A GREAT DAY HIKE TO HORSEID BEACH, LOFOTEN ISLANDS

Get ready for a fantastic day hike to Horseid Beach in the Lofoten Islands. Nestled between sharp mountain peaks within the Lofottoden National Park, Horseid Beach is one of Lofoten’s most remote islands. The journey to this beach offers a beautiful mix of Nordic Fjords, dramatic mountain peaks, lush green meadows, and a jaw-dropping white sand beach.

Starting with a peaceful boat ride from Reine through the Kjerkfjord, once you step off the boat, the trail will lead you over a small hill and through a lush green valley that ends up at Horseid Beach. This breathtaking white sand beach and crystal clear blue waters is the perfect reward after a beautiful hike.

Sounds interesting? Then, put on your hiking boots, pack some snacks, and get ready to experience one of Lofoten’s most beautiful hikes!

HORSEID BEACH

Horseid Beach is a beautiful white-sand beach tugged in between mountains in Moskenesoya island in Lofoten. Its “difficult” access makes it quite a remote, and isolated beach which means its beauty is raw and untouched.

The beach is located within Lofotodden National Park, which characterizes for massive and steep mountains, narrow fjords, natural beaches and blue waters. This park is a paradise for nature enthousiasts that want to spend their day between mountains.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HIKE

In this section you’ll find some practical information that will make your life easier on the day of your hike.

PARKING & GETTING TO THE TRAILHEAD

This trail starts at the small village of Kirkefjord which is only accessible via a 40-minute boat ride from Reine. If you’re traveling by car, you’ll have to park your car at Reine’s harbor parking lot where you’ll get on the boat that will bring you to the trailhead.

This boat has a limited capacity so if you don’t want to be left on shore, I recommend buying your tickets online in advance. This way, you can just get there 15 minutes before departure, and be one of the first people to get on the boat. Alternatively, if you don’t want to book your tickets ahead of time, you’ll have to get there 20 to 30 minutes before departure and wait in line to buy your tickets.

Book your tickets, check the timetables and prices here: Reisnordland.no

Important: If you’re planning to do this hike as a day hike, make sure to take the first boat of the day and check in advance when the last boat to Reine departs. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend the night at Kirkefjord.

It is also possible to reach this beach without the boat ride by starting at Selfjorden. However, this trail is way more demanding. It is a 16km out and back hike with an altitude gain of over 1000 meters.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Horseid Beach is a relatively easy hike in Lofoten. The trail has no technical difficulty and it is not too steep. The most difficult thing is to mentally accept that the beach is further away than it looks and it will take you approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach it.

The following equipment is not mandatory but will be quite handy during your hike.

Waterproof hiking shoes or boots: Hiking shoes are very important in Lofoten and in particular for this hike. Some parts of this hike are through some rocky terrain and having shoes with a good grip will be very important. In the valley part of this hike, the trail is often wet and muddy so having waterproof boots will allow you to have dry feet.
Hiking poles: Although hiking poles are not mandatory for this hike, for me it is very comfortable to hike with them.
A reusable water bottle: Hydration while hiking is key and during the summer months even more. Make sure to bring plenty of water to complete this hike as there is no water source along the way.
A hat and sunscreen to protect you from the sun: There is barely any shadow on this hike so if you’re hiking on a sunny day, you will be glad you had this.
Waterproof jacket: In Lofoten, the weather can be quite unpredictable. One moment it is sunny and a few minutes later, it starts raining. Always bring a waterproof jacket with you just in case. And even if it doesn’t rain, you’ll be happy to have this jacket if it gets windy.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO HIKE TO HORSEID BEACH?

The best time to do this hike is between May and September when the weather is milder. If you want to increase your chances of good weather, then your best option is July and August. We did this hike in August on a partially clouded day. Luckily, it didn’t rain at all during our hike but it was quite windy at Horseid Beach.

During the winter months, it is not recommended to do this hikes as ti can be dangerous with snow and ice on the trail.

HORSEID BEACH HIKE

HIKE STATS

Trail Start/End – Kirkefjord Port (accessible via boat from Reine)

Distance – 9,8 km

Elevation Gain – 505 m

Level – Easy – Moderate

Route Type – Linear Route

Estimated Time Needed – 7 hours. This includes plenty of time for a picnic and relaxing at Horseid Beach.

