfjord means Horseid receives far fewer visitors than its sibling beaches of Bunes and Kvalvika and is better suited as an overnight camping destination.

Getting There
Horseid Beach is located on the northern side of Moskenesøy, in the western part of Lofoten. While there is a hiking only route to the beach, the easiest way to get there is to take the ferry at Reine. The ferry is located approximately 300 meters from the gas station in the center of the village, there are signs from the main road pointing to the ferry. Take the same ferry as to Bunes beach, but you will exit at Kierkefjord/Kjerkfjord (pronounced roughly Sherk-fjord).

FERRY TIMETABLE

The Trail
Walk towards the right after exiting the pier in Kjerkfjord. After some 100 meters through the village and past the end of the first set of houses you will pass a small stream and (hopefully) see a sign pointing towards a small trail on the left.

The trail is somewhat overgrown and grassy as it heads towards the pass between the two mountains in front of you. If the clouds are low, just keep going up, there is only one way. At the top, the trail flattens temporarily before descending a rather rocky, steep, and muddy hill towards the beach.
Once down from the pass, follow the trail towards the right side of the small lake. The trail here is boggy at times, but easy to follow. Keep going towards the beach. Once you reach the sand at the back of the beach, it will be about 20 minutes until you’re at the water.

Camping
The best camping is found at the front of the beach on the right side, up on the small hill. There are several spots here that are more sheltered from the wind than others. This location puts you right near the edge of the sea, though it is the furthest part of the beach to reach.

If the weather is really bad, there are some sheltered spots hidden among the dunes about midway down the beach on the right side. Or alternatively, the dunes at the back of the beach are relatively sheltered as well.

Water can be a bit tricky. The biggest stream is at the back of the beach. Head up a ways just to avoid any salt water contamination. If you are camping at the front of the beach, the best source of water is the small waterfalls coming down from the mountains on the right. Hike up a ways until you find a spot where the water is flowing clean off the slopes; it can be a bit dirty if you try and take any from too close to the beach.

There are no supplies once leaving Reine, so be sure you have everything you need. Horseid can be a scary place in bad weather, so be sure to check the forecast.