Overview
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Hesten hike overview
2,5 km (top) - 5km (total)
530 m
530 m
2 to 2.5 hours
Out & Back
Easy - Moderate - Difficult - Expert
The hike
The Hesten hike starts at the village Fjordgård on Senja Island. There is no parking lot right at the start of the hike, so you have to walk from the parking lot to the trailhead first. On Google Maps, you can find the start of the hike as ‘Hesten Trail Head‘.
From here, you start walking on a clear path, going up a ski slope. In general, the path is clearly visible throughout the hike. At the top of the ski slope, the path continues between the trees. Wooden paths have sometimes been constructed here to bridge some muddy and wet parts. After the small forest, the path becomes more rocky and also a bit steeper.
Fun fact: Although this is often thought, Senja is not part of the Lofoten islands.
After about 45 minutes the path splits.
- If you keep left, you go straight towards the ridge between Hesten and Segla. This is actually a shortcut to the viewpoint without going all the way to the top of Hesten.
- If you go right, you continue your way to the ridge between Hesten and Stavelitippen. On top of this ridge, you have to turn left towards the summit of Hesten. From here, you can also descend to the ridge between Hesten and Segla. So, the last part is actually a kind of loop.
We didn’t make it to the top of the Hesten because the weather suddenly changed, but we heard that you have to use your hands to scramble up to the top. We were able to get to the viewpoint on the ridge between Segla and Hesten but had to return because it started raining. Be careful on the ridge because it goes straight down at the edge!
From the viewpoint on the Segla Hesten ridge, there are multiple paths that return to the main trail, along which you can then return to the starting point of the hike. We advise you to take some of the paths closer to the Hesten side. We took one closer to Segla and it took us a while before we found the main trail again.
Note: To enjoy the beautiful view of Segla, you should not walk up the Segla, but up Hesten. It is therefore important that you do not follow the signs to Segla at the start of the walk. This hike would take you up to the top of Segla, from where you obviously won’t have a view of the mountain.
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When to hike
The best time to hike up Hesten is from June to September It is not recommended to hike this mountain when the trail is still already covered in snow and ice.
Neither is it recommended to hike in bad weather conditions as the trail might get very slippery. This hike is best done on a sunny and clear day or during a clear midnight sun night.
Note that this is a very popular hike in this part of Norway, even among locals. So there is a good chance that you will meet a lot of other people during this hike. If you want to admire this beautiful scenery, we advise you to hike at sunrise, sunset, or during a midnight sun night.
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How to get there
The hike starts at the village of Fjordgård. Because of the popularity of this trail, there are now two large parking lots where you can park your car. It is not allowed to park your car on the side of the streets. The distance from both parking lots to the start of the hike is approximately the same.
Also, the price is the same:
- 25 NOK per hour
- 250 NOK per 24 hours
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Tips & Safety
Important hiking tips!
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Win-Win for everyone
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However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