Best Time To Visit – Between June and August, to increase your chances of good weather.

HIKE MAP

HORSEID BEACH HIKE - STEP BY STEP GUIDE

The Boat Ride To Kjerkfjord

The hike to Horseid Beach begins with a 40-minute boat ride from Reine to Kirkefjord (or Kjerkfjord). The boat first makes a stop at Vindstad, where most of the people will get off to enjoy a day hike to Bunes Beach. Just stay on the boat, and get off at the second stop it will make.

This boat ride is quite beautiful and you will be able to enjoy some of Lofoten’s best landscapes. Unless it is raining, I recommend you stay on the outside deck and enjoy the beautiful sights you’ll have in front of you.

The Climb To The Mountain Pass

As soon as you get off the boat on the pier, turn right. You will be walking next to a few cute wooden houses next to the water and after approximately 100 meters, you’ll see a small stream coming down from the mountain and a sign that shows you the way to Horseid Beach.

The trail heading up to the mountain pass is not steep and mostly rock-free. There is only some rocks at the top part but nothing too difficult. The trail goes up next to the water stream, surrounded by grass and you’ll be surrounded by grass and a few small trees.

As you go up, remember to turn around from time to time to see the houses getting smaller and admire the scenic views over the fjord.

Once you reach the top of the mountain pass, the trail flattens out for a few hundred meters and you will be able to enjoy out-of-this-world views of Horseid Beach in the distance as well as Kjerkfjorden.

The Descent Into The Valley

From the mountain pass, it is time to start your descent into the valley. This part will be a bit slower than you think because there are a few tricky sections ahead of you.

First, you will have to go through a rocky section which, even though it is not very difficult, will require you to use your hands at some times.

As soon as you reach the valley, the trail because very muddy and it feels like you’re walking through a swamp instead of a regular trail. Unless you are wearing waterproof boots, you should expect your shoes and socks to get wet.

However, the rugged mountains surrounding you and the small oval-shaped Horseidvatnet Lake are so beautiful that you will forget about it and just want to enjoy the views.

Horseid Beach

Horseid Beach is quite wide, it still takes around 20 minutes to reach the water from the back of the beach. First there are some dunes which make for a very nice photos and then you will reach what seems to be an endless sand part but eventually you will reach the water.

Now it is time to just relax and enjoy this amazing beach. You can just walk next to the shore, dip your feet in the cold water or have a picnic with some of the best views. Most probably you will be almost alone here.

Tip: When you arrive to beach, make sure to check how long it took you to reach. This way, you’ll know when do you have to leave so that you don’t miss the last boat back to Reine.

The Return Hike

The return hike is just retracing your steps back to Kirkefjord Pier. However, this doesn’t mean it is monotonous. While you walk back you’ll have the impressive mountain peaks ahead of you and with the afternoon lighting, it makes for quite a beautiful scenery.

Once at the pier, just hop on the boat back to Reine. If you still have some energy left on you, you can stay outside and enjoy the views of the fjord one last time.

STAYING OVERNIGHT

Even though it is possible to do this hike as a day hike, you will have to pay close attention to the time to ensure you’re back in time to catch the last boat back to Reine. If you have some extra time in Lofoten and want to enjoy this hike without having to pay attention to the time, then you might consider staying overnight.

Camping at Horseid Beach

If you’re on the adventurous side, you can bring a tent and camp at Horseid Beach. It will be an experience that you’ll always remember!

Things to consider when camping at Horseid Beach:

The beach is quite exposed to the wind. The most sheltered spots to place your tent are either at the front of the beach on the right side, un on a hill, or near the dunes at the back of the beach.
Once you leave Reine, there will be no place to get food or water. Make sure to bring everything you need with you.
Remember to take all your trash with you when you leave. Help preserve the beauty of this place.

Staying at Kirkefjord

If camping is not your thing, you can always book a night in at Reinefjord Cottage, a small Bed & Breakfast located at the end of the Kirkefjord village.

MAP WITH LOCATIONS

HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Click the star next to the map title to add this map to your google maps account. To view it on your phone while traveling, open Google Maps, click on the menu button and go to “Your Places”, click on Maps and you’ll see this map in your list.

HIKE SUMMARY AND INFOGRAPHIC

No time to read the full blog post? Here’s an infographic I’ve created with the most important information about this hike.

And that’s it for my blog about Horseid Beach. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Happy hiking!

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