Lofoten and wild camping changes

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 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 27 Apr 2023

For anyone heading to Lofoten this summer it is worth noting some changes to the “Allemannsretten” of allowing camping anywhere 150m away from habitation that came into force in 2022.

https://guidetolofoten.com/wild-camping-lofoten-norway/?fbclid=IwAR0bbpRUFr...

In certain popular and overused areas, camping and vans are now banned - Kallebukta and Royvika, being the most obvious.

I'm not sure of the situation under Gandalf, I will try and find out,

Chris

OP Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 27 Apr 2023
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Sorry about the typo in the header - shoddy

Chris

 biggianthead 27 Apr 2023
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Leave nothing but footprints. 

Take nothing but photographs.

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 crayefish 27 Apr 2023
In reply to biggianthead:

Agree.  After over two decades of wild camping, rarely legal, I've yet to be caught and have never left a trace.

 TobyA 27 Apr 2023
In reply to crayefish:

Have you camped in Lofoten though?

 crayefish 28 Apr 2023
In reply to TobyA:

Yes, I was there a few years ago for a couple of weeks with my tent, and never saw anyone where I camped (despite having a couple of sites which I stayed at for 2 days).  Spectacular place!  One of the best in Europe for varied scenery with each island  eing slightly different.

As with most of Scandinavia, it's wild enough that there are no shortage of places to camp which are out of view of any roads or commonly frequented paths.  Regardless, if camping in such a place, I would see it as an aim to avoid high traffic areas as otherwise much of the joy of wild camping is lost.

Post edited at 07:53
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 wbo2 28 Apr 2023
In reply to Crayefish: Well count yourself very lucky because Lofoten gets very crowded with campers and it's not very good for the environment and anyone's experience, locals or visitors

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 crayefish 28 Apr 2023
In reply to wbo2:

I guess timing plays a part.  My previous trip was somewhat on a whim in early September.  I had the most spectacular and sustained view of the Aurora Borealis that I've ever had, although I was kicking myself for only having brought black and white film on this particular occasion!

I do of course understand that there is quite the difference between a subtle green two person tent nestled amount the hills, compared to scores of huge white motor-behemoths scaring the landscape.  It's a delicate balance between accessibility of the outdoors and preserving the wildness, which is the primary draw, and not something I have a solution for unfortunately.

 Fat Bumbly2 28 Apr 2023
In reply to wbo2:

Have not been for a while - was there a lot in the 1990s.  Is it like parts of Scotland in that the crowds are somewhat 1 dimensional, strung out along a (the) road route?  Have heard grim tales from the E6 too.

 wbo2 28 Apr 2023
In reply to Fat Bumbly2: They are strung out along several road routes.  

However that discussion is a distraction from the exact discussion around limits being set around wild camping in some areas of Lofoten.  Here the problem is a lot of tourists and a lot of climbers, with the latter (us) being particularly bad at breaking the two day limit, plus being concentrated in specific areas.  Have you read the linked to document and the map showing what's in, and what's now banned?

OP Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 28 Apr 2023
In reply to Chris Craggs:

> I'm not sure of the situation under Gandalf, I will try and find out,

> Chris

Apparently people don't camp under Gandalf anymore, the main reason being that, because of the new crash barriers parking isn't possible there. The area near the first bridge is often used now instead,

Chris

 ianstevens 28 Apr 2023
In reply to crayefish:

> Yes, I was there a few years ago for a couple of weeks with my tent, and never saw anyone where I camped (despite having a couple of sites which I stayed at for 2 days).  Spectacular place!  One of the best in Europe for varied scenery with each island  eing slightly different.

> As with most of Scandinavia, it's wild enough that there are no shortage of places to camp which are out of view of any roads or commonly frequented paths.  Regardless, if camping in such a place, I would see it as an aim to avoid high traffic areas as otherwise much of the joy of wild camping is lost.

Just a little fact check: it's illegal to camp in Denmark outside of a designated area. What you say is of course true for Sweden/Norway.

 TobyA 28 Apr 2023
In reply to ianstevens:

>  What you say is of course true for Sweden/Norway.

And Finland. 

I asked Crayefish if he had camped in Lofoten, I should have said had he or she camped at the historic climber camping spots in Lofoten as this seems to be where the issues have been. I've spent three weeks on three different trips camped at Kallebukta - wonderful memories including my 30th Birthday there! But back then the local community had added a composting loo and water tap for people using the spot too avoid people pooing wild. This was fantastic, but clearly made it into an unofficial official campground rather!

A few years ago I was chatting to a local woman on the bus from Tromso to Lyngen. She was telling me how rubbish was becoming the biggest issue up there as tourists increased. She felt it was the local authorities problem for not having enough rubbish bins around for campers, but she said in the summer locals were finding tourists in camper vans and car camping were putting bags of rubbish into the bins on their driveways because there were no other places to put them. Obviously people operating with a decent intention - not littering - but I'm sure super annoying for local finding their bin full of someone else's rubbish.

 ianstevens 28 Apr 2023
In reply to TobyA:

> >  What you say is of course true for Sweden/Norway.

> And Finland. 

Not in Scandinavia though

> I asked Crayefish if he had camped in Lofoten, I should have said had he or she camped at the historic climber camping spots in Lofoten as this seems to be where the issues have been. I've spent three weeks on three different trips camped at Kallebukta - wonderful memories including my 30th Birthday there! But back then the local community had added a composting loo and water tap for people using the spot too avoid people pooing wild. This was fantastic, but clearly made it into an unofficial official campground rather!

> A few years ago I was chatting to a local woman on the bus from Tromso to Lyngen. She was telling me how rubbish was becoming the biggest issue up there as tourists increased. She felt it was the local authorities problem for not having enough rubbish bins around for campers, but she said in the summer locals were finding tourists in camper vans and car camping were putting bags of rubbish into the bins on their driveways because there were no other places to put them. Obviously people operating with a decent intention - not littering - but I'm sure super annoying for local finding their bin full of someone else's rubbish.

I've heard similar - I have a friend who is from there and they went back last summer to visit, and apparently the place is overrun. Too many visitors and not enough space or infrastructure for it all, which this plan is clearly designed to help with. I've never ben and want to go one day, but a) don't want to contribute to the overloading and b) the current state of the place sounds pretty horrible.

Post edited at 10:47
 TobyA 28 Apr 2023
In reply to ianstevens:

> Not in Scandinavia though

Nope, although the rest of the world and quite a few Finns don't seem to realise this. Sometimes it's a political identification thing.  

> I've heard similar - I have a friend who is from there and they went back last summer to visit, and apparently the place is overrun. Too many visitors and not enough space or infrastructure for it all, which this plan is clearly designed to help with. I've never ben and want to go one day, but a) don't want to contribute to the overloading and b) the current state of the place sounds pretty horrible.

> I've never ben and want to go one day, but a) don't want to contribute to the overloading and b) the current state of the place sounds pretty horrible.

It's 10 years since I was last up that way in summer, and 20 since I last went to Lofoten in particular. 10 years ago in August it was quite quiet - other climbers at the Stetind unofficial official camping area, but we had the South Pillar to ourselves all day. The whole week was wonderful and we rarely saw anyone else away from the roads. http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.com/2013/09/rock-climbing-in-arctic-norwa... 

When I first went to Kallebukta (Lofoten) and we based ourselves there for a week, it was just paradise. No wonder the area with little climbs a walk away is called  Lofoten. Sad it's busier now, but I do wonder how busy it can be compared to a bank holiday weekend in the Lakes for example? I'm sure its still paradise even if you have to pay up for a proper campsite - you won't smell as bad either after a shower!


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