Almost lonely - bucket list summit in the off-season
On this day in May, we make our way to Fredvang and decide to park at the farm at the end of the road. There's not much going on today, the weather is gray, a cold wind is blowing and we even have to expect rain. Not the dream day for a dream mountain. But we made a conscious decision to visit Lofoten at this time of year, because where in summer there are masses of tourists, the parking lot is full of cars and there is a camper van parked in every free space, at the beginning of May there is still a yawning emptiness. Not even ten cars populate the parking lot, the owner, who collects the parking fee, is actually busy with renovation work for the upcoming season and with so few people around he even takes the time to talk to me. What interests me, of course, are the crowds that populate Lofoten in summer.
He tells me that around 50,000 visitors come here every year to make the excursion on Ryten. The hiking mountain is therefore high on the bucket list of many visitors to Lofoten. This is probably also due to the fact that the mountain is easy to reach, the ascent is moderate, the nature experiences are unique and the panorama is simply incredibly beautiful. The inhabitants of Fredvang and probably many other communities in Lofoten are divided in their opinion about tourists. There are those who simply ignore all the hype surrounding their islands and go about their own business. Then there are those, like himself, who profit from the great interest in Lofoten. After all, he earns his living by renting out parking spaces and "everyone needs money", he says with a smile on his face. But there are also those who would rather have everything the way it used to be, for whom the many people and the increasing infrastructure - be it larger roads, parking lots or accommodation - go against the grain. But there will probably never be a "back to zero" for the Lofoten Islands, it's just a question of dealing with the crowds and protecting this unique natural environment at the same time.