Sunny Sunday in Ballstad

13/10/2025

We’d looked at possible stopovers for the next night and Paul found a camper area on a platform in a harbour. At 400 NOK (about £33) it was definitely at the top end of the budget and It wasn’t even a working day, but who wouldn’t be tempted?

Reineholmen Lofoten Bobilcamp

The stopover is in Ballstad, a village that takes up all of a small island and the neighbouring shoreline. The water in between is a lovely large natural harbour, with access to the sea at each end but mostly protected from the worst of the open ocean. A rectangular concrete platform juts out into this natural harbour. Probably once a mooring spot for more industrial activities, it has now been converted into a lovely space for vans. Some slightly cheaper parking spots are on the shore but we felt we just had to be surrounded by water.

The Bobilcamp viewed from above

When we arrived we were the only people parked up although a couple of additional vans arrived later. We explored the facilities and found a free washing machine which was extremely welcome as our muddy cycling gear definitely needed a wash. There was a large sink in the laundry so we were able to give everything a really good soak before the washing machine took care of the last stubborn dirt. As there was no dryer we hung our washing up in the laundry to take advantage of their heating.

Hiking Nonstinden

The following morning was as bright and sunny as the forecast had promised. We may have chosen this parking spot for it’s marine surroundings but, as with everywhere in Norway, we weren’t far from a multitude of walking trails and planned a walk around the local hill of Nonstinden. This seems to be quite a popular name for a Norwegian summit, I think it means ‘the nun’s peak’ but maybe someone can confirm that?

Despite it not being one of the ‘famous’ walks of the area, it bought all of those Lofoten vibes that you see on instagram with it’s steep slopes and incredible birds eye views of coast and harbour. It has to be in our top hikes of the trip and at only 10k and 570m of elevation it wasn’t too difficult either.

We had to make our way to the start point by walking along the road from our parking spot to the southern end of the village. Above us were the steep cliffs we would have to descend, striped with avalanche protection. On the way we suffered an olfactory assault from fish heads hung on the drying racks. I don’t know how long they had been there. Normally the season for fishing is in early spring so the fish may have been as much as eight months old. They certainly smelt it!

Our route took us around the coast first of all and we clambered over rocks and along narrow paths above the sea with some beautiful views of the ocean.

We passed through a section where we had to walk under arches of fallen rocks balanced on each other. We were glad that this looked like an ancient rockfall and unlikely to move while we were squeezing through.

The coast path continued but we had to climb the grassy slopes up to the ridge. We zigged and zagged our way up the steep hillside.

We had been completely alone as we walked around the coast, but from the ridge we could see many other hikers on the peaty plateau and ridge footpaths. It was a sunny Sunday in Norway so of course everyone was out on the trails.

We walked north along the ridge to the peak of Nonstinden which we shared with a three generation group of hikers, children, parents and grandparents all enjoying the summit. We kept to the ridge line as we descended from Nonstinden to the east. From here we could see spectacular birds eye views of Ballstad and beyond while a pair of sea eagles circled us. I couldn’t stop snapping photos.

At this point we decided we would stay in the camper parking another night. Paul had spotted some fishing spots and wanted to spend the evening angling. I went onto the website for the camper stop and paid for a second night, I’m not sure why I rushed to book it. It was very unlikely that a convoy of motorhomes would turn up and take all the spaces.

This is the sort of view that screams Lofotens

Finally we found the top of the Sherpa steps which helped us down the steep cliffs which had seemed impossible to climb when we’d walked beneath them earlier. This was the way that most people had ascended and was pretty busy.

What a fantastic walk!

We got back to the van and Paul immediately got his fishing gear out and walked back the way we had come to a fishing spot he’d spied from above. Sadly he didn’t catch anything edible this time so it was a good job that I made us some dinner anyway.