Fuel may not be cheaper but other airport fees(ESME is free), accomodation, eating and shopping will be cheaper. The Euro is also expensive in Sweden now so you will get more value when you bring Euro.
June 2014 (what? Can’t be that long ago, can it?) wifey and myself spent a week exploring the Lofoten by car, sea kayak, and hiking. We were lucky with the weather and had a fantastic time!
We landed and then left the Falco at ENSH Svolvær for the whole week. If you get a rental car, try to have it delivered at the airport, for there are way nicer hikes than the airport – city along the main road…
An absolute must go, the more so by airplane, is the southernmost island of Røst, ENRS. Out of the world place, I recommend taking a boat charter around the reserve of the Røstøyan. 324 inhabitants and 1 dog, so we were told by the taxi driver in 2011, maybe a few more by now… and they don’t count the seagulls 
Oh no! If I am retracing your steps it means I will end up flying an RV too
I got a “getaround” and they said they would bring it to the airport…I hope so!
I am afraid we wont be so lucky with wx, but it looks like a must-go place!
Dan wrote:
and they don’t count the seagulls
They actually do 
Not the locals perhaps, but 4 species are red labeled, close to extinction. Lots of different species of seagulls. One species like to live among people, around houses, in cities. It’s common (or so everybody thought) where I live, and they make a lot of noise. They shit all over the place, and attack you when they have chicken. They can be a real menace, but in contrast to what “everybody” believes, they are literally close to extinction.
In fact all species of seagulls are protected, killing one is against the law.
LeSving wrote:
all species of seagulls are protected, killing one is against the law
And another good reason to try to avoid them in flight…
Thanks for the infos @LeSving, interesting stuff.
Once spent 4 days on the top floor of a hotel in Lerwick, on the Shetland Islands, and had the opportunity to watch parents feed their pretty young chicks on the roof of the opposing hangar. No clue what kind they were, greyish, but cute for sure
There were no attacking seagulls there, but we were attacked alright by Bonxies aka Great Skuas on a hike. That was interesting enough…
Thread drift closed
Dan wrote:
Thread drift closed
Not so fast My wife and I were on Iceland a couple of weeks ago (we saw the lava from the new eruption the last evening, and from the plane when leaving). There the “menace” wasn’t seagulls, but some spieces of Terne (Sterninae). I don’t know if they actually are in the seagull family, but roughly the same shape and color, only smaller and cuter looking. We got those in Norway as well (tons and tons of them, I would say, but then again, probably endangered?)
Seagulls are pretty good flyers, but these Ternes are literally aerobatic champions. We didn’t get attacked, but we saw several that were. When attacked by a seagull, it’s usually just one or two, and they typically dive in, then fly off for a 15-20 seconds before attacking again. These Ternes attack in flocks of 5-7 by the looks of it, and they attack while doing a continuous loop, all of them, one after the other. An incredible display teamwork and aeronautical skills and the persons usually got terrified Very funny.
Having a look at Røst it seems the airport barely fits in the island together with 100-odd houses and a small dock. No seagulls visible in the sat pic, though
It seems a rather barren piece of land when compared with the rest of the Lofotens. Worth a visit nonetheless?
Antonio wrote:
barren piece of land
@Antonio, worth a visit or not is a matter of what you, and assuming you are not traveling alone and you are listening to them, your traveling companions want. Reading EuroGA one quickly realises different tastes and flying styles. Some like to play airliner, some to fly IFR in VFR just for the sake of it, some want to visit cities, some are content to do some local flying with a UL, etc.
Since I don’t like masses of people nor associated big stinking cities, I usually aim for less populated areas, with hopefully some remaining natural features at hand.
As to Norway, a personal view (I bet many will disagree ) is that the South of it is rather boring, looking too much of “same as home”. The Lofoten, and Norway further North, offer what I’m really looking for.
Røst is set on a barren piece of land yes, and that is what made it attractive to me. We overnighted there, took this boat excursion in the reserve, and dived into an atmosphere of “out of the world”. The airfield’s elevation is 10’, and leaves one to wonder what happens when big waves hit the island…
So again, what was attractive to me and my wife, and we loved it, might not be for you or other people.
Røst, the airfield and runway visible on the left, the hamlet, harbour, and only hotel on the right side of the pic
Wise words and yes, not travelling on my own. I personally also found fascinating exploring Spitzbergen 15 years ago and that was also a rather barren piece of land. I will submit Røst to the Executive Comittee’s consideration…Thanks!
Dan wrote:
the South of it is rather boring, looking too much of “same as home”.
Perhaps But, one place that is surprisingly often forgotten in the “urge for Lofoten” is Røros (ENRO). The airport is literally in the city. They have Jet fuel and 100LL. Lots of hotels and unusual local food, and the city itself is very special with its buildings. No sharp and peeky mountains, since you are at a mountain plateau with “endless” space in all directions. Very nice in the summer, even more special in the winter.
